Category Archives: Arizona Department of Transportation

Specialty plates raise millions supporting Arizona charities

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300_118762_USMC platePHOENIX — With only a few exceptions, specialty license plates offered by the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Division do more than just allow drivers to show support for causes and express their individuality. They raise money – and a lot of it – for charities and nonprofit groups.

In 2015, the 389,536 specialty plates on Arizona vehicles raised more than $6.5 million.

“We’re pleased to be a facilitator for people to give to their favorite charity,” Motor Vehicle Division Director Eric Jorgensen said. “The specialty license plate program is a great way to personalize your vehicle and support great causes.”

Drivers pay $25 a year for specialty plates. Of that amount, $17 goes to a designated charity or nonprofit group.

The top specialty plate for 2015 features the Arizona Cardinals, raising $1,087,677 for Cardinals Charities and its many beneficiaries. Next were two plates benefiting the Arizona Veterans’ Donation Fund that supports veterans and their families: Veterans, raising $1,051,093, and Freedom/Military Support, raising $521,424.

“Seeing so many vehicles on the road displaying their Cardinals plates is fantastic, and the display of support is incredibly gratifying,” Cardinals President Michael Bidwill said. “But even more meaningful is knowing the type of impact that the project is having on Cardinals Charities and, in turn, so many worthy causes throughout the state.”

There are 60 specialty license plates available in Arizona. Among the few plates that aren’t connected to a charity or nonprofit group are those for historic and classic vehicles, as well as plates that support a public service like amateur radio operators.

Specialty license plates are created by state law. In 2015, laws led to specialty plates featuring the Arizona Coyotes, U.S. Marine Corps, Midwestern University and Firefighter Safety Training.

Once a plate becomes law, the nonprofit organization benefiting from it must pay $32,000 to cover MVD’s programming and production costs and work with MVD to design the plate. Upon approval by the organization, ADOT and law enforcement, the plate goes into production for vehicle owners to purchase.

Nightime restrictions on Milton Road (SR 89A) for overhead sign work next week

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FLAGSTAFF — The Arizona Department of Transportation crews will continue installation work on new overhead electronic message signs on Milton Road (SR 89A), between University Drive and Forest Meadows and on I-40 Westbound at MP 197 near Butler Avenue in Flagstaff.

Tuesday through Wednesday, southbound travel on Milton (SR 89A) (between University Dr and Forest Meadows) will be restricted to one lane to accommodate crews working on the west side of the roadway. Work will take place during evening hours from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Thursday (March 10), travel on I-40 Westbound (near Butler Avenue) will have short temporary closures to accommodate installation of the overhead message sign; work will take place from 10 p.m. to 4. a.m.

Please observe reduced speeds and exercise caution while traveling through the work zone.

Electronic message signs span the width of the freeway and are used by ADOT to help keep drivers informed of traffic, road and weather conditions.

ADOT launches Interstate 11 environmental study from Nogales to Wickenburg

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imagesPHOENIX — The next phase of defining an Interstate 11 corridor through Arizona offers the public a chance to help shape the vision for a route intended to enhance trade and boost Arizona’s economy.

In partnership with the Federal Highway Administration and regional planning agencies, the Arizona Department of Transportation has launched a three-year environmental study to select an I-11 corridor alternative between Nogales and Wickenburg.

Extending from Nogales through the Las Vegas area to northern Nevada – and possibly north toward Canada ­– Interstate 11 would support large-scale manufacturing, enhance movement of people and freight by vehicle and potentially rail, and be a corridor for trade, communications and technology.

A three-year environmental study will consider possible routes between Nogales and Wickenburg. The first step is developing an Alternatives Selection Report assessing a wide range of corridor alternatives and options, along with opportunities and constraints. A Draft Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement will evaluate in greater detail a smaller number of corridor alternatives, including segments that may advance as independent projects. There will be a no-build alterative as well.

Input from the public, communities and other stakeholders will contribute to these two reports, as well as a Final Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement that will list a selected corridor alternative.

