Category Archives: News

National Household Travel Survey continues in Arizona through April

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PHOENIX – Over the past year, thousands of Arizonans have helped inform how we’ll all get around in the future by accepting invitations to participate in the National Household Travel Survey. With the survey wrapping up at the end of April, some are still getting letters asking them to take part.

The Arizona Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration are sending these invitations, most of them to households outside of metropolitan Phoenix and Tucson. The survey, conducted every five to seven years, provides an essential snapshot of transportation behaviors and trends by asking how members of a household get around on one day.

It’s important that as many households as possible participate because the answers will help state, local and federal officials decide when, where and how to invest limited transportation funding to improve roads, public transportation, sidewalks, bike paths and more.

Participation is voluntary and involves just a few easy steps. The first requires filling out a brief survey that comes with the invitation letter and returning it in a prepaid envelope. That takes about 10 minutes. Participants receive travel logs to record where members of their household go on an assigned travel day. Then they provide the information online or by phone, a process that usually takes 20 to 25 minutes.

Using a federal grant, ADOT has commissioned extra survey responses from beyond the Phoenix and Tucson areas to learn more about travel behaviors and trends in Greater Arizona. The goal is for about 80 percent of all participants to live beyond the Sun Corridor.

By law, all information provided is kept confidential, will be used only for research and cannot be sold. Names and other identifying information aren’t linked with the survey data used to create statistical summaries.

For those who aren’t invited to participate in the National Household Travel Survey, ADOT has created an online travel survey available at azdot.gov/NHTS. Information gathered through this survey will also help create a more valuable transportation system for all.

Flagstaff man indicted for sexual assault

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FLAGSTAFF – Coconino County Sheriff’s Office served 62-year-old Fernandez Tapia with a Grand Jury Indictment on charges related to sexual assault of a vulnerable adult female.

On February 10, 2017 Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a man who had been seen inappropriately touching a vulnerable female adult. Several witnesses observed the incident identifying Tapia.

The case was forwarded to Grand Jury which on March 16, 2017 issued an indictment for 13-3623(B)1 Child or Vulnerable adult abuse, a class 4 felony, 13-1404 Sexual abuse

According to the Grand Jury indictment, Tapia must report to the Coconino County Detention Facility for fingerprinting prior to his court date. The case is scheduled to be heard in Coconino County Superior Court, Div. 2, on March 27th, 2017.

Create your own luck: Drive sober on St. Patrick’s Day

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Don’t rely on luck or four-leaf clovers to stay safe on St. Patrick’s Day.

If your plans include an evening out, have fun, but make smart decisions before getting in a vehicle. Designate a driver or call a taxi or rideshare service.

Did you know that alcohol-related crashes in Arizona historically spike on St. Patrick’s Day?

To promote smart driving decisions, ADOT will display this St. Patrick’s Day-themed safety message on Dynamic Message Signs statewide.

While leprechauns might be difficult to find, state and local law enforcement will be easy to spot. The Arizona Department of Public Safety will have an enhanced presence on highways, targeting impairment and other dangerous driving behavior, and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is working with State Troopers, police officers and deputy sheriffs on a statewide DUI enforcement campaign.

New virtual tour of South Mountain Freeway is online now

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PHOENIX – As the Loop South Mountain Freeway moves toward completion in late 2019, a new flyover animation reflects updated plans for the 22-mile-long corridor.

The six-and-a-half minute virtual tour of the South Mountain Freeway, the largest single freeway project in state history, is available at SouthMountainFreeway.com.

It updates a 2013 video completed in conjunction with the publication of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement by the Arizona Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration, and before much of the final design work had been completed.

Some of the key design modifications and additions highlighted in the latest video include:

  • Aesthetic and landscaping treatments reflecting neighboring communities
  • Direct HOV lane access near 59th Avenue from the South Mountain Freeway to and from downtown Phoenix
  • A six-mile-long shared-used path in Ahwatukee, located south of the freeway between 40th Street and 17th Avenue
  • Changes to the alignment that reduce the amount of right-of-way required
  • Interchange reconfigurations, including diverging diamond interchanges at Desert Foothills Parkway and 17th Avenue, moving the interchange at 51st Avenue to Estrella Drive, and realigning the freeway at 59th Avenue south of Elliot Road
  • Locations of sound walls to mitigate freeway noise
  • A city of Phoenix pedestrian bridge north of Broadway Road to connect the Rio del Rey neighborhoods in Phoenix.

The updated video doesn’t reflect design changes made after January. As a design-build project, construction can start in some areas of the project while design is still being finalized elsewhere. This innovative contracting method pairs the design and construction teams to deliver a project from beginning to end. This approach is intended to save time and money by overlapping the design and construction phases.

With the launch of the new video, the project webpage at SouthMountainFreeway.com has other new content, including aesthetic renderings and construction photos.

