Category Archives: Arizona Department of Transportation

Paving scheduled on SR 89 at Perkinsville in Chino Valley Sunday and Monday night

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CHINO VALLEY — Crews will pave the new roundabout on State Route 89 at Perkinsville in Chino Valley on Sunday and Monday nights between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. each night.

Minor delays are expected during work hours. The final work is expected to begin next week on the inside of the roundabout and crews expect it to be fully functional by mid-August.

Drivers may have minimal impacts during work hours and ADOT advises drivers to allow additional time to reach their destinations and to proceed through the work zone with caution, comply with the reduced speed limit, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

This $1.5 million project consists of a new roundabout at the intersection of SR 89 and Perkinsville Road between mileposts 328 and 329. Additional work includes removal and replacement of existing pavement, drainage improvements, new pavement markings and lighting.

Pikachu agrees, Pokémon Go is a no-go when driving

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pokemon4525bf78c8006c57b531ff0000a35efcPHOENIX — Have you captured Pikachu? Nabbed Rattata or the elusive Charizard? Leveled-up and trained your monsters at a Gym?

Of course, we’re talking about Pokémon Go, the week-old smartphone app soaring in popularity. The video game phenomenon is sending Pokémon Trainers to landmarks and into parks, neighborhoods and cities, hunting for rare monsters.

The lure of the chase can be strong and the Arizona Department of Transportation and Arizona Department of Public Safety want to remind Pokémon Trainers that driving and searching for exotic monsters or checking in at Poké Stops don’t mix.

“Distracted driving takes many forms, even looking for Pokémon,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “Although we hope you catch ’em all, if you’re not focused on driving with your eyes on the road, you’re at a higher risk of injuring or killing yourself and others in a crash. No Pokémon is worth that.”

To urge Pokémon Go fans to hunt safely, the following message will be displayed statewide on overhead highway signs this week:

POKEMON GO
IS A NO-GO
WHEN DRIVING
“Distracted driving is not a game,” said DPS Capt. Damon Cecil. “Playing Pokémon Go is not worth your life or someone else’s.”

So, please, #DontCatchAndDrive. And when traveling on foot don’t play the game near the road, either. Do you really want the eggs you’re incubating to get smashed in a crash?

On all Arizona roadways in 2015, distracted driving contributed to at least 33 fatal crashes and nearly 8,000 distracted drivers were involved in crashes on Arizona roadways, according to data collected by ADOT.

Northbound Interstate 17 construction between Kachina Village and Interstate 40 Junction

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FLAGSTAFF — Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) crews will be applying Recessed Pavement Markers and other pavement markings on the recently re-surfaced six mile stretch of northbound Interstate 17, from the Kachina Bvd/Mountainaire road exit (milepost 333) to the Lake Mary road exit south of the I-40 Junction (milepost 339). Work will occur on Thursday (July 14) and Friday (July 15) during daylight hours.

Traffic will be reduced to one lane through the work zone. Delays can be expected during construction; please allow for extra time for travel in the area. ADOT advises travelers to observe reduced speeds in the area, and to watch for crews and equipment in the work zone.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned roadway restrictions, but there is a possibility that unscheduled closures or restrictions may occur. Weather can also affect a project schedule.

Paving work to begin July 11 on US 89 in Cameron

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CAMERON — Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) crews will be paving on US 89 from the State Route 64 junction through Cameron (milepost 465 to 467) beginning Monday (July 11) to Friday (July 15) for the final phase of paving on the US 89 widening project.

Motorists who travel along US 89 in the project area can expect to encounter delays while one-lane restrictions are in place for both north- and southbound travel. Work will take place from 6 am to 6 pm daily and will require a 12’ width restriction during paving operations.

Directional signage and flaggers will be present during construction. ADOT advises to allow for extra time for travel during construction and to be alert for equipment and personnel in the work zone.

Finishing work on SR 98 west of the US 160 Junction

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Arizona Department of Transportation crews will be performing finishing work to complete construction on a 9-mile segment of SR 98 (milepost 340 to 349); west of the US 160 Junction towards Page from Wednesday (July 6) through Wednesday (July 13). Work will take place weekdays during daylight hours only. Travel will be reduced to one lane with a pilot car to allow for alternating travel in the area.

