Daily Archives: December 29, 2015

ADOT-ASU partnership will provide real-time weather information

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PHOENIX — With weather updates important to traffic flow and the safety of motorists, an innovative partnership between the Arizona Department of Transportation and Arizona State University will provide real-time forecasts to those managing our highways.

Beginning in January, a meteorology graduate student from ASU’s School of Geographical Sciences & Urban Planning will work as an intern in ADOT’s Traffic Operations Center, helping crews respond rapidly to winter storms and other weather challenges to clear highways and potentially prevent closures.

“This is an exciting step forward for public safety,” said Brent Cain, assistant director for ADOT’s Transportation Systems Management & Operations division. “This will allow us to have better information about weather conditions so we can more quickly determine how to deploy our crews and communicate with the public. All of that will make Arizona roads safer.”

Randy Cerveny, ASU President’s Professor in the School of Geographic Sciences and Urban Planning, said the setup also will allow top students to experience how meteorology can provide service to people in many areas.

“Most people only think of meteorologists on television, but by far most meteorologists work in settings like this one,” Cerveny said. “This is a real-world, real-time application of meteorology in a way that can help people all across Arizona.”

Paul Panhans, a first-year meteorology student and U.S. Air Force veteran, will begin working with ADOT in January. He said his experience interning with the National Weather Service will allow him to work closely with that agency.

“I will liaise with the National Weather Service and add in my own work to provide ADOT with the best possible weather forecasting,” Panhans said. “I expect to be able to help with such things as visibility, wind and freezing precipitation.”

ADEQ Seeks Applicants for $1.7 Million in Water Quality Improvement Grant Funds to Protect and Enhance Arizona’s Waters

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PHOENIX — ADEQ is requesting and accepting applications to fund projects that implement on-the-ground water quality improvements that reduce nonpoint source pollution caused by runoff in areas where ADEQ has established water protection plans. ADEQ’s focus is to fund projects in previously identified priority areas with the goal of maximizing environmental benefits. Focus areas include Granite Creek near Prescott, Oak Creek near Sedona, San Francisco River near Clifton, and San Pedro River near St. David.

ADEQ encourages all eligible individuals, non-profits, municipalities, and others to apply to take actions to restore, protect and improve waters in these priority areas. To learn more, ADEQ invites interested parties to join its informational webinar on Jan. 5, during which Water Quality Improvement Grant Program (WQIG) eligibility requirements, guidelines and priority areas will be reviewed. Please contact Jake Breedlove at (602) 771-4243 or sb12@azdeq.gov to register.

“Our experience has shown that applying proven management techniques through a community-based approach is highly effective in protecting Arizona’s precious waters as well as making progress toward restoring areas of concern to healthy conditions for future generations,” said ADEQ Water Quality Division Director Trevor Baggiore.

WQIG Deadlines and Awards

Mandatory pre-proposals are due 3 p.m., Fri., Jan. 15, 2016
Final applications are due 3 p.m. Fri., Feb. 12, 2016
ADEQ expects to announce the grant awards in May 2016

WQIG Resources
Water Quality Improvement Grants (WQIG) Request for Grant Applications (PDF)
Water Quality Improvement Grant Cycle Grant Manual (PDF)

Other required forms: http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/water/watershed/improvement.html

South Mountain Freeway to be constructed as public-private partnership

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation has selected a preferred developer for the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, which remains on track for construction to begin in summer 2016 as the largest-ever highway project in the state.

This is the first highway public-private partnership in Arizona. While the South Mountain Freeway will not be a toll road, the public-private partnership will allow ADOT to construct the project at an accelerated pace and at a lower cost.

After an unsolicited public-private partnership proposal was submitted in 2013, ADOT sought proposals from qualified teams vying to develop the 22-mile-long freeway, which is the last piece of the Loop 202 system and a critical direct link between the West Valley and East Valley. From the five initial proposals submitted, three finalists were selected after a qualifications assessment to advance in the selection process.

Following an extensive review that included representatives from ADOT, Federal Highway Administration, Maricopa Association of Governments and city of Phoenix, Connect 202 Partners was chosen as the “best value” developer. Key members of the development team include Fluor Enterprises Inc., Granite Construction Co. and Ames Construction Inc., with Parsons Brinckerhoff Inc. as the lead designer.

All three teams participating as finalists in the process were encouraged to use innovation and develop alternative concepts to save time and money, while adhering to all environmental commitments. The goal is to create an innovative public-private partnership that will have a private developer design and construct the freeway, as well as maintain the new highway for 30 years.

This public-private partnership will reduce costs to taxpayers while accelerating construction. Typically, a project of this magnitude would be split into several smaller projects, but the South Mountain Freeway will be completed as a single project by one contracting team.

“While ADOT has successfully built and managed hundreds of miles of freeways in the Phoenix metropolitan area, following a public-private partnership path for the first time was an appropriate tool for the South Mountain Freeway,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “ADOT will be able to complete this much-needed project sooner as a result, while increasing the likelihood of saving taxpayer dollars.”

ADOT is expected to finalize the contract with Connect 202 Partners by mid-February. Construction is expected to take up to four years to complete.

“The South Mountain Freeway is a critical piece of the MAG freeway program,” said Scottsdale Mayor W.J. “Jim” Lane, chair of the Maricopa Association of Governments Regional Council. “The freeway has been included in the voter-approved Regional Transportation Plan since 1985 and will provide improved mobility for residents in the MAG region. The design, construction and maintenance of the freeway by a private developer is a unique and innovative approach to delivering this important project.”

The South Mountain Freeway will be constructed with four lanes in each direction – three general-use lanes and one HOV lane – and include modern features including rubberized asphalt and aesthetics designed in partnership with the community.

ADEQ Awards $412,000 Water Quality Improvement Grant to Arizona Game and Fish Department

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ADEQ logo resizedPHOENIX — Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today a $412,000 Water Quality Improvement Grant to the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) to improve water quality in the San Pedro River, Little Colorado River and Oak Creek. AZGFD will provide more than $274,000 in matching funds.

ADEQ’s first formal agreement committing funds from both partnering agencies to specific projects in shared priority areas will also further the goals of multiple state and federal initiatives. Eligible projects will protect and restore water quality, grass and rangeland health and wildlife habitats in priority areas identified by ADEQ and AZGFD in the state Nonpoint Source Management Plan and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Regional Conservation Partnership Program and National Water Quality Initiative.

“We think this will be a great framework for broadening our audience and customer base, and also for potentially implementing projects at low or no cost to landowners beyond maintenance requirements,” said ADEQ Water Quality Division Director Trevor Baggiore.

Leveraging resources across state and federal partners will result in the reduction of impairment-causing pollutants, improvement of grassland habitat for wildlife, improved grazing practices.

Baggiore added, “Teaming up with AZGFD’s Landowner Relations Program, which has a longstanding, strong local presence and ties to rural water management areas, will strengthen ADEQ’s ability to partner with rural landowners in identifying priority on-the-ground projects.”

“Many of ADEQ’ water quality improvement goals dovetail nicely with grassland, rangeland and habitat improvement goals we share with ranchers and other partnering agencies,” said Wade Zarlingo, AZGFD Landowner Relations Program Coordinator.

ADEQ will evaluate the effectiveness of these projects for improving water quality. Matching funds for projects will be provided by a combination of AZGFD state funding, landowner contributions, in-kind services, and Arizona Department of Agriculture Livestock Crop Conservation Grant Program.