“The Arizona Department of Transportation and our partner agencies and stakeholders have long recognized the importance of the Interstate 11 corridor and the benefits that it will bring to our state through trade, commerce, job growth and economic vitality,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “This congressionally designated high-priority corridor offers the opportunity for Arizona to stay competitive, create regional and global connections, and provide a direct link to success in the global marketplace.”

In November 2014, the Arizona and Nevada departments of transportation completed a two-year feasibility study as the first step in the Interstate 11 process. ADOT focused on and supported a route through Arizona connecting Nogales and the Hoover Dam bypass bridge near Las Vegas.

In December 2015, Congress approved the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, five-year legislation to improve the nation’s surface transportation infrastructure. While the FAST Act formally designates Interstate 11 from north to south in Arizona, it does not include funding. It does, however, make the corridor eligible for federal funding in the future.

The recommended I-11 corridor would likely follow US 93 from the Hoover Dam bypass bridge south to Wickenburg. The 280-mile corridor study area for the current environmental study begins in Wickenburg and runs west of the Phoenix metropolitan area and then south to the Tucson area and then Nogales.

During the next three years, the public, communities and other stakeholders will have opportunities to comment through regular meetings, community events and other forums. Right now, comments can be sent to:

Email: I-11ADOTStudy@hdrinc.com
Toll-free bilingual telephone hotline: 1-844-544-8049
Mail:

Interstate 11 Tier 1 EIS Study Team
c/o ADOT Communications
1655 W. Jackson St., Mail Drop 126F
Phoenix, AZ 85007

For more information about the I-11 study, visit i11study.com/Arizona

Spring breakers: Slow your roll on the roads, make Mom proud

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PHOENIX — Over the next few weeks, thousands will take to Arizona’s highways for spring break getaways. Classmates, friends, fraternity brothers, 20-somethings looking to get away from the grind will drive to destinations that are sunny or snowy, relaxing or adventurous, luxurious or frugal and everywhere in between.

At the Arizona Department of Transportation, we want spring breakers to enjoy their escapes. More importantly, we want them to make it home safely. But there’s reason to worry that too many will not.

From 2012 to 2014, March was the deadliest month on Arizona roads with a total of 213 fatal crashes, according to ADOT’s Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts Report, which includes crash information from state highways and local roads. Data from 2015 hasn’t been finalized.

That’s why many of our overhead message boards on highways are carrying the following safety messages for spring breakers and for drivers and passengers of all ages. They’ll be up from Friday afternoons through Sunday evenings:

SPRING BREAKERS:
SLOW YOUR ROLL
ARRIVE ALIVE

SPRING BREAKERS:
DOES MOM APPROVE
OF YOUR DRIVING?

Safe driving saves lives, and we all share the responsibility. Speeding, alcohol and failing to use seat belts are among the leading causes of traffic fatalities in Arizona. Each is preventable by choosing not to speed, to buckle up, to not drive drunk.

We hope everyone takes these messages to heart. We hope these messages prompt conversations about safe driving.

Arizona, Mexico sign agreement to further develop binational trade corridor

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PHOENIX — Arizona and Mexico will further their collaboration on developing the key trade corridor connecting them under an agreement signed this week by Arizona Department of Transportation Director John Halikowski and Raul Murrieta Cummings, undersecretary of infrastructure for Mexico’s Ministry of Communications and Transport.

The memorandum of understanding, signed Tuesday in Mexico City, establishes a joint planning committee that will produce a study of ways to improve the corridor along Interstate 19 in Arizona and Highway 15 in Mexico. The primary north-south route in western Mexico and the western United States, the corridor feeds into Arizona’s port of entry system along with Arizona’s and Mexico’s highway systems.

The Arizona portion of the corridor will also serve as part of the anticipated route of Interstate 11, a multimodal transportation corridor from Nogales to the Hoover Dam bypass bridge. From there, I-11 will expand into northern Nevada, potentially reaching as far as Canada.

