Category Archives: News

Kaibab National Forest plans pile burn near Jacob Lake

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FREDONIA – North Zone fire managers plan to resume pile burning in the vicinity of the Arizona Department of Transportation Maintenance facility near Jacob Lake starting as early as Monday.

Pile burning is one piece of the ongoing hazardous fuels reduction efforts of the Plateau Facilities Fire Protection Project on approximately 5,000 acres surrounding 33 structures across the Kaibab Plateau. Fire managers plan to initially target 25 acres of piles and continue throughout the week as conditions allow.

As a reminder, all prescribed fire activity is dependent on the availability of personnel and equipment, weather and fuel conditions, including winds, temperature, humidity, vegetation moisture and ventilation conditions for dispersal of smoke. All prescribed fires are subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. For additional information on the Smoke Management Division and to view prescribed burn authorizations for any given day, visit http://www.azdeq.gov/programs/air-quality-programs/smoke-management.

In the interest of safety, visitors are reminded to always use caution when traveling in the vicinity of prescribed fires, as firefighters, fire-related traffic and smoke may all be present. Although no significant smoke impacts are expected, visitors should always be cautious when driving in the vicinity of emergency vehicles operating in the area.

As the prescribed burn season continues through the spring, notifications of upcoming prescribed fires will be provided regularly through the following sources:

· Fire Information Recorded Hotline: 928-635-8311
· Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF (Text ‘follow kaibabnf’ to 40404 to receive text messages.)
· Kaibab website “Recent News”: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
· Kaibab Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF

SR 260 improvement project to begin next week near Camp Verde

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PHOENIX – To enhance safety and improve traffic flow in a growing area of the Verde Valley, the Arizona Department of Transportation is set to begin upgrading nine miles of State Route 260 to four-lane divided highway between Camp Verde and Cottonwood west of Interstate 17.

The $62 million project, scheduled to start Monday, March 6, also will create seven roundabout intersections at Thousand Trails Road, Coury Drive, Cherry Creek Road, Horseshoe Bend Drive, Wilshire Road and two locations that will accommodate future development.

The work will pick up from the two miles of divided highway that stretch from the edge of Cottonwood down to Thousand Trails Road and also tie in to the roundabout construction on SR 260 east of I-17 at Industrial Drive, a busy commercial area of Camp Verde.

“Once completed, the project will provide safer and easier travel for local residents and visitors in the Verde Valley region,” said Alvin Stump, district engineer for ADOT’s Northwest District.

Crews will start just west of I-17 at Wilshire Road and will begin dirt excavation. One travel lane in each direction, the current number, will be maintained throughout the project. ADOT will work to keep drivers up to date on any necessary closures or restrictions.

The project is expected to be completed in approximately 18 months.

ADOT programs making international commercial traffic more efficient

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PHOENIX – Education and cooperation on both sides of the international border make for safer and more efficient movement of commercial truck traffic between Arizona and Mexico.

That’s the theme of meetings, events and programs the Arizona Department of Transportation offers for transportation leaders, elected officials and heads of trucking firms on both sides of the border. ADOT’s goal: educating the trucking industry about how safety compliance can reduce inspection times and make roads safer.

“There is a great spirit of cooperation among law enforcement agencies and the transportation industry on both sides of the border, and we want to continue that with educational programs and other efforts that will help everyone involved,” said Tim Lane, director of ADOT’s Enforcement and Compliance Division, which conducts safety inspections at Arizona’s commercial ports of entry in addition to making sure commercial vehicles follow federal and state regulations.

In 2015, $30 billion in both imports and exports moved through the state’s border ports, supporting 100,000 Arizona jobs.

“These innovative programs that make our border inspections more efficient have a direct impact on international commerce and Arizona’s economy,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “They are helping improve the flow of commercial traffic while keeping Arizona’s highways safe.”

ADOT, in partnership with the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, holds commercial vehicle industry days to provide information about safety regulations, permitting and the inspection process. ADOT has future plans to conduct commercial motor vehicle training in Mexico to help improve the cross-border experience for Mexican companies and stakeholders.

Members of ADOT’s Border Liaison Unit hold regular meetings in Yuma and San Luis, Nogales and Douglas on topics including permits, weight limits, inspection procedures, brakes and securing loads. The unit also plans annual workshops to discuss crucial issues for cross-border traffic.

Soon, ADOT’s outreach will include sessions in Mexico offering an International Border Inspection Qualification program, in which drivers can receive a certificate documenting their training to help streamline the inspection process and allow ADOT inspectors to focus on those who haven’t completed the program.

