Category Archives: Phoenix

Off-highway vehicle decal renewal notices available through e-mail only

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PHOENIX — In an effort to enhance customer service and to cut costs, the Arizona Game and Fish Department will no longer mail letters informing off-highway vehicle (OHV) owners their yearly OHV decal is expiring.

To ensure owners receive timely notice that their decal is about to expire, they can sign up to receive a reminder through e-mail by visiting www.azgfd.gov/ohv and clicking “OHV Decal Requirements.”

The decal program began in 2009 and requires all OHVs, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), side-by-sides and dirt bikes, to have a sticker if the vehicle is designed primarily for travel on unimproved roadways or trails. The sticker, which is placed on the upper left-hand corner of the license plate, is issued by the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division and is required to operate an OHV on public and state lands.

There are approximately 112,000 vehicles issued OHV decals within the state. By encouraging OHV owners to receive renewal reminders online, the department hopes to save on the approximately $120,000 spent to print and mail notices each year.

Each sticker costs $25. Thirty percent of the funds collected go into the state’s Highway User Revenue Fund, which is distributed to counties and cities for road and highway maintenance. The remaining funds are split as follows:

  • 60 percent to Arizona State Parks for grants and agreements, trail construction, development and maintenance, signage and maps.
  • 35 percent to the Arizona Game and Fish Department for law enforcement, education and outreach.
  • 5 percent to the Arizona State Land Department for mitigation, signage and enforcement.

For more information about the Arizona Game and Fish OHV program and on safety courses, visit www.azgfd.gov/ohv.

Nominations sought for Game and Fish Commission Awards

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The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is soliciting nominations for its 2016 Commission Awards. The deadline for submission is Aug. 12, 2016. The purpose of these awards is to recognize Arizonans who have contributed significantly to the conservation of the state’s wildlife, its outdoor heritage, and the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Nominations are for the categories listed below and may include individuals, organizations, clubs, foundations or government agencies. Arizona Game and Fish Department employees are not eligible for nomination.

To submit a Commission Awards nomination, download a nomination form at https://www.azgfd.com/agency/commission/awards. Then submit the completed form and all supplemental materials to:  Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn: 2016 Commission Awards – DOHQ, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086  or fax to:  623-236-7299 or email to: lroe@azgfd.gov. Submission deadline is 5 p.m. August 12, 2016.

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Arizona files motion to intervene in lawsuit to defend motorized big game retrieval on Kaibab National Forest

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Corrected: 6/25; 7:04 p.m.
PHOENIX — The State of Arizona and Office of the Arizona Attorney General today filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit brought by several environmental groups challenging the U. S. Forest Service’s decision to allow limited off-road motorized big game retrieval by elk and bison hunters on the Kaibab National Forest.

The lawsuit was filed in January by WildEarth Guardians, Grand Canyon Wildlands Council, Wildlands Network, and the Sierra Club.

“It’s interesting to note that the plaintiffs’ lawsuit targets hunters’ motorized big game retrieval, which is a small segment of off-highway vehicle use in the forest, but does not challenge other legitimate cross-country motor vehicle use. It suggests their lawsuit was filed more out of opposition to hunting than true concern for our natural resources,” said Pat Madden, incoming chairman of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission.

Motorized retrieval is an important component enabling Arizona Game and Fish to fulfill its wildlife conservation mission. Uncontrolled elk and ecologically devastating bison populations can damage habitat and may harm other species. The Department is currently collaborating with the National Park Service to dramatically reduce the number of bison in Grand Canyon National Park, as unsustainable numbers of bison have migrated from the North Kaibab onto the park’s North Rim and are damaging water sources, vegetation, soil and archeological sites.

Elk weigh between 450 and 1,200 pounds and bison between 750 and 2,500 pounds. It is unlawful to leave the edible portion of a harvested animal in the field to waste. For some hunters, a harvested bison or elk can realistically be packed out of the field only by motorized transport.

