Category Archives: Phoenix

ADOT seeks input on Disadvantaged Business Enterprise goals

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PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation is seeking public input on proposed goals for the percentage value of federal-aid contract dollars won by firms certified for its Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program.

In an update required every three years, ADOT is proposing that 9.55 percent of total dollars in contracts funded by the Federal Highway Administration go to DBE firms during fiscal years 2018, 2019 and 2020. The agency anticipates that 5 percent will be achieved through small-business programs and other efforts that are neutral when it comes to race and gender, and that 4.55 percent will be achieved through contract goals.

ADOT’s current DBE goal for Federal Highway Administration-funded contracts is 8.9 percent, and the agency has exceeded that goal during the past two fiscal years.

The proposed goal, which will be submitted this summer to the Federal Highway Administration and go into effect Oct. 1, stems from a recently completed draft DBE Availability Study that also sets goals for DBE participation in Federal Aviation Administration contracts from fiscal 2019 through fiscal 2021 and Federal Transit Administration contracts from fiscal 2020 through fiscal 2022.

For Federal Aviation Administration-funded contracts, ADOT has proposed an overall DBE goal of 8.05 percent, to be achieved through efforts that are neutral when it comes to race and gender. For Federal Transit Administration-funded contracts, ADOT’s preliminary DBE goal of 2.79 percent, to be achieved through efforts that are neutral when it comes to race and gender, will be re-examined prior to submission to that agency in 2019.

ADOT offers several ways for business representatives and other interested stakeholders to provide input on these proposed goals and the draft DBE Availability Study, and to offer suggestions for improving contracting opportunities for DBEs and other small businesses.

ADOT has scheduled the following public hearings:

4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 13, at Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Road, Tucson
4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday, June 15, at the ADOT Business Engagement and Compliance Office, 1801 W. Jefferson St., Suite 101, Phoenix

At any time during the public comment period, which begins Monday, May 15, and lasts through Thursday, June 22, the public also can provide comments through:

  • Online: ADOT Business Engagement and Compliance Office, azdot.gov/BECO
  • Email: info@keenindependent.com
  • Mail: ADOT Business Engagement and Compliance Office, 1801 W. Jefferson St. , Suite 101, Phoenix, AZ 85007
  • Fax: 602-712-8429

During the public comment period, all documents related to the proposed goals and the draft DBE Availability Study are available for review during regular business hours at the ADOT Business Engagement and Compliance Office, 1801 W. Jefferson St., Suite 101, in Phoenix.

All public comments will be reviewed before ADOT submits final DBE goal requests to the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Aviation Administration and Federal Transit Administration.

Phoenix to host final public hearing for ADOT’s Tentative Five-Year Program

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Now is the time to comment on the Arizona Department of Transportation’s recommended plan for the next five years of construction projects.

ADOT is getting ready to hold its third and final public hearing this week on the 2018-2022 Tentative Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program. Comments can be submitted online as well through May 30.

This comment period helps ADOT and the State Transportation Board, which reviews and approves the program, learn which highway projects are most important to members of the public and communities statewide.

The third public hearing for the Tentative Five-Year Program is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, May 19, in the ADOT Auditorium, 206 S. 17th Ave. in Phoenix. The monthly State Transportation Board meeting will follow the public hearing.

The Tentative Five-Year Program outlines proposed projects and improvements to the state highway system over the next five years. The program is updated annually and designates how much local, state and federal funding is allocated for projects for highways, bridges, transit and aviation.

Many of the major projects in this Tentative Program focus on improving some of Arizona’s busiest corridors. Better mobility means better daily commutes and travel for everyone. Improved roads also enhance freight movement, trade, commerce and economic development, all of which benefit the quality of life statewide.

ADOT is also committed to protecting Arizona’s nearly $21 billion investment in the state highway system through dedicated preservation funding. This Five-Year Program meets ADOT’s target of $260 million per year for preservation. Projects like repaving highways, repairing or reconstructing bridges and projects to extend the life of existing pavement all help to preserve the highway system and keep it functioning as it should.

