Category Archives: Arizona Department of Transportation

State Route 67 to Grand Canyon’s North Rim to close for winter

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State Route 67 leading to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park will close for the winter on Thursday, Dec. 1.

The highway will be blocked to traffic about a half mile from its junction with US 89A at Jacob Lake. With park facilities closed for the winter, the Arizona Department of Transportation doesn’t clear snow from the highway, which leads 43 miles south from US 89A. SR 67 is scheduled to reopen in mid-May along with North Rim lodges, campgrounds and other amenities.

State Route 64 remains open all year to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim.

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 Travel Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.

Inventing an inexpensive shield protects ADOT interstate signs from graffiti

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graffiti-shield1_cropPHOENIX — With graffiti an ongoing threat to interstate freeway signs mounted on overpasses, an Arizona Department of Transportation employee invented an inexpensive metal shield that helps keep vandals and their spray paint at bay.

In ADOT’s culture of continuous improvement, this innovation by Interstate Signing Supervisor Dudley Heller is referred to as kaizen, something enhancing productivity, safety, efficiency and more.

Heller’s aluminum shield extends diagonally away from the sides of signs like a hood, making it difficult for would-be graffiti artists to reach around.

“It’s worked quite well,” Heller said.

For an investment of $17.50 per square foot, the shields protect taxpayers’ investment in signs that cost as much as $10,000 to replace.

The shields protect drivers, as spray paint damages the reflective coating on signs and makes them harder to read at night. They also make things safer for ADOT workers, who’d have to replace damaged signs on overpasses.

So far, ADOT’s Transportation Systems Management and Operations Division (TSM&O) has installed the shields on signs along Interstate 10 in Phoenix and Interstate 19 in Tucson.

“We’ve saved a lot of money by doing this, not to mention the unsightliness of the graffiti being out there,” Heller said.

Drivers are key to reducing I-17 crashes, closures north of Phoenix

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PHOENIX — As the Arizona Department of Transportation seeks to identify and fund projects that will increase capacity on Interstate 17 north of Phoenix, drivers need to do their part by avoiding the poor decisions and inattention behind so many of the crashes that result in closures and backups – and worse, injuries and fatalities.

The steep, winding stretch of I-17 between Black Canyon City and Sunset Point is one of ADOT’s priorities for improvements.

But ADOT Director John Halikowski says no widening project or highway safety measure can be as effective as drivers obeying speed limits, avoiding distractions and driving with patience. A recent analysis found that the driver violation cited in more than 40 percent of I-17 crashes in the Black Canyon City area was “speed too fast for conditions.”

“We drive these highways too and care deeply not only about the time motorists lose in delays but the toll in injuries and lives lost due to speeding and driver inattention,” Halikowski said. “We’re committed to improving traffic flow and enhancing safety on I-17 and won’t stop until we get this done. But we can’t ignore driver behavior. We can all get home sooner and safely if we work together to avoid crashes.”

A recent safety message on ADOT’s overhead highway sign network sums up this approach: Control yourself, control your vehicle, save lives.

“Always drive defensively,” said Alberto Gutier, director of the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “Being constantly aware of your surroundings and the actions of other motorists is especially important in this stretch of I-17, which can see heavy traffic and demands a driver’s complete attention.”

Col. Frank Milstead, director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, said everyone in a vehicle should promote safe driving.

“Passengers, be a good co-pilot, don’t allow your driver to disregard our traffic laws and drive distracted,” Milstead said. “Encourage them to focus on safe, unselfish driving. Otherwise, they may unexpectedly meet one of our troopers during a traffic stop or collision investigation.”

ADOT will launch an I-17 safety project in 2017 focused on the area between New River Road and Sunset Point Rest Area. The project will add several electronic “speed feedback” signs with digital displays that show drivers how fast they are traveling compared to the speed limit. New signs alerting drivers to highway curves will be installed, along with four overhead message signs to inform drivers of traffic conditions.