Motorized retrieval is also an important component of the Department’s lead reduction conservation efforts for the California condor. The Department offers free coupons for lead-free ammunition to all hunters who draw tags for big game species on the North Kaibab and sponsors raffles to incentivize the minority of hunters who use lead ammunition to pack out the gut piles of their lawfully-harvested big game species. The gut pile of a mature bison can exceed 500 pounds. It is simply unrealistic to expect hunters to pack out large gut piles without ready access to a motor vehicle.

“The State is seeking to intervene in this lawsuit to protect its sovereign authority to regulate, manage and conserve wildlife in Arizona, including wildlife on public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service,” said Madden. “Hunters play a critical role assisting the Arizona Game and Fish Department in managing elk and bison herd populations.”

The Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act of 1960 and the National Forest Management Act of 1976 direct that the national forests be managed for multiple purposes, including outdoor recreation and fish and wildlife, and that the jurisdiction and authority of the states for management of fish and resident wildlife on the national forests are not affected.

The Forest Service, in a Memorandum of Understanding with the Arizona Game and Fish Commission and Department, recognizes the Commission and Department as having primary responsibility for managing fish and wildlife populations on Forest Service lands in Arizona.

Off-road motorized big game retrieval historically had not been restricted on the Kaibab National Forest other than in areas with special land use designations, such as wilderness areas. In an effort to balance increasing off-road-vehicle recreational use with resource protection, the U.S. Forest Service in 2005 directed each forest to designate roads, trails and areas open to motor vehicle use. All other areas would be considered closed to off-road motor vehicle use, with a few exceptions such as motorized retrieval of big game. Arizona Game and Fish was a cooperating agency and/or offered comments in the development of the Kaibab’s new travel management rules.

The current rules allow hunters one trip with a motor vehicle, during hunting season only, to travel up to one mile off a designated road to pack their legally harvested elk out of the field on the Tusayan and Williams Ranger Districts, or their legally harvested bison or elk on the North Kaibab Ranger District. Hunters are required to use the most direct and least ground-disturbing route, and retrieval is not allowed in existing off-road travel-restricted areas or when conditions are such that travel would cause damage to natural and/or cultural resources. The rules don’t allow for motorized retrieval of any other big game species.

“Given the Department’s wildlife management responsibilities for elk, bison and the California condor, Arizona has an obligation to intervene in this lawsuit to defend the Kaibab National Forest’s authorization of limited motorized big game retrieval to preserve lawful hunting as a wildlife management tool, and in so doing, protect Arizona’s fragile natural resources,” said Arizona Game and Fish Department Director Larry Voyles.

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.

Learn more about AZGFD’s wildlife conservation activities

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Game_Trails_Spr16_thumbThe Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Wildlife Management Division produces periodic newsletters with overviews of AZGFD conservation projects and activities. One of the newsletters is “Game Trails,” and the latest edition can be viewed here.

Topics in this edition include management of the bison herd at the Raymond Wildlife Area, disease monitoring of bighorn sheep in the Black Mountains, safe capture and handling methods in the Sonoran pronghorn recovery project, and the upgrade of a water catchment providing water for wildlife on the Arizona Strip. 

We invite you to check out the other newsletters from our Wildlife Management Division at https://www.azgfd.com/Wildlife/WildlifeNewsletters.

There are many other ways to connect with the Arizona Game and Fish Department:

We invite you to utilize all of them to find out more about AZGFD’s activities, projects and programs; read compelling stories about wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation; view outstanding videos and still photography; and learn about upcoming events.

AZGFD supportive of Grand Canyon report listing bison as native wildlife

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Buffalo/BisonThe Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) supports the findings of a National Park Service report that considers a herd of 600 bison on the Grand Canyon National Park as native wildlife.

The report involved a collaborative review of National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service and AZGFD laws and policies to help guide Grand Canyon park officials in future bison management planning. A key finding of the scientifically reviewed report is that the bison living in northern Arizona are native wildlife within the long-term continental home range of the American bison.