The complete report of all proposed projects is available at azdot.gov for review and comment until 5 p.m. on May 30.

The public comment period for the 2018-2022 Tentative Program began on March 17. It includes public hearings in Tucson (March 17), Flagstaff (April 21) and Phoenix (May 19). The State Transportation Board is expected to make its final decision on June 16 at its meeting in Payson about what will be in the updated Five-Year Program.

The Tentative Program is available for public review and comment at azdot.gov/FiveYearPlan, where a “how to read it” guide is available. ADOT welcomes feedback through Survey Monkey at surveymonkey.com/r/M36583J, by email at fiveyearconstructionprogram@azdot.gov and by calling 855.712.8530.

Visit the Tentative Five-Year Program website at azdot.gov/fiveyearplan for more information.

Native fish project, 25 years in making, comes to fruition

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In mid-May, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) will stock Gila topminnow into Arnett Creek, near Superior, with the expectation that the species will establish a population. The addition of Gila topminnow will be the final step in a project that has been in the works for more than two decades.

Back in 1992, AZGFD, Tonto National Forest (TNF), and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service identified an opportunity to re-establish a native fish community in Arnett Creek.

After environmental planning, a fish barrier was built to deter re-entry of non-native fishes, the stream was chemically treated to remove nonnative fishes, and in the late-1990s a few native fish were stocked. Those fish did not establish populations, and a subsequent drought greatly reduced the amount of perennial water habitat in the system.

The partners re-evaluated the stream in 2007 and determined that the small amount of habitat was most suitable for longfin dace and endangered Gila topminnow. The plan was to stock longfin dace first, and if they established a population, to move forward with Gila topminnow. Longfin dace were stocked in 2007, and they have established a population. So the partners continued to plan for introducing Gila topminnow.

Finally, all of the environmental planning has been completed, and Gila topminnow will be stocked.

“Hopefully they will establish populations, because establishing new populations is necessary to recover the species so that it will no longer need protection under the Endangered Species Act,” said Tony Robinson, AZGFD’s Gila River Basin Native Fishes Lead.

Historically, topminnow were the most abundant fish species in the Gila River basin from western New Mexico to southern and western Arizona. Over time, habitat loss and degradation brought the topminnow to the brink of extinction. Habitat improvement and reintroductions, such as at Arnett Creek, are contributing to substantial, recent advances in the species’ recovery.

AZGFD will be collecting the topminnow from a pond near Amado owned by one of its partners in topminnow conservation under the Safe Harbor Agreement for Topminnows and Pupfish.

Native fish are just one part of the Arnett Creek story. During the last year of planning, Tonto National Forest has also partnered with AZGFD and other local groups to help protect and restore Arnett Creek.

Arnett Canyon is used by horseback riders and hikers. There were many trails in the riparian area, so TNF and its partners improved the main trail and fenced the riparian area to focus people and riders onto the main trail. TNF and AZGFD also worked collaboratively on repairing fencing and installing drinkers for the local rancher’s livestock.

Closures on Interstate 17 north of Camp Verde continue Tuesday for emergency utility repairs

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Windy conditions on Monday prevented crews from completing the emergency utility repairs on Interstate 17. Work and temporary closures are scheduled to continue Tuesday, May 16, approximately four miles north of the State Route 260 junction.

North and southbound traffic on I-17 will be stopped at milepost 291 while utility crews work to repair power lines and poles. Closures are scheduled to occur between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., with each closure expected to last approximately 15 minutes.

ADOT’s use of rubberized asphalt gives new life to recycled tires

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PHOENIX – The rubberized asphalt used by the Arizona Department of Transportation on many highway paving projects not only creates a smooth ride for drivers, it also provides a second life for the rubber from thousands of old, worn tires that might otherwise be dumped in landfills.

Such is the case with the ongoing project to put a fresh layer of rubberized asphalt on a busy stretch of Interstate 17 in Phoenix. Rubber from about 75,000 tires will be used in the layer of asphalt being added to 11 miles of I-17 between Dunlap and 19th avenues in Phoenix.