“Drivers, trucking companies and law enforcement all agree that safer vehicles are good for both the industry as well as for the public sharing the roads with commercial trucks,” Lane said. “The Border Liaison Unit and the International Border Inspection Qualification program are designed to make that happen.”

Also part of outreach in Mexico will be introducing innovative social media technology to improve communication between drivers and inspectors. In a pilot program, the WhatsApp application will allow drivers to check on border wait times, ask questions and share photos of their vehicles with ADOT inspectors to find out whether something could delay them in the inspection process.

To learn more about the Border Liaison Unit and Arizona-Sonora border relations, visit azdot.gov/BorderLiaisonUnit.

Thousands of Arizonans help shape ADOT’s Long-Range Transportation Plan

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PHOENIX – Playing the part of a transportation planner isn’t always easy, especially when it comes to balancing priorities for Arizona’s highway system with the realities of limited funding.

When the Arizona Department of Transportation turned to the public and stakeholders last fall to tell us what’s most important to them over the next 25 years, nearly 6,000 people statewide responded through a quick and interactive online survey.

The survey allowed participants to rank six transportation priorities: preservation, expansion, safety, technology, accessibility, and maintenance and operations. They worked with a budget and determined how much of it would go toward each priority. Then they decided on trade-off scenarios that further defined priorities.

The results show a mixed bag. Safety, expansion, and maintenance and operations ranked highest, in that order. However, when it comes to allocating funds for those priorities, expansion, preservation, and maintenance and operations got the most dollars, with safety dropping to fourth.

Trade-off scenarios show participants prefer more roads (expansion), smooth roads (preservation) and connected roads (improved accessibility). Much like real-world transportation planning, there are no right or wrong answers when it comes to ranking and funding priorities. All survey results will help develop a draft update to ADOT’s Long-Range Transportation Plan, which will be available for public review later this year.

The Long-Range Transportation Plan, also known as “What Moves You Arizona,” is updated every five years. While the plan isn’t project-specific, it does identify investment priorities based on current and projected transportation funding over the next 25 years.

The full report detailing results, responses and ADOT’s outreach in metropolitan, rural and tribal areas is available at azdot.gov/WhatMovesYouArizona under the documents tab.

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.

Visit azdot.gov/WhatMovesYouArizona for more information on ADOT’s Long-Range Transportation Plan and to leave a comment.

State Route 89A north of Indian Gardens to be narrowed to one lane for emergency guardrail repair

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Stop the mud! Motorists using State Route 89A between Sedona and Flagstaff should allow extra travel time on Friday, March 3, while Arizona Department of Transportation crews make emergency repairs to guardrail damaged by last Monday’s storm. SR 89A will be reduced to one lane just north of Indian Gardens (milepost 379) from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Flaggers will provide alternating north- and southbound travel through the work zone. Motorists should allow extra travel time and plan for delays.

Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions and closures, but it’s possible that unscheduled impacts might occur because of weather or other factors. For the most current information about highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.

Voting is open in ADOT’s Safety Message Contest

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PHOENIX – From speeding and impairment, texting and seat belt use, to general driving safety tips, Arizonans conveyed their thoughts on transportation safety creatively in the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Safety Message Contest.

After receiving nearly 7,000 submissions, 20 finalists have been selected to advance to the next round of the contest. Now it’s up to you to decide which two will appear on signs above Arizona’s highways.

From today through March 15, you can view and vote on the finalists at azdot.gov/signcontest.

Response to the contest was so overwhelming that ADOT expanded the number of finalists from 15 to 20 and increased the winners from one to two. The winning messages will appear on overhead signs one day each in April.

“We were excited to see so much interest,” said Kevin Biesty, ADOT deputy director for policy. “People are reading the signs and we hope they’re taking the messages to heart, sharing with others and choosing to make the roads safer for us all.”

The submissions were clever and original, funny and serious, and on point. Many entrants included comments about how their lives have been affected by dangerous driving. Those personal notes drive home the reason ADOT places safety messages on overhead signs: reducing fatal and serious-injury vehicle crashes.

Even if your message isn’t a finalist, it could still be displayed on message boards. ADOT has already scheduled a contest entry related to an event this month to appear on signs in March and will consider others throughout the year, too.

ADOT began placing unconventional safety messages on overhead signs more than a year ago in an effort to kick-start a change in social acceptance of impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding, aggressive driving and other dangerous driving behaviors.