“The Department is pleased with the conclusions in the report,” said Craig McMullen, supervisor for the department’s regional office in Flagstaff. “The bison are a valuable native component of the experience for visitors to the Kaibab Plateau, but there are too many right now. The ultimate goal is to manage this important bison population at appropriate levels for the enjoyment, appreciation and use by the public.”

The report also concluded that:

(1) Existing law and policies allow Grand Canyon National Park officials to include the presence of bison in long term management plans.
(2) Public lands on the Grand Canyon’s North Rim and the Kaibab National Forest are suitable for cooperative bison management with agencies such as AZGFD.
(3) The bison population must be reduced by several hundred animals to mitigate the ongoing damage to habitat, as well as to cultural and archaeological sites within the Grand Canyon.

The report comes as Congressional lawmakers consider a pair of bi-partisan bills that direct the U.S. Department of Interior and the Arizona Game and Fish Commission to coordinate on a plan that allows the state’s sportsmen with valid, state-issued hunting licenses to assist in managing the bison population.

(SEE S.782, John McCain & H.R. 1443, Paul Gosar. The National Bison Legacy Act, H.R. 2908 became law on May 9 making the Bison the nation mammal of the United States.)

The bills are supported by the Commission and were introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake; and in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Paul Gosar. The House bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick, Kyrsten Sinema, Matt Salmon, David Schweikert and Trent Franks.

Download a copy of the full report

Arizona Game and Fish to consider proposed fishing regulation changes

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Fishing_Lees_Ferry_webPHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is proposing changes to Commission Order 40 (fishing regulations) to be considered by the Game and Fish Commission at its August meeting in Pinetop.

The department encourages the public to review the proposed changes (PDF: Click Here) and email comments to: fishregscomments@azgfd.gov.

The public also can provide comments at one of the following public meetings at which AZGFD will present the proposed changes:

  • Tucson: Tuesday, June 28, 6 p.m., Tucson Regional Office, 555 N. Greasewood Rd.
  • Flagstaff: Wednesday, July 6, 7 p.m., Flagstaff Regional Office, 3500 S. Lake Mary Rd.
  • Yuma: Wednesday, July 6, 7 p.m. American Legion, 2575 S. Virginia Dr.
  • Phoenix: Tuesday, July 12, AZGFD headquarters, Quail Room, 6 p.m., 5000 West Carefree Highway
  • Mesa: Monday, July 13, 6 p.m., Mesa Regional Office, 7200 E. University.
  • Pinetop: Wednesday, July 20, 7 p.m., Timber Mesa Fire Station No. 13, 2922 W. White Mountain Blvd, Lakeside.

State Transportation Board approves 2017-2021 Five-Year Construction Program

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation’s five-year construction program for state highways promotes commerce through investments in major freight and travel corridors, supports Greater Arizona through key projects and highlights the agency’s commitment to not only maintaining but improving the quality of pavement, bridges and other infrastructure.

Meeting Friday in Holbrook, the State Transportation Board voted to adopt the agency’s 2017-2021 Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program, which determines projects in Greater Arizona, the Maricopa County region and the Pima County region that will receive funding during the period.

“Major freight corridors that connect Arizona to Mexico and large neighboring U.S. markets will benefit from key expansion projects in this Five-Year Program,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “Improvement projects along some of Arizona’s busiest corridors will not only provide better mobility but help enhance trade, commerce and economic development. Meanwhile, we are protecting Arizona’s $20 billion investment in highways and answering Governor Doug Ducey’s call to continuously improve our value to this state.”

Because of additional funding available through the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, ADOT will be able to move forward on a quicker timeline with four major projects that will improve key commerce corridors: widening Interstate 10 in Pinal County from State Route 87 to Picacho and from Earley Road to Interstate 8, and widening two stretches of US 93 between Wickenburg and Interstate 40.

