ASH FORK — Westbound travel on Interstate 40 (I-40) at the County Line traffic interchange (Exit 148) just east of Ash Fork is reduced to one-lane of travel and will be in place continuously including nights and weekends until late July while repairs are underway. Construction within the work-zone will be active during daylight hours; however the restrictions will be in place both day and nighttime hours.
The westbound on-ramp at the County Line (Exit 148) will also be closed while work is being performed at the interchange. The recommended detour is to exit at the Monte Carlo traffic interchange (Exit 149) then cross over for westbound travel.
ADOT advises the public to allow for extra travel time while work is being performed and to observe reduced speeds in the area.
Overnight paving work resumes tonight and Wednesday, July 8 and 9 on State Route 89 between Prescott and Chino Valley, weather permitting. Work will take place on the south end of the project at the new Deep Well Ranch Road roundabout.
Motorists traveling on SR 89 for the next two nights between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. should allow extra travel time through the work zone. A detour will be in place redirecting traffic in both directions onto the new Deep Well Ranch Road to Ruger Road. Delays of up to 20 minutes at a time are expected. Flaggers and law enforcement will be present to guide motorists through the detour safely.
Beginning Saturday, July 11 through Tuesday, July 14 crews will place rubberized asphalt throughout the project between 4 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day. Access into the businesses along the northbound side of the project will be impacted for up to 20 minutes at a time and motorists will be stopped until the paving crew passes the driveway.
The work zone will be clearly marked by temporary barricades and signage. ADOT advises drivers to allow additional time to reach their destinations and to proceed through the work zone with caution, comply with the reduced speed limit, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.
PAULDEN — While the Arizona Department of Transportation completed interim repairs to the Hell Canyon Bridge in 2013, the agency moved forward with plans to design a new bridge along State Route 89 in Yavapai County that would ultimately replace the aging and narrow bridge that does not meet today’s design standards. Two years later, ADOT will start construction on Tuesday, July 14 on a modernized bridge that will replace the current bridge when completed.
The existing nearly 600-foot-long bridge, which was built in 1954, is located 18 miles north of Chino Valley at milepost 346 and serves as a key connection linking Prescott and northern Arizona (Interstate 40 in Ash Fork).
The $14.4 million improvement project will include constructing a new four-span steel-plate girder bridge to the east of the existing bridge and removing the existing three-span steel deck truss bridge, which has been classified as structurally deficient by bridge inspectors. The current bridge is safe; however, some needed repairs or improvements have been identified during bridge inspections.
The new 665-foot-long two-lane bridge will feature wider travel lanes and will be approximately 47 feet wide, more than 17 feet wider than the current bridge. The bridge will also accommodate heavier loads, ensuring commercial trucks can conveniently carry goods and produce to their final destinations, particularly when I-40 traffic is diverted onto SR 89 during serious crashes.
There will be limited traffic impacts to motorists during construction because traffic will remain on the existing bridge, while work progresses on constructing the new bridge east of the current bridge.
The first phase of the project, which is expected to take up to 12 months to complete, will include construction of the new bridge as well as temporary access roads along the north and south sides of the canyon to assist with bridge construction and removal.
Daytime blasting operations, which will begin at 9 a.m. July 14, will be required for the construction of the access roads and intermittent closures will be necessary during that time. Delays of up to 20 minutes are possible until blasting operations are completed by the end of next month. ADOT will send advance notice to the public when any closure dates are finalized.
After the new bridge is completed, traffic will be switched to the new bridge. The existing Hell Canyon Bridge will then be dismantled and removed, which is expected to take up to three months. Additional road construction/realignment will be necessary to the north and south of the new bridge.
PHOENIX — If you’re seeking public records from the Arizona Department of Transportation, you can now save time, paper and postage by making your inquiry online.
ADOT launched a new online public records request process this week that eliminates the need for paper forms. Now, filing a request is as simple as completing and submitting a form online, available at www.azdot.gov/media. Previously, those making a request often would need to wait to have a form sent by mail, then return the completed paperwork to ADOT.
The online system allows ADOT to begin researching and completing requests faster.
“Our new public records online request form streamlines the way ADOT does business and creates a more efficient process for the public to access information,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “This reflects Governor Ducey’s continued commitment to open government in Arizona.”
On ADOT’s website, visitors can find links to the form along with instructions, frequently asked questions and fees for copies. Once the request is completed, the requestor can schedule an on-site visit to review the documents or have copies made. Also, the person requesting documents can have them sent by mail.
Those without internet access can contact ADOT Safety and Risk Management by phone at 602.712.7327.
CAMP VERDE — Overnight paving work will continue this week on Interstate 17 just south of Camp Verde (mileposts 280 to 286) between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. starting tonight, July 6 through Wednesday, July 15.
Northbound I-17 will be narrowed to one lane at milepost 280, approximately one and half miles north of the State Route 169 junction and drivers will be guided through the work zone with a pilot car for the protection of workers and the traveling public. Delays of up to 15 minutes are expected.
Work hours are Sunday through Thursday between 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. each night.
This $7.5 million project consists of the removal of a layer of the existing pavement, repaving the roadway, bridge work and shoulder improvements. Work is expected to be complete by September.
The work zone will be clearly marked by temporary barricades and signage. ADOT advises drivers to allow additional time to reach their destinations and to proceed through the work zone with caution, comply with the reduced speed limit, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.
