PHOENIX — If you’re traveling around Tempe next week, keep an eye in the sky as Mill Avenue will be getting a new metal gateway sign that spells out the street name in capital, glowing letters.
The new welcome signage, which is set to be installed on April 20 just north of University Drive, is being billed as a new ‘entrance’ to the downtown district.
The sign features metal letters, each over four feet tall, suspended 20 feet above the street. Each letter is internally lit to produce a glowing effect at night. The new installation stretches 94.5 feet across the roadway and weighs 36,300 pounds.
“Mill Avenue is a global destination and plays a noteworthy part in the history of our city,” Tempe Mayor Corey Woods said in a statement. “By adding this gateway sign, we are honoring the significance of this place for all members of Tempe’s community.”
Mill Avenue’s ‘refresh’ is 40 years in the making
The sign is one of the final elements of the Downtown Tempe Refresh project, the first complete renovation of the Mill Avenue streetscape in more than 40 years.
The broader project has added more than 100 trees, renovated the traditional red brick sidewalks, and updated electrical, irrigation and lighting systems.
Mill Avenue will be closed to bicycle and vehicle traffic from University Drive to Seventh Street from 5 a.m. until noon on April 20 for the final installation. Streetcar service will be limited during the closure.
Work on the project is expected to continue through April.
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