For the I-17 project, the process for recycling tires begins at the Crumb Rubber Manufacturers plant in east Mesa, where a complex series of conveyor belts, blades and other equipment removes the internal metal belts from the tires while turning the rubber into granules that look like ground coffee.

The crumb rubber is a key ingredient that is blended with hot asphalt and aggregate to become rubberized asphalt. For the I-17 project, the mixing occurs at a Vulcan Materials Co. plant in Phoenix. The heated rubberized asphalt is then delivered in trucks when weekend paving on the freeway is underway.

ADOT has used rubberized asphalt on many stretches of the state’s highways, including metro Phoenix freeways, for decades. As a result, rubber from millions of tires has been used to help provide a smooth, durable ride for drivers across Arizona.

“What we like most about rubberized asphalt is its durability,” said Dallas Hammit, ADOT’s state engineer and deputy director for transportation. “When our riding surface pavement lasts longer – in some areas for well over a decade – it is cost effective and limits traffic disruptions.”

Rubberized asphalt has also been recognized for reducing traffic noise, specifically the sound from vehicle tires, by approximately four decibels in neighborhoods near urban freeways.

The weekend paving of sections of I-17 is scheduled to be completed in June. This weekend, northbound I-17 will be closed between Glendale and Dunlap avenues from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, May 15, for the resurfacing work. Drivers should consider alternate routes, including northbound State Route 51, to avoid heavy traffic approaching the I-17 closure.

For more information about ADOT’s $9.8 million I-17 Improvement Project between Dunlap and 19th avenues, visit azdot.gov/I17PavementPreservation.

Closures on Interstate 17 north of Camp Verde needed Monday for emergency utility repairs

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Four temporary full closures of Interstate 17 north of Camp Verde will be required on Monday, May 15, to accommodate overhead emergency utility repairs.

North and southbound traffic on I-17 at milepost 291, located approximately four miles north of the State Route 260 Junction in Camp Verde, will be stopped while utility crews work to repair power lines and poles. Closures are scheduled to occur between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., with each closure expected to last approximately 15 minutes.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions and closures, but it’s possible that unscheduled impacts might occur because of weather or other factors. For the most current information about highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.

Arizona Game and Fish Director Larry D. Voyles to retire

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PHOENIX – Arizona Game and Fish Department Director Larry D. Voyles has announced that he will retire from the state’s wildlife agency this summer. Director Voyles, who first joined the Department as a wildlife manager in the Yuma region in 1974, will remain as Director until his replacement is named by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission.

In a letter to Game and Fish employees, Voyles reflected on his nine years as Director of the 600-person agency, saying “I was in the unique position of steering this mighty ship, and I did my best to encourage personal responsibility, scientific curiosity and innovation. These character traits, along with our core values of Credibility, Respect, Integrity and Passion are and always will be the foundation on which our Department is built.”

After a decade in the field as a wildlife manager, Voyles rose through the ranks serving as the Department’s first Law Enforcement Training Coordinator, then Regional Supervisor and ultimately the position of Director, which he has held since 2008. His term will be remembered for his embrace of technology to modernize the department, his national efforts to unite state conservation agencies to provide better resources for wildlife and habitat management, and his support of multiple-use public lands.

“Director Voyles is a great leader and a true conservation visionary who has guided the Department into the 21st century,” said Game and Fish Commission Chairman Pat Madden. “Larry has strengthened the Department’s traditional role as the state’s wildlife authority while encouraging innovation and collaboration between conservationists and the community. His legacy will shine brightly for years to come.”

Game and Fish Commissioner Kurt R. Davis added, “Larry Voyles and the leadership team he assembled during his tenure have successfully built our nation’s leading wildlife agency. His devotion and dedication to managing more than 800 species of wildlife in Arizona sets an example for all conservationists. Larry can retire knowing his work in Arizona, and nationally, leaves an indelible mark on wildlife conservation that has helped ensure that our state’s wildlife will flourish for another generation.”