The South Mountain Freeway will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix as it runs east and west along Pecos Road and then north and south between 55th and 63rd avenues, connecting with I-10 on each end.

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.

Report: Arizonans drove almost 67 billion miles in 2016

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PHOENIX – Drivers covered nearly 67 billion miles on Arizona roads in 2016, the state’s fifth consecutive annual increase, according to a Federal Highway Administration estimate.

Part of a Traffic Volume Trends report estimating a record 3.2 trillion miles driven on U.S. public roads last year, the Arizona figure demonstrates the importance of maintaining and improving the state’s transportation system, said John Halikowski, director of the Arizona Department of Transportation.

“Highways are Key Commerce Corridors that drive economic growth and jobs,” Halikowski said. “A well-built and well-maintained transportation system positions this growing state to capitalize on its proximity to major markets in California and Texas as well as south of the border.”

ADOT maintains all state and federal routes in Arizona, including six interstate highways.

The estimated number of vehicle miles traveled in Arizona in 2016 – 66.86 billion – represented an increase of more than 1.8 billion miles from 2015, or 2.8 percent. Since 2011, the number of miles navigated by Arizona drivers has increased by 7.28 billion, or 12 percent.

The 13-state West, including Arizona, had the greatest increase in travel compared with 2015, according to the Federal Highway Administration’s report.

ADOT reports vehicle miles traveled for the previous year each June. The agency’s figures also show a steady increase in recent years.

Rescue of Hikers in Waterholes Canyon

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PAGE – On March 12, 2017 at approximately 8:45 PM the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and its Search and Rescue Unit responded to a report of two overdue hikers in Waterholes Canyon south of Page, AZ. Two male hikers who began their hike into the canyon at approximately 12:00 PM failed to return to their car as expected. Deputies, with the assistance of a Classic Lifeguard helicopter from Page found the hikers in the canyon between two different rappels. The hikers were stranded and were unable to move up or down canyon. They were ill equipped for their hike and did not have adequate clothing, food, or water.

Search and Rescue teams arrived at approximately 12:30 AM and hiked to the rim above the hikers. A supply kit containing warm clothing, food, water, bivouac sack, hot packs, and a radio was lowered to the hikers. It was confirmed by radio conversation that the hikers were not injured but were stranded. Due to onset of darkness and the risk of a nighttime rescue operation, it was determined that further rescue would wait until daylight. Search and Rescue personnel bivouacked on the rim above the hikers location until daylight.

At daylight the Search and Rescue team established artificial anchors and lowered a rescuer to the hikers’ location. One at a time the hikers were raised to the rim of the canyon using a mechanical advantage rope system. Once at the top of the rim the hikers were evaluated; both refused additional medical care. They were then reunited with the rest of their party.

Later that same day, our deputies in Page, AZ assisted Navajo Police Department in rescuing a teenage girl who had been climbing near the same area.

The Search and Rescue Unit would like to remind hikers entering northern Arizona canyons to be aware of their surroundings and take the appropriate equipment and clothing for the trip. Some canyons require down climbing or rappelling and hikers should be prepared to ascend sections that they have previously descended. While the temperatures during the day may be warm, once the sun sets, the canyon environment can become cold rapidly. Weather should always be evaluated when entering a canyon. Rain upstream from also can cause dangerous flash flooding in canyons.

Sheriff’s Deputies Recover Remains of Man Believed to be missing since 2007

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Area where body was recovered.

SEDONA – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and Search and Rescue Unit has recovered the remains of a man they believe was reported missing out of Sedona in 2007.

February 28, 2017 a hiker in the area of Brins Mesa north of Sedona found some human bones and a weathered shoe in a steep drainage off the mesa. The hike reported the find to the Sheriff’s Office.

March 1, 2017 Sheriff’s deputies and detectives hiked into the drainage and located the human bones, the shoe and some tattered clothing.

Detectives contacted surrounding police agencies and learned that the Sedona Police Department had taken a report in October 2007. At that time 38 year old Sedona resident Paul Ashley was reported missing by his brother. Sedona Police learned that Ashley had sent personal property to his brother with a note stating he was leaving, but did not express any other intentions. Ashley left a similar note with his landlord. Ashley was last seen riding a bicycle away from his home.

During their investigation, Sedona Police received information about a bicycle locked to a tree and possibly abandoned off the Brins Mesa Trail. The bicycle was never located and presumed to have been taken, but Sedona Police and the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office believed the bike may have been Ahsley’s. Sedona Police later learned that Ashley had purchased a handgun from a gun dealer in Flagstaff just prior to his disappearance.

The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit conducted a search in the area on October 25, 2007 and again on November 4, 2007 but did not locate Ashley or the bicycle. Police were never able to authenticate if the bicycle was Ashley’s. No new information was found indicating where Ashely had gone.

