CASTROVILLE >> Caltrans will be marking the start of a rehabilitation project and the replacement of a decades-old landmark in this tiny unincorporated town on the Central Coast this week with a groundbreaking and ribbon cutting.

The Highway 183/Merritt Street and Castroville Arch Sign Improvement Projects event is scheduled for Thursday at the intersection of Preston and Merritt streets in the center of Castroville at 10 a.m.

“The event Thursday is both a groundbreaking ceremony for the beginning of the State Route 183 Rehabilitation Project and a chance to celebrate the completion of the Castroville Overhead Arch Project,” said Caltrans District 5 spokesperson Kevin Drabinski.

The replacement of the “Artichoke Center of the World” sign marks the completion of a Caltrans Clean California Beautification project in downtown Castroville at the intersection of Highway 183 — Merritt Street — and Preston Street, said Drabinski.

The $488,000 project to replace the Castroville sign was made possible by Gov. Newsom’s Clean California program led by Caltrans. The California Beautification program started in 2021 and is a $1.2 billion multiyear initiative aimed at removing trash, improving community aesthetics, engaging underserved communitiesand creating thousands of job opportunities across California.

The sign structure was first installed over Merritt Street — Highway 183 — in the mid-1930s, coinciding with the realignment of Highways 1 and 156 through Castroville.

Another Clean California Beautification project in Castroville has recently revitalized the Highway 156 Geil Street Pedestrian Overcrossing with colorful new murals, landscaping and safety improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists. The project cost $940,000 and a celebration is anticipated this fall.

Beside the Beautification projects, Castroville is also seeing Caltrans currently performing road and sidewalk work associated with the State Route (Highway) 183 — Merritt Street — Improvement Project.

“The State Route 183 project will rehabilitate the pavement on Merritt Street, address essential bridge maintenance needs and improve multimodal features, including transit stops, sidewalks, driveways and curb ramps,” said Drabinski. “The project will also install new Intelligent Transportation System features and improve aesthetics, bicycle network continuity, and pedestrian safety. This project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.”

Some of the specifics of the rehabilitation project include pavement improvements for ride quality and to prevent further deterioration through cold planing and asphalt overlay. The maintenance needs of the Highway 183 bridge over Highway 156 will be addressed through concrete spall repair, and deck and crack sealing to prevent water intrusion into existing cracks. At the existing shared through and right-turn lane on northbound Highway 183 (Merritt Street) to the eastbound Highway 156 on-ramp the outside shoulders would be widened and striped splitter islands at select locations on Merritt Street between Salinas and Haro streets as well as tapers on Merritt Street between Crane and Preston streets will be constructed.

The project work also includes replacing existing traffic census stations with upgraded systems and installing a closed-circuit television camera at the Highway 183 (Merritt Street) and Highway 156 interchange to improve data collection and reliability of real-time traffic data for traffic management.

Highway 183 (Merritt Street) is a conventional highway that serves as the “Main Street” through Castroville. The narrow right-of-way in this older, suburban setting makes it necessary to acquire permanent right-of-way to complete sidewalk curb ramp, and minor operational improvements, and to obtain temporary construction easements for transitions or tie-ins on nearby property. Approximately 82 parcels would be impacted.

Estimated funding for the project by the state is $38 million with $20.6 million estimated for the cost of construction.

Caltrans has worked in partnership with the Transportation Agency for Monterey County, Monterey-Salinas Transit, Monterey County, Castroville Community Services District, and North County Recreation and Park Department to coordinate and develop the scope of this project.

Construction for this project is estimated to be completed in the 2027-2028 winter season.