Director Voyles was elected by his peers to the presidency of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) in 2014, and has served on a variety of national boards including the Council to Advance the Hunting and Shooting Sports, the Wildlife and Hunter Heritage Conservation Council, Co-Chair of the Agency/Industry Coalition, the US Sportsman Alliance Youth Program Advisory Council, and the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. He sits on the Federal/State Joint Task Forces for ESA Implementation and for Federal Aid Administration.

State Route 67’s remote location is among its attractions

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PHOENIX – After being buried in snow all winter, State Route 67 running from Jacob Lake to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is scheduled to reopen Monday, May 15.

The Arizona Department of Transportation closes SR 67 when park facilities shut down for the winter––usually on December 1––and reopens it when the North Rim is ready to welcome travelers once again. The 40-plus-mile-long route runs through an area that, at 8,500 feet in elevation, sees an average of nine feet of snow each year.

During the winter months, a gate blocks access to SR 67 just south of US 89A in Jacob Lake.

The Grand Canyon National Park website at www.nps.gov/grca has information on lodging, camping and other visitor services available at the North Rim.

For the latest information about highway conditions across Arizona, please visit ADOT’s Traveler Information site at AZ511.gov, call 511 or connect via Twitter (@ArizonaDOT ) or Facebook (facebook.com/AZDOT).

Commission proposes to amend rules for game bird field training licenses

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Commission proposes to amend R12-4-414 to develop rule changes that result in an improved process and customer-friendly approach to administering game bird field training licenses.

All public comments about the proposed rulemaking will be accepted through July 2, 2017:

  • Email: rulemaking@azgfd.gov or wzarlingo@azgfd.gov.
  • U.S. Mail: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn.: Wade Zarlingo, Small Game Program Manager, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086.
  • Telephone: Wade Zarlingo, Small Game Program Manager, 623-236-7503.

The final rule will be presented to the five-member commission at the end of the comment period. The commission will review the final rulemaking during a special telephonic meeting at 10 a.m. July 17, 2017.

To track the progress of this rule, view the regulatory agenda and all previous Five-Year Review Reports, and to learn about any other agency rulemaking matters, visit https://www.azgfd.com/agency/rulemaking/.

Monument review could help Arizona

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Opinion By Larry D. Voyles, Director of the Arizona Game and Fish Department

President Trump’s Executive Order calling for a review of expansive executive land designations under the Antiquities Act of 1906 has predictably generated a volume of debate and dire predictions. Missing from the discussion is thoughtful dialogue about the critical role of multiple-use management in natural resources conservation and the sometimes dire consequences to our natural resources of removing such tools from the pallet of management actions and possibilities. This is all done in the name of “protection,” but sometimes we literally love our most special places to death.

In Arizona, when the 2011 Wallow Fire burned 538,000 acres of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, it initially reached crown fire intensity in the “protected” Bear Wallow Wilderness Area. “Protected” is in quotes because a wilderness designation, supposedly our highest level of protection, can actually prohibit many forest health management practices that reduce wildfire risk and protect our public lands. We all knew the overgrown Bear Wallow Wilderness would burn, and burn catastrophically.

The National Forests destroyed in the Wallow Fire, like those across the country, were established in the 20th century primarily to protect watersheds, timber, wildlife, and grazing lands, allowing these natural resources to benefit American communities. Catastrophic wildfires cause erosion that can shorten the lifespan of dams, robbing us of water, the lifeblood of our cities, towns, farms and industry.

This was the reason the Arizona Game and Fish Commission and Department opposed the Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument proposal. The President’s Order doesn’t eliminate any monuments or restrictions on the use of monument lands and waters, but the review may help highlight the stark difference between symbolic designation and real conservation.

Protected areas are an important part of our conservation landscape, but multiple-use lands are essential to our conservation future. Let’s restore balance to our conservation dialogue. A national conversation about the connections between multiple-use management and healthy forests and waters is long overdue.

Versions of this article have been published as guest columns in the Arizona Capitol Times, Arizona Daily Star and Arizona Daily Sun.