Body found below Midgley Bridge identified

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Oak Creek Canyon – The person whose body was recovered yesterday afternoon from the creek below Midgley Bridge has been identified as a 20 year-old, male who was a student at Arizona State University (ASU). His body was located by hikers on February 28, 2107 in the creek below Midgley Bridge. Sedona Fire responded and confirmed the subject was deceased. Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue recovered the body. Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Detectives preliminarily identified the subject by information in his wallet and located his vehicle in the parking lot at Midgley Bridge.

Although the body had been located below Midgley Bridge, investigators were at first cautious about referring to the case as a suicide until further investigation could be conducted. The condition of the body did not show many of the external indicators typically associated with suicides from Midgely Bridge.

As the investigation continued, it was learned the student had been reported missing by family to ASU Police Department which contacted Northern Arizona University (NAU) Police Department on February 27, 2017. It was learned the subject had last been seen on February 26, 2017 visiting a friend at NAU. NAU PD entered him as a missing person into the National Crime Information Center database as missing and endangered based on suicidal statements that investigators learned he had made.

Investigation is still ongoing and pending results from the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Sheriff’s Office Investigating Death Below Midgley Bridge

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OAK CREEK CANYON – Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives are investigating the death of a young adult male whose body was recovered by our Search and Rescue Team from the canyon floor below Midgley Bridge. The investigation is still ongoing, and we are waiting for confirmation that next of kin has been contacted. We hope to be able to provide additional details tomorrow.

Services for H.B. “Doc” Smith this Saturday

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H.B. “Doc” Smith

WILLIAMS – H.B. “Doc” Smith passed away on February 25, 2017 in Chandler, AZ.

“Doc” was born in Mississippi and grew up in southern New Mexico and west Texas. He graduated from high school in El Paso, Texas and then went in the Navy where he served during the tag end of the Korean War.

After service in the military, he went to Colorado and worked in mines for a year, before enrolling at Colorado A & M at the College of Forestry and Natural Resources in Fort Collins, CO. While in college he worked summers on the Coeur d’Alene National Forest in northern Idaho in 1958, and then in 1959, he was a smoke jumper out of Missoula, MT. After receiving his BS in Forestry in 1961 he started out on the San Juan National Forest at Dolores, Colorado as a timber sales forester.

While at Dolores he was very active in fire and became qualified as a sector boss, division boss, and trained as a line boss. After leaving Delores, he moved to Minturn, Colorado on the Holy Cross District of the White River Forest. From there he became district ranger at Lander on Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming for seven years and continued his involvement in fire, becoming fire boss qualified.

He moved on in 1975 to become a district ranger in Utah on the Wasatch National Forest; and then later on the Toiyabe National Forest in the Sierras. From there, “Doc” and his wife Kathy moved to Arizona on the Kaibab National Forest, where he was fire staff officer. He became an area commander on the fire side and served on at least seven national incidents across the West.

He retired from the Forest Service then in 1994 and enrolled at Northern Arizona University to work on an advanced degree. In addition to receiving his Master in Forestry, he also became part of the Ecological Restoration Institute where he worked until he finally retired for good. “Doc” and Kathy moved to Phoenix to be closer to their family.

“Doc” was very proud of his Forest Service career and remained involved with National Smokejumpers Association, National Museum of Forest Service History, National Association of Forest Service Retires, Rocky Mountaineers, Amigos, Society of American Foresters, and all the Forest Service Reunions

He is survived by his wife, Kathy and daughter, Kelli, and son, Ken, and their families all in the Phoenix area.

The service for Doc will be on Saturday, March 4th, from 13:00 until 16:00.  It will be held at the Flagstaff Elks Lodge, which is located at 2201 N. San Francisco St., in Flagstaff.

Registration now open for Tomorrow Summer Camp

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PHOENIX – Give your kids the adventure of a lifetime this summer! The Arizona Game and Fish Department and Wildlife For Tomorrow are once again hosting a wildlife and outdoor recreation summer camp for children ages 8-13. Registration is now open for camp sessions being held June 12-15 and June 19-22.

The camp will be held at the department’s Hirsch Conservation Area located on the grounds of the Ben Avery Shooting Facility (northwest corner of Carefree Highway and I-17). Camp hours are 7:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Each session will include hands-on science experiments, fishing, kayaking, archery, air rifles, wildlife encounters and more. Your kids will have the opportunity to experience that essential connection with nature while having fun and learning more about Arizona’s amazing wildlife and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Space is limited and filling up fast, so register now before it’s too late! The fee to attend is $225 per session per child. To register, visit www.wildologyaz.com and click on the “Wildlife & Outdoor Recreation Summer Camp” link. You can register and pay online or download a registration packet. For more information, call (602) 501-4788 or e-mail azgf.summercamp@gmail.com.