Once the two I-10 projects are complete, ADOT will have reached its goal of widening the entire stretch of I-10 between Casa Grande and Tucson to a six-lane divided highway.

Other projects programmed for funding include improving State Route 189 in Nogales to enhance the flow of commerce between the port of entry and Interstate 19.

A long-sought railroad overpass on State Route 347 in Maricopa will move forward thanks to a $15 million federal TIGER grant and $15 million local contribution in addition to ADOT’s $19 million commitment.

Facing growing needs and limited transportation funding from traditional sources, ADOT remains committed to preserving the existing state highway system. The program approved Friday meets the agency’s goal of $260 million per year dedicated to preservation.

That funding supports two of ADOT’s key performance indicators under Governor Ducey’s call for continuous improvement among state agencies:

  • Bridges: ADOT strives to keep the percentage of highway bridges rated in good or fair condition at 95 percent or more.
  • Pavement: ADOT aims to increase interstate highway rated in good condition from 73 percent to 80 percent as measured by smoothness.

The State Transportation Board’s approval of the Five-Year Program, which is updated annually, followed a call for public comment in March and three public hearings. In general, projects begin as part of the agency’s long-range visioning process, move into a 20-year plan and a six- to 10-year development program and then become part of the Five-Year Program, which is developed by working closely with local planning organizations and community leaders to identify projects that are ready to build or design.

Funding for the Five-Year Program is generated by the users of transportation services, primarily through gasoline and diesel fuel taxes and the vehicle license tax. Both the Maricopa and Pima county regions have independent revenue streams established through voter-approved sales tax increases that allow for more expansion projects to take place.

The following is a list of major projects for Greater Arizona, the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) region and the Pima Association of Governments (PAG) region during the 2017-2021 Five-Year Program. This list provides an overview and does not include all projects in the Five-Year Program. The 2017-2021 Five-Year Program will be published next week at azdot.gov.

Greater Arizona

  • State Route 189, Nogales to Interstate 19: Total project cost is estimated at $70 million. ADOT is moving forward with these improvements along SR 189 to ensure international commerce can efficiently and safely travel between Arizona and Mexico at the Mariposa Port of Entry, one of the busiest land ports in the United States.
  • State Route 347 Railroad Overpass: This project will alleviate traffic backups at the Union Pacific Railroad crossing in Maricopa by replacing the existing at-grade intersection with an overpass on SR 347. The SR 347 project received a $15 million federal TIGER grant and a $15 million local contribution to add to ADOT’s $19 million commitment to construct the project starting in FY 2017.
  • Interstate 10: State Route 87 to Picacho: This $85 million project to start in FY 2018 will widen the highway to three lanes in each direction and improve traffic interchanges.
  • Interstate 10: Earley Road to Interstate 8: This $40 million project in FY 2019 will widen the highway to three lanes in each direction and improve traffic interchanges south of Casa Grande.
  • US 93: “The Gap” Tegner Drive to State Route 89: This project, which will widen a three-mile stretch of US 93 near Wickenburg to a four-lane divided highway, will be funded in phases.
  • State Route 89: State Route 89A to Deep Well Ranch Road: $15 million allocated in FY 2017 for a corridor widening project that will improve capacity, operations and safety near Prescott. The roadway will be widened from two lanes to a four-lane divided highway.
  • US 60: Show Low to 40th Street: $7 million allocated in FY 2017 to add turn lanes, widen the roadway and improve intersections.
  • US 93: Carrow to Stephens: $35.5 million allocated in FY 2021 to widen this three-mile section of US 93 north of Wikieup. This project is part of ADOT’s commitment to convert all of US 93 to a modern, four-lane divided highway.