“I-17 is vital for passenger and commercial traffic between Phoenix and northern Arizona communities,” Halikowski said. “We’re determined to identify options to increase capacity in that stretch of I-17 while also working with DPS, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and other agencies to emphasize what drivers can do to improve safety.”

No state highway construction closures over Thanksgiving weekend

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sunrise-i-10-vert_cropPHOENIX — Over Thanksgiving weekend, state and local agencies will focus on keeping motorists safe and placing equipment and resources along heavily traveled highways to help move traffic should incidents occur. Additionally, the Arizona Department of Transportation and its contractors won’t schedule construction closures along state highways from Wednesday through Sunday evening.

While no closures are scheduled during the holiday weekend, travelers should be aware that existing work-zone restrictions will remain in place, including narrowed lanes on Interstate 19 near Tucson and lane reductions on Interstate 40 near the California-Arizona line.

Safety is being emphasized in three high-traffic zones that will receive enhanced enforcement from the Arizona Department of Public Safety and extra ADOT resources to minimize travel delays. Along Interstate 17 between north Phoenix and Flagstaff, Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson, and State Route 87 between Mesa and Payson, ADOT crews will stage equipment, such as loaders and utility trucks, for faster response times to crashes and stalled vehicles to decrease travel delays.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety will have an enhanced state trooper presence on highways, targeting impairment and dangerous driving behaviors. The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is working with state troopers, police officers and deputy sheriffs on a holiday DUI enforcement campaign. The Thanksgiving DUI Task Force Campaign involves nine separate statewide task forces and 72 different law enforcement agencies.

Last year, 16 people died in 10 fatal traffic collisions during the holiday weekend on Arizona’s state and local roadways.

To encourage smart driving decisions, ADOT’s overhead signs will display current traffic conditions, as well as safety messages.

Because unexpected delays can occur due to crashes and stalled vehicles, motorists traveling during the holiday weekend should:

· Pack extra drinking water and snacks

· Avoid the busiest travel times, if possible

· Get plenty of rest before driving

· Check vehicles, including tire pressure, belts and fluid levels

· If traveling to the high country, pack cold-weather clothes and blankets

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Travel Information Center at az511.gov, by calling 511 and through ADOT’s Twitter feed @ArizonaDOT.

Enjoy winter in Arizona’s amazing high country, but travel prepared

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PHOENIX — One of the great things about Arizona winters is being able to savor a refreshingly mild morning in our desert communities and then play in the snow that same afternoon.

Just don’t let being able to wear shorts and flip-flops in Tucson, Bullhead City or Mesa leave you thinking that winter driving is any less challenging in Arizona’s high country than in other parts of the country. In fact, snow that makes Flagstaff, the Mogollon Rim, the White Mountains, Prescott and Mount Lemmon popular in the winter can be even more challenging because so much of it can fall in such a brief period.

“Arizona is blessed with an awesome diversity of winter weather, and we all have a chance to get out and enjoy it,” said Governor Doug Ducey. “Taking some easy steps to prepare for driving in areas with snow and ice can make the trip more enjoyable and safe for everyone.”

For starters, leave the shorts and flip-flops at home. Winter is the real deal in higher elevations, yet it’s not unheard of for motorists and passengers to be found shivering in stranded vehicles or rest areas without warm clothing, not to mention an emergency kit that includes blankets.

The average snowfall across the country is 25 inches per year. The Flagstaff area can see 90 inches or more annually, while the White Mountains region averages 30 inches per year.

Snow can fall in virtually every part of Arizona. That’s why the Arizona Department of Transportation has nearly 200 snowplows and 400 trained snowplow operators stationed all around the state to keep highways open when storms hit.

Even so, drivers should leave prepared for the possibility that snow and ice will make for a longer trip and could lead to a highway closure until snowplows can do their work. That comes down to what you take in your vehicle; how you prepare yourself, your passengers and your vehicle; and how you approach driving in potentially adverse conditions.