“Our efforts to strengthen the Arizona-Mexico relationship are already resulting in great success, including the signing of this agreement between ADOT and the Mexican federal Ministry of Communications and Transport,” Governor Doug Ducey said. “These efforts will grow our binational trade and make our freight and trade corridor one of the most competitive in the global market.”

Mexico is Arizona’s largest international trading partner, with $16 billion annually in imports and exports. By working together to invest in transportation infrastructure on both sides of the border, Arizona and Mexico will realize opportunities for connectivity, economic development and job growth.

“This is the culmination of years of building the right relationships and a continuation of Governor Ducey’s commitment to fostering a closer working relationship with Mexico,” Halikowski said. “Governor Ducey has challenged us to think big, to think as a business, and with this study we will push our sphere of influence beyond the border, helping Arizona companies tap into new business opportunities in Mexico. This will also help us position our corridor as a viable, cost-effective alternative to the corridors connecting Mexico to the Texas border.”

Mexico has pledged $100,000 and ADOT $200,000 toward the first phase of the multiyear Arizona-Mexico Corridor Study, which will identify priority transportation projects, solutions to congestion and backups along the Arizona-Mexico border, ideas to make the corridor more efficient for multimodal transportation, and technologies to improve efficiency and reliability. The study will also focus on identifying clusters for job creation and economic development along the entire corridor.

“This one-of-a-kind study will set us apart from the rest and help us market our region throughout the world,” Halikowski said.

ADOT is a member of the Transportation and Trade Corridor Alliance, which includes the Arizona-Mexico Commission, the Arizona Commerce Authority and the Arizona Office of Tourism, along with other partner agencies. The alliance focuses on creating economic development opportunities for Arizona and Mexico through investment in transportation infrastructure, partnerships and strategic planning.

“The Arizona-Mexico Corridor Study promises to bring greater understanding of the economic opportunities that exist for our region,” said David Farca, president of the Arizona-Mexico Commission. “In addition, it will help us raise awareness of Arizona’s strategic geographic position in the heart of an economically powerful mega-region that gives us a competitive advantage in the global market and makes Arizona a prime location to do business.”

Over the last few years, ADOT and the Federal Highway Administration, along with the U.S. General Services Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, have invested more than $250 million in improvements at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales ‒ improvements that benefit the overall corridor. Plans are moving forward to improve State Route 189 to enhance the flow of commercial truck traffic and to ensure international commerce can efficiently and safely travel between Arizona and Mexico.

During the meeting preceding the signing ceremony, Halikowski pushed for additional improvements to the Mexican side of Arizona’s ports of entry. Mexico’s Ministry of Communications and Transport reaffirmed its commitment of $2.2 billion for improvements to the Highway 15 corridor from Mexico City to the Arizona-Mexico border.

This week’s agreement promises to add not only needed infrastructure, but global opportunities.

“Arizona’s relationship with Mexico continues to grow and strengthen thanks to Governor Ducey’s efforts and ambitious trade agenda,” said Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “In 2015 alone, Mexico accounted for more than $9 billion in Arizona exports. Conducting this study is an excellent step in enhancing the competitiveness of the Arizona-Mexico Corridor. Doing so will facilitate increased cross-border trade and advance Arizona’s position in the global economy.”

The Arizona-Mexico Corridor Study is expected to begin later this year. For more information about the Transportation and Trade Corridor Alliance, visit azttca.org.

Bridge work scheduled on SR 89 at Hell Canyon next week

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Drivers traveling on State Route 89 at Hell Canyon Bridge (milepost 345) starting tomorrow (March 3) should expect intermittent delays of up to 30 minutes at a time as crews begin placing girders on the new bridge over Hell Canyon. Traffic will be stopped in both directions approaching the project.

Impacts for up to 30 minutes at a time are expected between 10 and 11 a.m. and again from noon and 1 p.m. The installation of the girders will be done by very large cranes, positioned in the bottom of the canyon, that need to be flown over the existing bridge causing the temporary closures.

In addition to the delays tomorrow, crews will again place girders next week, Tuesday through Friday (March 8 through 11) between 10 and 11 a.m. and again from noon to 1 p.m.