The Coconino County Search and Rescue Unit conducted a search in the drainage on Saturday March 11, 2017 and located more bones, clothing and a Glock handgun a short distance down the drainage from where the first bones were found. Detectives were able to verify the serial number of the handgun matched that of the one Ashley purchased shortly before his disappearance.

The remains were taken to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office for examination. The cause and manner of death are pending and positive identification of the remains are still being investigated.

26 Year Old Williams Man Arrested for Burglaries in Junipine Estates

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WILLIAMS – Randy Matthew Kyle Herrera was arrested today in connection with at least two burglaries that occurred recently in the Junipine Estates area north of Williams, AZ. Herrera was booked into the Coconino County Detention Facility under charges of two counts of Burglary, two counts of Theft, and two counts of Trespass. He is being held on a $100,000 bond. The investigation is ongoing as detectives attempt to identify property connected to other burglaries in the area.

On March 14, 2017 a search warrant was served to search the residence of Randy Herrera. Herrera had been identified as a suspect in a recent burglaries based on ATV tracks left at the scene of one of the recent burglaries as well as property seen at his residence. During the search, items were found that were linked to at least two of the residential burglaries that have happened in the Red Lake area. Herrera made statements linking him to at least two of the burglaries.

Since early 2015, there have been over 30 residential burglaries in north of Williams, AZ. A large number of the burglaries occurred at vacant or vacation homes, but sheds and other structures also were burglarized. Items taken during the burglaries included electronics, jewelry, power tools, firearms, and mail. There also had been several reports of thefts, criminal damage, trespass, and suspicious activity in the area. The Sheriff’s Office held two recent community meetings in the greater Red Lake area to inform residents of the situation and to educate them on how to reduce the chance they may be victimized.

As a reminder to residents, there are steps you can take to help reduce your chances of becoming a victim of burglary or theft. Keep doors, windows, sheds, and vehicles locked at all times. Do not leave any valuables inside vehicles, trailers or truck beds. Work with your neighbors to keep an eye open for suspicious activity. Take photos and/or videos of valuable property, record serial numbers, engrave items that do not have serial numbers for later identification / recovery. If you are the victim, report the crime immediately. Do not touch anything. Be mindful of possible shoe or tire tracks that may provide evidence. Report suspicious activity immediately to your local law enforcement agency: Sheriff’s Office – 911 for emergencies and 1-800-338-7888, option 1 for Dispatch to for non-emergencies, or Silent Witness: 928-774-6111.

MVD improvements attract international attention

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Singapore delegation at MVD.

PHOENIX – Good news travels fast and it also travels far. The work being done by the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division to lower office wait times, use employees more resourcefully and be more efficient overall is being noticed 9,000 miles away in Singapore.

A delegation from the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and a representative from the Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI) visited MVD recently to learn about the continuous improvement transformation through the Arizona Management System championed by Governor Doug Ducey.

The delegation toured the MVD office located on 51st Avenue in Phoenix and got a firsthand look at how changes have helped contribute to an overall average reduction of 20 minutes in urban office wait times statewide. Other changes have contributed to an 80 percent reduction in overtime costs at some MVD locations, added more capacity by making road test appointments online and increased usage of online service options like kiosks and ServiceArizona.com.

MVD Director Eric Jorgensen said, “The Singapore government is very interested in studying efficiency, and what impressed them most was that Margarita, a customer service representative in the West Phoenix office, was able to walk them through the huddle board that measures our goals and describes our initiatives and explain not only how our processes work, but why. They were also very impressed with the level of engagement of all the leads, supervisors and office manager.”

He added, “I truly believe that this kind of engagement, with 854 MVD employees actively looking for how to make things just a little better, is the key to getting our customers out of the line and safely on the road.”

The Singapore government has put a large focus on increasing productivity and innovation in their country, and SIT is looking at different ways to bring lean transformation to their university and ultimately to the workforce through education and skills development.

Hole in the wall on Railroad filled with Everything Arizona

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WILLIAMS – The hole in the wall at 126 Railroad Avenue is filled with another business. Everything Arizona brings a new look to the business atmosphere. This business, brought to Williams by Joanne and Virgil is useful to tourists and residents alike.

Everything Arizona can manufacture custom cups, T-shirts and sweatshirts, vinyl window lettering, metal pictures and signs and more. They also carry stuffed TY toys and other trinkets and collectibles. Everything Arizona can use your design or help you make one. They can put your picture on cups and are adding temporary tattoo painting. Most of the work can be completed in a couple of hours. Some may take a little longer to adjust the photos, such as on cups, but it is generally same day service.

Joanne said that many customers have come in to ask for Route 66 T-shirts with Williams, Arizona on them. Something they cannot find in other businesses. Everything Arizona is happy to oblige.

Virgil said they can work with non-profits and groups for special events.

Everything Arizona is located at 126 Railroad Avenue in Williams across the street from the visitor parking lot. If you or your organization has a need for custom-made T-shirts, cups, vinyl lettering or whatever, Check out Everything Arizona and save the shipping.