ADOT’s Know Snow campaign (azdot.gov/KnowSnow), which kicks off Tuesday, November 15, offers tips such as these:

  • Slow Down and Leave Extra Room: Adjust your speed to conditions. Driving slower and leaving space between your vehicle and others when snow and ice are present can improve your ability to brake and prevent skids.
  • Leave Prepared: Dress for cold weather, bring extra clothes and gloves, be sure your cellphone is charged, and pack food, water and necessary medications. Make sure your vehicle is in good working condition, starting with the battery, heater/defroster, wiper blades, wiper fluid and brakes.
  • Pack an Emergency Kit: For starters, take blankets, a flashlight, an ice scraper, a small shovel, a container of sand for traction and hazard lights or reflectors in case your vehicle becomes disabled.
  • Beware of Black Ice: Black ice tends to form at night when melting snow freezes and is especially common on bridges.
  • Stay Up to Date: Visit ADOT’s Travel Information site at az511.gov or call 511 to get the latest highway conditions, and pay attention to messages on overhead boards. ADOT’s Twitter feed (@ArizonaDOT) is an excellent source of information and answers about highway conditions.

It’s essential to know how to drive near a snowplow, starting with staying at least four vehicle lengths behind a plow and not passing until the operator pulls over. Remember: The safest place to be when snow and ice are on a highway is behind a snowplow.

For safety, be sure to exit highways completely before playing in the snow. Highway shoulders are for stranded vehicles and emergency vehicles, not for throwing snowballs. Note that a plow can throw a lot of snow and ice well off the roadway.

And travel with the knowledge that popular snow-play areas, including those along US 180 northwest of Flagstaff, can get a lot of visitors after snow falls and especially around holiday weekends. Heavy traffic can mean a slow trip back at day’s end, so be prepared to spend more time on the road than you may expect in winter weather.

“It’s thrilling to see Arizona’s high country in its winter glory,” said Governor Ducey. “We just want you to Know Snow before leaving so your trip can be safe as well as memorable.”

Ongoing utility work on SR 260 in Camp Verde for the next five months

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CAMP VERDE — In preparation for widening State Route 260 in Camp Verde between Interstate 17 and Thousand Trails Road (mileposts 209 to 218), utility work will be ongoing for the next five months. Crews are relocating utility lines to make room for the four-lane divided roadway that is set to begin construction next spring.

Utility relocation requires intermittent work along shoulders and trucks entering and exiting the roadway. Drivers are encouraged to use extra caution when traveling through work zones between 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction equipment and personnel.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions, but it’s possible that unscheduled closures or restrictions might occur because of weather or other factors. For the latest highway conditions around the state, visit the ADOT Traveler Information Center at www.az511.gov or call 511, except while driving.

What to do after a non-injury, fender bender collision

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quick-clear7af4ca78c8006c57b531ff0000a35efc_cropPHOENIX — If you’re involved in a freeway fender bender, the misconception that it’s best to stay put can leave you in danger, create hazardous slowing and lane changes for all drivers, and increase risks for emergency responders.

That’s why the Arizona Department of Transportation and Arizona Department of Public Safety need you to know about the practice of Quick Clearance, in which drivers involved in minor crashes that don’t involve injuries get their vehicles out of travel lanes as soon as it’s safe to do so.

No one wants to be in this situation, but with a vehicle crash occurring almost every five minutes in Arizona, everyone should know how best to stay safe following a minor, non-injury collision.

Reasons for practicing Quick Clearance begin with a state law that requires a driver involved in a minor crash without injuries to remove a vehicle from the roadway if it is operable and can be moved safely. Doing this is safer for drivers involved in the crash, fellow motorists and emergency responders.

“Many drivers have been taught not to move their vehicles until law enforcement arrives on scene, but that is not correct,” said DPS Sgt. John Paul Cartier. “Every traffic incident management principle confirms drivers can greatly impact safety, reduce congestion and reduce secondary collisions. Drivers who comply with Quick Clearance state law make a positive difference in many lives.”