ADOT advises drivers to proceed through the work zones with caution, slow down, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

Safety improvement project on SR 169 will require impacts next week

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Drivers traveling on State Route 169 next week will need to allow additional time to reach their destination as crews continue work on the safety improvement project. Starting on Monday (Feb. 29) and Tuesday (March 1) crews will restripe the roadway and move temporary concrete barrier between milepost nine and 10.

Work hours are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Drivers will be guided through the work zone with a pilot car in alternating directions; delays of up to 15 minutes are expected.

ADOT advises drivers to proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel. The speed limit through the work zone will be 45 mph.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions, but there is a possibility that unscheduled closures or restrictions may occur. Weather can also affect a project schedule. To stay up-to-date with the latest highway conditions around the state, visit the ADOT Traveler Information Center at www.az511.gov or call 5-1-1.

This $1.6 million safety improvement project includes widening the existing roadway to provide new turn lanes, drainage improvements, signing and new striping.

Twice-weekly US 60 blasting closures east of Superior through April

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Having already cleared nearly 90,000 cubic yards of rock material from a mountainside, the Arizona Department of Transportation is entering its final stages of blasting work needed to build a passing lane and widen roadway shoulders east of Superior.

After having no travel restrictions this week, US 60 blasting operations will resume on Tuesday, March 1, and Thursday, March 3, and continue on a twice-weekly schedule until the end of the project in late April.

During that period, the closures for work between Devil’s Canyon and Oak Flat (mileposts 231-233) will be every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Motorists should plan ahead and consider alternate routes.

Traffic on eastbound US 60 will be stopped east of Superior (milepost 227), and traffic on westbound US 60 will be stopped at the Top of the World, west of Miami (milepost 235), until the blasting work is completed and debris is cleared.

Blasting operations are expected to be completed by the end of April. ADOT needs to excavate an additional 40,000-50,000 cubic yards of earth. Following the blasting work, ADOT will pave the widened roadway before opening the additional travel lane to traffic this summer.

ADOT started the $8.8 million project in August 2015 to provide the westbound passing lane, shoulder widening in Devil’s Canyon (mileposts 233-234), bridge work at Waterfall Canyon (milepost 229) and drainage improvements (milepost 242) west of Miami.

Approximately 30 minutes prior to each blast, motorists should be prepared for possible delays and lane closures as crews set concrete barrier prior to each scheduled closure.

Motorists seeking an alternate route can consider state routes 77 and 177, which is approximately 68 miles long. Motorists headed to the White Mountains region, including Show Low and Springerville, can take State Route 87 through Payson and travel east on State Route 260.

Drivers should use caution, watch for construction equipment and personnel, and allow extra time.

Engineers Week highlights people, projects that keep Arizona moving

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PHOENIX — Whether it’s adding travel lanes to relieve congestion on a Phoenix-area freeway, building a new interstate bridge outside Tucson or reconstructing a landslide-damaged northern Arizona highway, engineers stamp their mark on the state’s transportation system each and every day.

With National Engineers Week at hand, the vision and handiwork of the Arizona Department of Transportation’s professional engineers shows in more than 100 highway improvement projects underway around the state at any given time. That’s in addition to dozens of local roadway projects ADOT develops in partnership with Arizona communities.

“Engineers are on the front lines of meeting the goals Governor Ducey has set for Arizona,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “Whether boosting the economy, making Arizona safer or improving the overall quality of life, our 21st-century engineers must be relationship builders, team players and partners in working with many diverse people and organizations to deliver the transportation systems of today and tomorrow.”

“The challenges are large and the days are often long, but an engineer’s job includes the reward of seeing improvements that save travel time and bolster highway safety,” said Dallas Hammit, ADOT’s state engineer and deputy director for transportation. “We know people appreciate these advances, and we want to take time to thank our staff of engineers for their contributions.”

