Over the past five years there have been 169 accidents on Highway 20 south of Oak Harbor between Scenic Heights Road and Sydney Street.

To help make the two-lane highway safer, an $8.3 million construction project will begin this spring along that stretch of road.

It is part of the $31 million worth of projects that will take place along Highway 20 from south of Oak Harbor to Sharpe’s Corner — the highway spur — on Fidalgo Island in the next several years.

For the work south of Oak Harbor, plans call for widening traffic lanes one foot and increase the width of shoulders. Left and right turn lanes will also be installed, and the lighting will be improved.

Workers will also lower the height of two roads on two hills to improve sight distance for motorists.

When crews begin their work to lower the hills, Highway 20 will close for two weekends in August.

Dave Chesson, spokesman for the Washington State Department of Transportation, said local residents were surveyed last year about the best way to handle the work. The overwhelming response was to close the highway rather than dragging the work out for an extended period of time.

“The best thing to reduce impact to drivers is to do it in two weekends and get it done,” Chesson said.

He said the work is similar to that done last year near Cornet Bay Road north of Oak Harbor.

Later in the spring, workers will replace the guardrails near Deception Pass.

That $5.5 million project calls for replacing the historic wood and rock railings with similar-looking ones that will meet current safety standards.

Crews are also finishing work this spring on a $9.4 million project near Cornet Bay Road. They will add another layer of asphalt and paint permanent striping. That work is expected to begin in mid-April. The road is now wide enough for traffic to go in both directions while workers pave lanes.

Although on Fidalgo Island workers will start improving the highway from Quiet Cove to Sharpe’s Corner. That project includes widening the roadway, closing the intersection at Deception Road, and replacing the culvert at Meadow Creek with a bridge that will support wider lanes.

Further work will continue on Fidalgo Island next summer.

With all of the construction taking place this year on Highway 20, Chesson encouraged people to sign up for e-mail updates that will alert them about construction impacts.

“This is a great time to sign up,” Chesson said. Once signed up, the DOT will send out short and to-the-point e-mails to inform motorists.

To sign up for the e-mail updates, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov and select the appropriate projects or contact Chesson at 360-757-5970.