Quickly moving your vehicle out of travel lanes provides a safer environment to inspect your car for damage. Moving your vehicle to the emergency shoulder, median or exiting the highway also provides a safer environment for first responders and keeps travel lanes clear for other vehicles, reducing the chance of a secondary collision. Of the 29 DPS troopers killed in the line of duty, 11 were struck and killed in secondary crashes on state highways.

ADOT and DPS are promoting Quick Clearance as part of a nationwide effort among transportation, law enforcement and other first responder agencies and organizations as part of National Traffic Incident Management Week (Nov. 13-19). On Wednesday and Thursday, many overhead highway signs statewide will display the following message:

FENDER BENDER?
SAVE YOUR REAR
AND QUICKLY CLEAR

If you are involved in a crash, the first action to take is to make sure you and occupants in your vehicle are OK. Then, if your vehicle is operable, move to the emergency shoulder, median or exit the highway and call 911. Stay out of travel lanes, be alert and watch approaching traffic. Remember: Never leave the scene of a crash.

South Mountain Freeway will have Frank Lloyd Wright influences

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frank-wright-cropPHOENIX — In the late 1920s, modern architect Frank Lloyd Wright arrived in Arizona to design a desert resort planned for the foothills of South Mountain, in what is now Ahwatukee.

To produce drawings for the project, Wright and his colleagues built a temporary settlement, called “Ocatillo,” near what is now 32nd Street and two-thirds of a mile north of what will be the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway. The name intentionally misspelled ocotillo, the desert plant that grew in abundance there.

While the stock market crash of 1929 ended Wright’s project, nearly a century later his connection to the area will influence how drivers experience the South Mountain Freeway.

Working with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, the Arizona Department of Transportation and its project team are honoring Wright as they design aesthetics for bridges, sound walls and other freeway elements.

“Frank Lloyd Wright had a strong presence at the base of South Mountain before Ahwatukee was even built,” said Joe Salazar, ADOT’s roadside development, project landscape and architecture coordinator. “Frank Lloyd Wright was inspired by Arizona’s desert surroundings, and the South Mountain Freeway will tell that story.”

One of the freeway’s five distinctive aesthetic character areas, between Ahwatukee Foothills and the Interstate 10/Loop 202 Santan Freeway interchange, is named for and influenced by Wright’s Ocatillo settlement. Simple materials in the patterns on architectural features in that freeway segment will celebrate that area’s desert landscape and vegetation.

And preliminary plans for the entire freeway call for using horizontal lines, featured in many of Wright’s designs, in different ways. The wood walls of Wright’s Ocatillo settlement featured bold horizontal lines to echo the desert floor and the area’s long horizons.

The South Mountain Freeway’s sound walls and retaining walls will have horizontal lines, in contrast with the vertical lines used along other Valley freeways.

“These horizontal lines evoke a sense of motion, a perfect complement to the energy of a freeway,” said architect Victor Sidy, who is working with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation on the project. “As one travels through the length of the freeway, these lines will serve as a connective thread that will narrate a story of transition from the city to the natural desert and back to the city.”

Aesthetics are an essential part of any ADOT design project, creating looks that complement the surroundings, help tell an area’s story and create a more appealing environment for drivers.

In addition to Ocatillo Settlement, the South Mountain Freeway’s distinctive aesthetic character areas will be: Cholla Ocotillo between Elliott Road and east of Desert Foothills Parkway; River Bank between the Salt River Bridge and Elliot Road; Leaf Portal between Roosevelt Avenue and the Salt River Bridge; and Mountain Urban Link between the I-10 (Papago Freeway)/Loop 202 interchange and Roosevelt Avenue.

There will be five associated landscape character areas – Ahwatukee Neighborhood, Ahwatukee Foothills, Laveen Village, Estrella Village and Interstate 10 Traffic Interchange – with specific plants, color accents, ground treatments and other elements.