Pima County region

  • Interstate 10: Ina Road traffic interchange: $93 million allocated from FY 2017 to FY 2018 to fully reconstruct the Ina Road traffic interchange in Tucson. Interstate 10 currently passes over Ina Road, and with this project Ina Road will be elevated and pass over I-10 and the Union Pacific Railroad. The existing frontage roads and ramps will also be reconstructed.
  • Interstate 10: Houghton Road traffic interchange: A total of $46 million is allocated in FY 2017, FY 2020 and FY 2021 for this construction project.
  • Interstate 10: Ruthrauff Road traffic interchange: $106 million allocated from FY 2017 to FY 2020 for this reconstruction project.
  • Interstate 10: Country Club Road traffic interchange: $21 million allocated from FY 2019 to FY 2021 for this construction project.
  • Interstate 19: Ajo Way traffic interchange: $30 million allocated from FY 2018 to FY 2019 for Phase II of this reconstruction project.

Maricopa County region

  • Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway: $973 million allocated from FY 2017 to FY 2019 for construction of the 22-mile-long freeway scheduled to begin later this year.
  • Interstate 10: 32nd Street near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to the Loop 202 Santan Freeway in Chandler: $324 million allocated from FY 2019 to FY 2021 for widening and other improvements. This project includes improvements at the Broadway Curve to help traffic flow more efficiently.
  • Interstate 10: Loop 202 Santan to Riggs Road: $74 million allocated from FY 2019 to FY 2021 for the construction of a general purpose lane and an HOV lane in each direction within this six-mile stretch.
  • Loop 101 Pima Freeway: State Route 51 to Princess Drive: $61 million allocated in FY 2021 for the construction of a general purpose lane in each direction within a six-mile stretch.
  • Loop 101 Pima Freeway: Princess Drive to Shea Boulevard: $53 million allocated in FY 2021 for the construction of a general purpose lane in each direction within a six-mile stretch.

Work on US 60 passing lane near Superior to continue through summer

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ADOT Photo

ADOT Photo

PHOENIX — Steep, rugged terrain and high winds have added challenges for crews working to create room for an additional lane on US 60 between Globe and Superior. Because of that, the project will continue through the summer, including twice-weekly closures for blasting work.

Crews have about 25,000 cubic yards of rocks and dirt – about 2,000 truckloads – to remove to complete the project between mileposts 227 east of Superior to milepost 235 west of Miami. In addition to creating a passing lane, the Arizona Department of Transportation project is widening the shoulders in Devil’s Canyon (mileposts 233-234), making improvements to the bridge at Waterfall Canyon (milepost 229) and improving drainage (milepost 242) west of Miami.

Drivers who rely on US 60 should continue to plan ahead for closures from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There will be no blasting-related closures in the area on June 30 or July 5 to accommodate holiday traffic.

After crews blast away rock in one area to make room for the climbing lane, they must maneuver heavy equipment up steep, narrow roads to prepare for the next blast. This spring, two periods of “red flag” conditions – high winds and low humidity that increase the danger of sparking a fire – have delayed work for about two weeks.

During the closures, drivers should consider taking state routes 77 and 177 between Superior and Globe, a route of about 68 miles. 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.

Meanwhile, US 60 will be restricted to one lane through the work zone from 9 p.m. Sunday, June 19, to 4 a.m. Monday, June 20, and also from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, June 20. A pilot car will lead vehicles the work zone, and motorists should budget extra travel time.

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

For more information on this project, please visit azdot.gov/us60oakflat.

Pavement resurfacing begins Monday on US 60 and US 180 in eastern Arizona

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Drivers traveling on US 60 and US 180 in eastern Arizona should expect delays for the next two weeks as Arizona Department of Transportation crews resurface the road.

Expect delays on US 60 between mileposts 385-388 in Springerville and US 180 between mileposts 427-429 in Alpine as crews resurface the roadway.

Work will begin Monday (June 20), and continue weekdays until June 30. Work is scheduled from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

One lane will be closed for the work at each location. Flaggers will help traffic alternate to get by the work sites.

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.