Category Archives: City

Overseeing cleanups, ADOT looks out for the environment ‒ and taxpayers

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PHOENIX — When fuel and other hazardous materials spill along our highways, the Arizona Department of Transportation makes sure the messes are cleaned up properly ‒ and that taxpayers aren’t stuck with the bill.

During 2015, ADOT’s Hazardous Materials Response Team saved an estimated $2.6 million by making the commercial carriers responsible or their insurance companies pay to remove contaminants from the soil. Taxpayers would otherwise be responsible for these environmental remediation costs, and the state would have been liable for fines and sanctions if the spills weren’t addressed properly.

Most of the 150 to 250 hazardous materials incidents ADOT responds to each year involve fuel spilling from trucks involved in crashes. About 40 to 50 incidents each year involve shipments of hazardous materials including fuel and acids.

Thanks to the Hazardous Materials Response Team’s efforts, all but a handful of the cleanups are paid for by commercial carriers or insurance companies.

“ADOT is committed to environmental responsibility and making the most efficient use of funds,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “The record of success the Hazardous Materials Response Team has established over the years preserves money for transportation needs.”

When a hazardous materials spill occurs, public safety is the first priority for ADOT and other agencies responding. After that, ADOT makes sure those responsible pay to clean up the road and right of way using contractors approved by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

“It’s just doing the right thing not only for ADOT but for the taxpayers of Arizona,” said Travis V. Qualls, the agency’s hazardous materials response specialist. “Why should we be paying for someone else releasing a hazardous material on our property?”

ADEQ requires a higher level of cleanup in residential areas, but ADOT requires the residential standard regardless of where a spill occurs. The contractor handling a cleanup must complete work as instructed by

ADOT and provide the samples of soil before and after as well as documentation of where contaminated soil is taken.

Heritage Elementary invites residents to come and read to students

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WILLIAMS — Heritage Elementary School, here in Williams, is celebrating A love of reading week February 8 to 11. They are inviting people from the community to come and read to the students.

Choose from the following: Monday 2/8, Tuesday 2/9, and Thursday 2/11 from 9 am-11 am and 12:30 am-2 pm

If you are interested, please call the school and set up a time to read. Please choose a day, time, age group (K-8th grade) and name of a book you will bring to read (or the school will supply one)

Time slots run 15-20 minutes per class.

Residents wishing to participate may call 635-3998. The school is located at 790 E Rodeo Rd.

Neighborhood Watch meetings in Timberline/Fernwood and Downey Park next week

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TIMBERLINE/FERNWOOD — Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll and Coconino County Supervisor District 2 Liz Archuleta would like to invite residents of the Timberline and Fernwood communities to the monthly Neighborhood Watch meeting on Tuesday, February 2, 2016. The meeting will be held from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM at Summit Fire Station 33, located at 6050 Firehouse Lane, off of Highway 89N. Chief Deputy, Jim Driscoll and his staff will be at the meeting to share information and encourage continued neighborhood participation.

Chief Deputy Driscoll will begin the meeting by discussing some of the accomplishments made by the Sheriff’s Office during 2015 and our goals for 2016. Supervisor Liz Archuleta will give a recap of county government activities.

Representatives of the Summit Fire District will speak about recent activities and discuss changes that have been made to the administrative structure of the department.

Marc Della Rocca the Community Relations Manager for Public Works will give an update on projects and goals for 2016. He will also give a recap of snowplowing operations. Tim Dalegowski who is the Coconino County Public Works Transportation Planner will speak about the change of the posted speed limit on Copeland Lane.

Neighborhood Watch is similar to the Block Watch program commonly conducted in urban areas and goes back to the concept of “neighbors looking out for neighbors” that many people remember from 30 years ago. It is one of the most effective ways to prevent and deter criminal activity, attend to home and personal security, address the safety of our children and the elderly, and to alleviate fear and isolation. Residents learn how to observe and report suspicious activity and reduce the risk of becoming a victim of crime. For more information about the Neighborhood Watch program and the meeting schedule, please call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 226-5089.

DOWNEY PARK — Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll and District 4 Supervisor Mandy Metzger would like to invite residents of the Doney Park community to attend the monthly Neighborhood Watch meeting on Thursday, February 4, 2016. The meeting will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Summit Fire District Station 32 and Administrative Offices located at 8905 Koch Field Road Flagstaff, AZ. This will be our first Doney Park Neighborhood Watch for 2016 so we hope to begin the new-year with increased attendance and participation form community members.

Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll and Supervisor Mandy Metzger will be available to answer questions and provide support to this partnership between law abiding citizens, law enforcement and county government. Chief Deputy Driscoll will begin the meeting by discussing some of the accomplishments made by the Sheriff’s Office during 2015 and our goals for 2016. Supervisor Mandy Metzger will give a recap of governmental activities in District 4 and in other areas of the county.