What to expect:

  •        Traffic will be reduced to one lane during construction
  •        Pilot car escort will allow for alternating travel through the work zone
  •        Anticipate 15 minute delays during lane closures
  •        Work scheduled for weekdays only, early morning to sunset

Please allow for extra time for travel in the area. There will be reduced speeds and lane restrictions at various locations during work hours and flaggers will be used to guide vehicles through the work zone.

Interstates are key commerce corridors fueling economic growth

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i-15-virginriverbridge-no1-800PHOENIX — Arizona’s interstate highways are key commerce corridors serving not only as the backbone of our transportation system but providing businesses and their customers with food, fuel and other essentials.

With the U.S. marking the 60th anniversary of the national interstate highway system that President Dwight D. Eisenhower launched in 1956, John Halikowski, director of the Arizona Department of Transportation, said this essential infrastructure requires adequate and sustained investment.

“By carrying many thousands of trucks each and every week, our interstates in Arizona are a critical lifeline for the health of our state’s businesses and our economic well-being,” Halikowski said. “If our interstate freeways are not reliable, high-quality corridors, Arizona will not be able to maintain our existing businesses and attract new business to the state.”

With ADOT facing limited transportation funding as it safeguards Arizona’s $20 billion investment in highways and looks toward future improvements, the state’s 1,169 miles of interstate highways anchor a reliable travel network vital to economic growth.

“Arizona is at the heart of the 10th-largest regional economy in the world stretching from Southern California to Texas,” Halikowski said. “We’re reminding Arizonans, from business owners to policymakers to the traveling public, that interstates provide the links to this trillion-dollar market. The importance of these links cannot be overstated.”

That applies to Interstate 10, the state’s longest at 392 miles, and the 30 miles of I-15, Arizona’s shortest stretch of interstate.

It’s one of the reasons Halikowski earlier this month led efforts to establish an Interstate 10 Corridor Coalition with transportation leaders from California, New Mexico and Texas. An agreement, signed June 2, supports innovations that make travel on I-10 safer and more efficient.

ADOT also is looking to the future by laying the groundwork for another interstate. Although it’s likely many years from existence, Interstate 11 is on the drawing board as a multimodal corridor improving travel not only between Phoenix and Las Vegas but also as part of a bigger vision for connecting southern Arizona, at Nogales, with the Intermountain West region, including Nevada.

Last December, Congress formally designated I-11 through Arizona as part of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. While that designation didn’t come with funding, it does make the corridor eligible for future federal funding.

“When it comes to what I’ll call the ‘state of our interstates,’ we need to change our driving culture to avoid distractions, be patient and drive sober. ADOT will maximize and use available funding wisely to ensure that we get everyone home safely through road improvements, technology and driver awareness,” Halikowski said. “Focusing on safety and the economy in our transportation infrastructure system will foster a better quality of life for all Arizonans.”

No state highway construction closures over Fourth of July weekend

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PHOENIX — During the Fourth of July weekend, state and local agencies are focusing on keeping motorists safe, and placing equipment and resources along heavily traveled highways to help move traffic should incidents occur. As part of America’s 240th birthday celebration, the Arizona Department of Transportation and its contractors won’t schedule construction closures along state highways from Friday through Monday evening.

While no closures are scheduled during the holiday weekend, travelers should be aware that existing work-zone restrictions with lane reductions will remain in place, including on I-10 near Benson.

ADOT is emphasizing safety in three high-traffic zones that will receive extra enforcement and 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 strategically 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 presence on highways, targeting impairment and dangerous driving behaviors. The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is working with local, county and state law enforcement agencies on a holiday DUI enforcement campaign. Last year, 11 people died in 11 fatal traffic collisions during the holiday weekend on Arizona roadways. Eight of the crashes were alcohol-related.

