Chula Vista’s Third Avenue sign getting new color-changing lights

Danielle Dawson
·2 min read

CHULA VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — The Third Avenue gateway sign in Chula Vista is getting a facelift.

Over the next few weeks, crews will be making updates to the nearly two decade-old landmark located right in the heart of the city’s business district, including retrofitting the sign with new color-changing, LED lights similar to the recently-restored Hillcrest sign.

“At the end of this project, it will be a nice sign when it’s all said and done,” Ward Lannom, account executive for sales at Signtech, told FOX 5 on Tuesday. Signtech is contracted by the city of Chula Vista to swap out the old neon for new the LEDs and conduct some other restoration work.

The move to LEDs for the sign, Lannom added, would help the city save on energy costs and emissions long-term.

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“The sign has been here 20 plus years. Neon is really cool, it looked great, but now it’s nickel and diming all parties involved,” he said. “It takes a lot of energy to run that sign. LEDs now have replaced neon to the point where they do faux neon.”

Moving forward, Chula Vista leaders will be able to customize the colors of the Third Avenue sign to light up based on holidays, like the Fourth of July or Cinco de Mayo, as well as whatever occasions are happening at city hall.

In the meantime, however, sections of Third Avenue around the sign will be closed down periodically through the end of March to allow for crews to do their work safely.

According to Chula Vista officials, the work is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., switching off between sides of Third Avenue between Parkway and G Street. Southbound traffic was closed on Monday and Tuesday, while northbound traffic will be closed from March 13 to March 15.

“(The updates) bring new life to the sign,” Lannom said. “I think it’s great for all the businesses and residents of Chula Vista.”

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