Kate Morley who is the Mobility Planner for the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Transportation Authority will speak about the Van Pools program that provides commuter vanpools to and from Flagstaff in vehicles supplied by the Mountain Line Public Transit System. It is believed that this Rideshare Program will save participants money, reduce emissions and cut traffic congestion. The Regional Manager of UniSource will solicit input from neighborhood watch participants to determine if residents in the area of Yancey Lane and Starlight or Koch Field and Hwy 89 might be interested in a natural gas line.

For more information about the Neighborhood Watch program and the meeting schedule, please call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 226-5089.

TOPS holds open house Thursday

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Take Off Pounds Sensibly, TOPS Chapter AZ#0516, will be hosting an open house on Thursday, January 28 at the Family Harvest Church across the street from Safeway. Women, men and teens are invited to attend. The meeting is from 5:30 to 6:30 with a weigh in at 5 p.m. TOPS is a low cost support group to aid in the loss of weight.

Williams is thawing

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Buckskinner16-01-23-02WILLIAMS — People have gotten used to the temperatures which froze over the reservoirs at Buckskinner and Santa Fe dams. Since early January, however, the temperatures have rarely dropped to freezing. That is thinning the ice over the reservoirs. People should take care when trying to walk on the reservoirs. The condition should become more hazardous with higher temperatures throughout this week.

A hole has formed on the Buckskinner reservoir as seen in the picture. In addition, the melting snow is causing very muddy conditions. Four-wheel drives are recommended if you plan to take a trip to Dogtown, White Horse or other reservoirs around Williams.
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You might also want to take note that some animals are coming out in search of food. Some may be sick. Take care if you plan to walk off path into the woods.
Buckskinner16-01-23-10

Sunny weather through the week

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Moon over Williams early this morning.

WILLIAMS — If you have those outdoor chores to do, this week is the week to do them. The long-range forecast show the temperature rising from a high of 39-degrees in Flagstaff and 41-degrees in Williams to the low 50s by the end of the week. That should burn off much of the remaining snow from the storm at the beginning of the month. Winds should remain calm throughout the week with a chance of around 13-mph tomorrow being the highest. A slight chance of showers returns Saturday night.

Williams Council Meeting to accept resignation of City Manager

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WILLIAMS — There will be a special meeting of the City Council on Monday at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. The purpose of the meeting is to accept the resignation of City Manager Brandon Buchanan effective February 19.

The Council will discuss the appointment of an Interim City Manager and the recruitment process for the City Manager position.

Sean Casey of Bearizona wrote in an email, “We were lucky to have him for so long I guess. He added a high level of professionalism to our Williams team.

“Good luck in your future endeavors Brandon. I am sure you and your family will be very successful wherever you land.”

Al Richmond of the Arizona State Railroad Museum added, “Williams has been the beneficiary of Brandon’s tenure and hopefully his successor will come close to being as positive for the City and community. This move is good for him professionally and in the best interests of his family. I will miss working with him.”

Grant will add innovative monitoring technology to I-15 bridges

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PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Transportation engineers in Phoenix will get real-time information on the conditions of four interstate bridges in remote northwestern Arizona thanks to technology funded by a $768,000 Federal Highway Administration grant.

To enhance safety and efficiency, ADOT will use the Accelerated Innovation Deployment Demonstration grant to add structural health monitoring systems to the Interstate 15 bridges, embedding sensors on the superstructures that record, analyze and share data.

The systems, which will be installed by this fall, will help ADOT identify and address problems quickly and decide when the bridges will need major repairs or replacement. They also will help ADOT engineers determine when to conduct inspections, which are required at least every two years and involve lane restrictions.

“The technology made possible by this grant will enhance the safety of the traveling public and help inform Arizona’s investments along this vital corridor,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “We appreciate our federal partners helping to make it possible.”

Since early 2014, ADOT has invested nearly $30 million in several I-15 bridges, including an ongoing upgrade of Virgin River Bridge No. 6. The monitoring systems will be installed on four other bridges, two of them in the gorge and two in its outer reaches. One of those, Virgin River Bridge No. 1, is scheduled for a $33 million upgrade in fiscal year 2019.

“Cutting-edge technology like this takes bridge data to a new level,” Federal Highway Administrator Gregory Nadeau said. “The 21st century economy demands innovative tools like these, and they will make Arizona’s highways an even more effective part of the national system.”

Opened in 1973, the stretch of Interstate 15 connecting southwestern Utah and southern Nevada passes through 29 miles of Mohave County, including the Virgin River Gorge. About 1.4 million commercial vehicles use the route annually.

Kaibab National Forest releases draft decision to add camping corridors

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WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest has released a draft decision to add camping corridors and make other improvements to the transportation system of the Williams and Tusayan ranger districts.

The project, which was designed to improve travel management on the two districts in response to public and internal feedback, will designate approximately 291 miles of camping corridors that extend 300 feet from either side of the centerline of certain roads; add 14 spur roads to the Tusayan Ranger District; close 9 miles of currently open roads on the two districts; add 24 miles of roads to the districts’ open road system; and establish an adaptive management strategy for making limited changes to the transportation system in the future.

The final Environmental Assessment and draft Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the South Zone Travel Management Revision Project are available for review on the Kaibab National Forest website at http://go.usa.gov/kpQV.