Together, these character areas will tell stories by highlighting land use, land forms and history. The Ahwatukee Foothills/Cholla Ocotillo segment, for example, will feature desert plants and simple shapes based on the forms of native cholla and ocotillo cactuses, while aesthetics and landscaping in the Laveen Village/River Bank segment will speak to that area’s agricultural heritage.

In early November, plans to incorporate Wright’s influences brought ADOT’s landscape and aesthetics team, along with representatives of Connect 202 Partners, the development group designing and building the South Mountain Freeway, to Taliesin West in Scottsdale. The national historic landmark, Wright’s winter home until his death in 1959, is home to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture.

With representatives of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, participants refined design plans for sound walls, bridges and other structures and drew further inspiration from Wright’s work. The refinements will be reflected in a landscape architecture and aesthetics design concept report developed with input from ADOT, Federal Highway Administration, city of Phoenix and Maricopa Association of Governments, the regional transportation planning agency.

Wright’s influence will be evident in other ways. In the Mountain Urban Link character area, for example, interlocking L-shapes planned for design elements are inspired by the work of both Wright and Paolo Soleri, the renowned modern architect behind Arcosanti and Cosanti in Arizona.

ADOT’s Salazar called the South Mountain Freeway a rare opportunity to create aesthetics and landscaping for an entire freeway corridor at once rather than in stages. That opportunity also creates a challenge that requires additional thought and consideration, Salazar added.

“We are thankful for the collaboration with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and others, including the Cosanti Foundation, to develop a freeway corridor that will tell stories as it enhances the quality of life in this region,” Salazar said.

The 22-mile freeway, expected to open by late 2019, will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to I-10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, the South Mountain Freeway will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system in the Valley.

Drivers: Roadway safety is in your control

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adot-logo3PHOENIX — Control yourself. Control your vehicle. Save lives.

That’s the message the Arizona Department of Transportation is sending to motorists this weekend, urging drivers to make roads safer for everyone by resisting dangerous driving behaviors of speeding, aggressive driving, impaired driving, distracted driving and not wearing a seat belt.

“Drivers really need to wake up and take responsibility for their behavior. When a person chooses to take control and grip the steering wheel, they are literally taking control of their own safety, as well as the safety of every other person with them on the roads,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “Don’t make dumb choices like drinking, texting, speeding and behaving aggressively while driving. I am ringing the alarm bell on traffic fatalities. Not controlling your behavior will wind up costing a life. Control yourself and control your vehicle. The life you save may be your own. Don’t lose control – don’t drive dumb.”

As part of an ongoing effort to increase driver awareness of the important role each of us plays in making roads safer for everyone, ADOT will display the following message on overhead highway signs from Thursday evening through Sunday.

CONTROL YOURSELF
CONTROL YOUR CAR
SAVE LIVES

According to preliminary data, Arizona remains on pace to exceed 900 traffic fatalities this year. The key issue behind fatal crashes on any roadway is driver behavior. If drivers stopped speeding, stopped driving aggressively, impaired or distracted, a significant number of lives – hundreds of lives – could be saved each year.

Interstate 40 paving work by Interstate 17 interchange on Monday, Nov. 14

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FLAGSTAFF — Motorists traveling eastbound along Interstate 40 just outside of Flagstaff should allow for extra time for travel on Monday, Nov. 14 as crews perform spot-repairs to the roadway near the Interstate 17 junction (milepost 194-197).

Work will begin early in the morning and continue during daylight hours. The speed limit will be reduced through the construction zone.

Drivers should allow extra time for travel, use caution in the work zone and watch for equipment and personnel.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions, but it’s possible that unscheduled closures or restrictions might occur because of weather or other factors. For the latest highway conditions around the state, visit the ADOT Traveler Information Center at az511.gov, follow us on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511 except while driving.