ADOT is nearing completion of a $109 million widening project along a 20-mile stretch of the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway between Loop 101 and Broadway Road in Mesa. The project, which has added new freeway lanes as well as other features such as overhead message signs and closed-circuit traffic cameras, presented its share of challenges.

“It’s never easy to manage construction while also working to keep existing lanes open as much as possible,” said District Engineer Madhu Reddy of ADOT’s Central Construction District. “Our project team worked with the community to limit restrictions while adding the new lanes. That’s also part of the role of the engineer.”

When a 2013 landslide severely damaged US 89 south of Page, ADOT engineers mobilized to get the closed highway realigned, repaired and reopened as soon as possible, while also quickly paving a temporary route to Page in collaboration with the Navajo Nation. US 89 reopened last year following an accelerated reconstruction project.

Audra Merrick, district engineer for ADOT’s North Central District, called the US 89 project an enormous engineering feat.

“We had to remove about a million cubic yards of rock from the area, but our success was even more dependent on maintaining communication at all levels,” said Merrick, one of 34 women currently serving among ADOT’s 250 professional engineers. “Engineering goes beyond drawings on a plan sheet. I can’t say enough about the teamwork involved in re-establishing the primary highway between Flagstaff and Page.”

One of ADOT’s largest southern Arizona projects is upgrading 17 miles of Interstate 10 pavement between Tucson and Benson while also replacing a large bridge crossing Davidson Canyon, approximately 20 miles east of downtown Tucson.

“Our engineering staff had to take heavier interstate traffic, including commercial trucks, into account when designing and building what we call the Quad Project,” said Rod Lane, ADOT’s district engineer for the agency’s South Central District. “It’s actually four separate projects being delivered as one. The engineering and planning include working in stages and scheduling shifts in traffic when needed. We’re looking forward to completing a modern, even safer Davidson Canyon bridge for generations to come.”

The $15.1 million Quad Project is scheduled for completion this summer.

Halikowski said National Engineers Week provides a great opportunity to highlight how engineers are working to advance Arizona’s transportation network.

“Governor Ducey wants us to ‘think big,’ and our engineers will work across all disciplines to bring innovative ideas to reality,” Halikowski said.

Governor Ducey appoints two new members to State Transportation Board

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PHOENIX — Governor Doug Ducey has appointed Arlando Teller, a veteran transportation official from the Navajo Nation, and Steve Stratton, a longtime city and county leader from Globe, to serve on the State Transportation Board.

Teller will represent Apache, Navajo and Coconino counties, while Stratton will represent Pinal, Gila and Graham counties.

The State Transportation Board’s seven members serve six-year terms, prioritizing transportation needs, projects and funding on behalf of communities throughout Arizona.

Teller, born and raised in Chinle, is the airport program manager for the Navajo Division of Transportation in Window Rock. During his six years there, he has also worked as a senior transportation planner.

One of his accomplishments with Navajo DOT was working with Arizona legislators on a law allowing tribal airports to get state and federal aid for improvement projects. His diverse transportation background includes work at the California Department of Transportation, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Falcon Field in Mesa.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to serve on the State Transportation Board in order to support not only Navajo Nation projects, but to fully advocate for projects within all of northern Arizona and its rural communities,” Teller said.

Stratton has been engaged in transportation issues and with the State Transportation Board through long service in public works and city management. Born and raised in Globe, he served as that city’s public works director and city manager. He then was public works director and acting manager for Gila County. Now retired from public service, Stratton works for WestLand Resources, an environmental and engineering company.

“I am extremely appreciative of the appointment,” Stratton said. “I am concerned about the transportation needs of the state as a whole and the available funding associated with meeting those needs. I want to make a positive contribution as a new board member.”

About the State Transportation Board

The seven-member State Transportation Board has policy powers and duties, in addition to advising the director of the Arizona Department of Transportation. Members of the board are appointed by the governor and serve six-year terms. The board has broad authority to plan and develop Arizona’s highways, airports and other state transportation facilities. In addition to these general policy duties, the board is responsible for development and oversight of the state’s Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program. More information on the State Transportation Board is available at aztransportationboard.gov.