Unresolved concerns about the final EA and draft DN/FONSI will be addressed through an objection process. In order to file an objection, a person must have previously submitted specific comments regarding the South Zone Travel Management Revision Project. Objections may be filed over a 45-day period. Details about the objection process are available on the Kaibab National Forest website at http://go.usa.gov/kpQV.

Changes to the transportation system included in the draft decision were all developed based on several years of monitoring following implementation of the Travel Management Rule on the two districts, which included documenting public concerns about recreational access and other issues.

“I believe our local community members and our visitors will be pleased with these changes and will recognize that they are responsive to the concerns we’ve been hearing over recent years,” said Williams District Ranger Danelle D. Harrison. “We took our commitment to listen to public and employee feedback seriously, and this decision is evidence of that continuing commitment. Our goal is to provide motorized recreational opportunities where we can while still providing for the protection of our natural and cultural resources.”

A final decision on the South Zone Travel Management Revision Project is expected in the spring with a new Motor Vehicle Use Map anticipated soon thereafter. Current Motor Vehicle Use Maps for the Kaibab National Forest are available at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/kaibab/tmr.

ADOT to host statewide workshops for Long Range Transportation Plan update

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PHOENIX — In today’s fast-paced world, a reliable transportation system is vital, as people and commerce move through a statewide network to get to where they’re going. To keep pace, the transportation needs of tomorrow take planning and investment to ensure that Arizona stays competitive and meets the needs of a growing state.

That’s why the Arizona Department of Transportation is looking 25 years down the road to determine the best mix of investment to preserve, modernize and expand the state transportation system with the resources available. It’s a project called the Long Range Transportation Plan, and it’s updated every five years.

Starting next week, ADOT will host a series of workshops across the state that are designed for community members, businesses and stakeholders to provide their input and ideas to shape the long-range vision for Arizona’s transportation system. These “Think Ahead about Transportation” workshops will be the foundation to begin the process of updating ADOT’s Long Range Transportation Plan, also known as What Moves You Arizona.

“As Governor Ducey pointed out in his State of the State speech last week, Arizona’s goals include growing our economy, while providing opportunity for all through our ability to work together,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “The work ahead on our Long Range Transportation Plan allows us to accomplish those goals, to ensure Arizona has a transportation system that carries us forward.”

While ADOT’s Long Range Plan is not project-specific, it identifies investment priorities based on current and projected transportation funding over the next 25 years. However, limited revenues will not meet all current and future transportation needs. The process requires distributing transportation funding in order to balance preservation, expansion and modernization of our system.

The 11 “Think Ahead about Transportation” workshops that have been scheduled are listed here. Additional workshops will be scheduled for the Phoenix metropolitan area.

Western Arizona Workshops

  1. Wednesday, Jan. 27: 1 to 3 p.m.
    Mohave County Public Works: Turquoise Room
    3675 E. Andy Devine Ave., Kingman, 86401
  2. Tuesday, Feb. 23: 2 to 4 p.m.
    Lake Havasu City Police Department: Meeting Room
    2360 McCulloch Blvd. N, Lake Havasu City, 86403

Northern Arizona Workshops

  1. Thursday, Jan. 28: 10 a.m. to noon
    Prescott Valley Public Library: Crystal Room
    7401 E. Civic Circle, Prescott Valley, 86314
  2. Wednesday, Feb. 3: 1 to 3 p.m.
    Navajo County Public Works: Chevelon Room
    100 W. Public Works Dr., Holbrook, 86025
  3. Wednesday, Feb. 17: 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
    Little America Hotel
    2515 E. Butler Ave., Flagstaff, 86004
  4. Thursday, Feb. 25: 1 to 3 p.m.
    High Country Conference Center: Agassiz Ballroom
    201 W. Butler Ave., Flagstaff, 86001

Central Arizona Workshops

  1. Thursday, Feb. 11: 1 to 3 p.m.
    City of Globe Municipal Building
    150 N. Pine St., Globe, 85501
  2. Thursday, Feb. 25: noon to 2 p.m.
    Casa Grande Council Chambers
    510 E. Florence Blvd., Casa Grande, 85122

Southern Arizona Workshops

  1. Thursday, Feb. 11: 1 to 3 p.m.
    Cochise College: Benson Center
    1025 S. Hwy 90, Benson, 85602
  2. Thursday, Feb. 18: 1 to 3 p.m.
    Pima Association of Governments
    1 E. Broadway, Ste. 401, Tucson, 85701
  3. Wednesday, Feb. 24: 1 to 3 p.m.
    Yuma County Library: Heritage Branch
    350 Third Ave., Yuma, 85364

It’s up to the public, policymakers and communities to tell ADOT what’s important to them throughout the long range planning process and to prioritize projects and funding for those projects.

Visit azdot.gov/whatmovesyouarizona for more information on ADOT’s Long Range Transportation Plan. You can leave a comment at azdot.gov/whatmovesyouarizona/comments. The final version of the plan is expected to be complete in early 2017.