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

Fire restrictions are in place for much of Arizona and those traveling to campgrounds are advised to check with park rangers about campfire restrictions. Because unexpected delays can occur due to crashes and stalled vehicles, those traveling during the 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

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.

New SR 89 bridge at Hell Canyon opens to traffic

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New and old bridges over Hell Canyon.

New and old bridges over Hell Canyon.

CHINO VALLEY — The new State Route 89 bridge at Hell Canyon is longer, wider and better able to accommodate commercial traffic between Prescott and Interstate 40 than the 62-year-old span it replaces.

The Arizona Department of Transportation opened the $14.4 million bridge to traffic Thursday, June 23, after 13 months of work.

“SR 89 between Prescott and I-40 is not only an important commuter route between central and northern Arizona, but is also a key strategic detour route, when there are closures to I-17, I-40, and US 93,” ADOT Northwest District Engineer Alvin Stump said. “The new bridge will help ensure that SR 89 can continue to provide these critical transportation needs, including oversized commercial loads.”

The Hell Canyon Bridge, located about 18 miles north of Chino Valley between Prescott and Ash Fork, will carry about 3,400 vehicles each day.

The first bridge over Hell Canyon was a concrete arch structure built in 1923 as part of what was then the Prescott to Ash Fork Highway. That bridge was abandoned in 1954, when the 89 alignment moved west and the just-replaced bridge was completed.

The new bridge is 665 feet long and 47 feet wide – 65 feet longer and 17 feet wider than the structure it replaces – and has added strength from a fourth span. It has 12-foot lanes and 10-foot shoulders in each direction, allowing it to better accommodate oversized loads.

The 1954 bridge, which no longer met state and federal design standards for larger and heavier vehicles, will be dismantled over the next three months.

Traffic signal control cabinet replacement scheduled at US 180 and Birch Avenue in downtown Flagstaff

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FLAGSTAFF — Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) crews will be replacing the traffic signal control cabinet at US 180 (Humphreys Street) and Birch Avenue in downtown Flagstaff from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 28.

The signal will be down during replacement and no left turns will be permitted at the intersection; access will be maintained for through traffic on US 180, and for right turns at US 180 and Birch Avenue.

Drivers are asked to adjust their travel route if needed, and use caution while electrical work is performed in this area. Please reduce speeds, and be observant of crews and equipment in the intersection.

Six hours to 10 minutes: Vehicle for hire application process transforms

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vehicles-for-hire-licensing_originalPHOENIX — When the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division took over the Department of Weights and Measures’ Vehicle for Hire program, it immediately began looking for ways to streamline the application process as part of an agency-wide commitment to continuous improvement.

The result: MVD reduced what had been a six-hour application process for owners of taxi, livery vehicle and limousine companies to just 10 minutes.

The application process used to be entirely manual for both applicants and staff, which was time-consuming and involved going back and forth between state employees and business owners. Now it’s offered online at ServiceArizona.com, with business owners filling in the information themselves.

Business owners used to wait for vehicle insurance information to show up in MVD’s database before proceeding with their applications. Now MVD employees can enter the information themselves on behalf of insurance companies.

The 8,500 taxis, limos and other vehicles listed in the database once had to be inspected annually, creating an aggravating process for both inspectors and business owners. Now vehicles are inspected randomly as well as when complaints are received.

“We took an outdated, inefficient application process and applied modern technology and methods to it,” said Tom Opalka, MVD commercial driver license, medical review and vehicle for hire program manager, who oversaw this process improvement. “We’re now able to save our customers time ‒ and money ‒ by automating much of the process and streamlining the rest.”

Due to two pending laws coming out of this year’s legislative session, more improvements are coming to the Vehicle for Hire program later this month.  Instead of requiring a company to apply for an annual permit for each taxi, livery vehicle and limousine, MVD will issue one permit to the company for all of its vehicles to operate for three years at a time – similar to how transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft are permitted.

Streamlining the Vehicle for Hire program is just one example of how the Motor Vehicle Division is, like ADOT as a whole, continuously improving to benefit Arizonans.

For information on the Motor Vehicle Division, visit azdot.gov/mvd.