The $1.2 million southern gateway project along U.S. 31 that was approved by the Vestavia Hills City Council in mid-October is about to get started, City Manager Jeff Downes told the council this week.

The city expects to issue a notice to proceed to Gillespie Construction on Dec. 8, and the work should take 120 calendar days to complete, Downes said.

The first work to occur likely will be replacing a concrete median with landscaping and limited clearing of the area on the east side of U.S. 31 where a 15-foot-tall, 130-foot-long wall sign with “Vestavia Hills” written on it will be built, Downes said.

The contractor anticipates limited night-time lane closures along U.S. 31 between mid-December and January, he said.

The project also includes a second sign bearing the city’s name across

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