PHOENIX — As the Fourth of July weekend approaches, state and local agencies are focusing efforts on promoting safety along the busy highways, including Interstate 17 between north Phoenix and Camp Verde, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
ADOT and its contractors will not schedule construction closures along state highways between Thursday afternoon and late Sunday night. Drivers are urged to use caution over the weekend, especially in areas that have been narrowed due to existing work zones.
As they have done over recent major holiday weekends, ADOT, the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety will team with local first responders on the state’s “Stay Alert, Stay Alive” safe-driving campaign.
While pointing out that drivers hold the key to safety, state officials stress the importance of being patient, obeying speed limits, buckling up and avoiding distractions. While the holiday weekend safety campaign is underway, DPS will place an emphasis on speed enforcement, especially during the busy Thursday and Sunday afternoon travel periods.
ADOT’s I-17 overhead message boards will be used to post safety and highway-condition messages. Highway crews also are staging equipment such as front loaders and utility trucks at strategic locations along the highway, including the Outlets at Anthem mall and the Sunset Point Rest Area. The equipment will allow crews to respond as soon as possible if crashes or disabled vehicles need to be cleared.
Existing work zone locations along state highways include State Route 260 about 20 miles east of Payson, where traffic is shifted to single lanes in each direction for a bridge-improvement project. Interstate 40 west of the State Route 89 junction near Ash Fork also is narrowed to one lane in each direction for bridge work.
Drivers are urged to check their vehicles, including tire pressure, and get a good night’s rest before heading out on a trip. Motorists also are urged to:
Buckle up
Obey speed limits
Avoid the busiest travel times if possible
Never drive while impaired. Arrange for a designated driver in advance
Be prepared for unexpected closures during warmer weather and possible thunderstorms
Pack extra drinking water and snack foods in case traffic is stopped due to a crash or disabled vehicle up ahead
State agencies also will work with the Black Canyon City and Daisy Mountain fire departments as part of the I-17 safety corridor campaign. The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is working with local law enforcement agencies on a holiday DUI enforcement campaign.
Last year in Arizona, nine people were killed in a total of seven fatal crashes along highways and local streets over the Independence Day weekend. The sobering figures were higher during the holiday weekend in 2013, when 16 people died in 15 fatal crashes across the state.
You can check on statewide highway conditions on ADOT’s Travel Advisory site at az511.gov or by calling 5-1-1 (within Arizona). Traffic information also is available on ADOT’s Twitter feed (@ArizonaDOT).
PHOENIX — For the past two decades, the Arizona Department of Transportation has made the US 93 corridor a priority, by methodically turning what was once a two-lane rural roadway into a modern four-lane divided highway along the primary travel route for Phoenix motorists headed to Las Vegas and a vital corridor for trade and commerce.
This past weekend, ADOT completed another widened section of US 93, approximately 20 miles north of Wikieup and moved one step closer to the agency’s ultimate goal of transforming the entire 200-mile stretch from Wickenburg to the Hoover Dam bypass bridge into a modern, four-lane divided highway.
The completed $20 million project widened the three-mile-long Antelope Wash segment of US 93 (mileposts 101-104), which included building two new southbound lanes and reconstructing the two northbound lanes to tie into the new roadway configuration.
This was one of two US 93 widening projects ADOT has been working on this year. In February, ADOT launched another expansion project along US 93 between state routes 71 and 89 (mileposts 185-190), just north of Wickenburg. The $12.5 million project will include converting the roadway from two lanes to four lanes and is expected to be completed in 2016.
Since 1998, ADOT has invested more than $350 million in projects to upgrade the US 93 corridor, which stretches from Kingman to the Nevada state line and Wickenburg to Interstate 40 (a 23-mile segment of I-40 east of Kingman connects the north and south sections of US 93).
Currently, all but 46 miles of the 200-mile drive (more than 75 percent) from Wickenburg to the Nevada state line has been upgraded to a four-lane divided highway in an effort to improve traffic flow, support the movement of freight and enhance safety through this heavily traveled area. The entire northern segment of US 93 from Kingman to the Nevada state line (mileposts 1-68) is now a four-lane divided highway following the completion of a $71 million project in 2010.
WICKENBURG — For the past several months, a five-mile widening project on US 93 approximately three miles north of Wickenburg has been under way. Next week, beginning on Tuesday, June 30 through Wednesday, July 1, crews will be working on the existing roadway of US 93 at both ends of the project (mileposts 185 and 190) which will require a single lane restriction between 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Delays of up to 15 minutes are expected. US 93 runs north and south, not east and west as previously mentioned.
Crews will place temporary concrete barrier, shift the traffic lanes and restripe the roadway so they can continue the widening project. Drivers will be in this temporary configuration for the next three months. An 11-foot width restriction will be in place during that time.
The work zone will be clearly marked by temporary barricades and signage. ADOT advises drivers to allow additional time to reach their destinations and to proceed through the work zone with caution, comply with the reduced speed limit, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.
CHINO VALLEY — Overnight paving work has been scheduled on State Route 89 between Prescott and Chino Valley this weekend starting Friday night, June 26 through Sunday, June 28, weather permitting. Work will take place on the south end of the project at the new Deep Well Ranch Road roundabout.
Motorists traveling on SR 89 between 4 p.m. and 5 a.m. Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, June 28 (no impacts on Friday night) should allow extra travel time through the work zone. A detour will be in place redirecting traffic in both directions onto the new Deep Well Ranch Road to Ruger Road.
Delays of up to 15 minutes at a time are expected. Flaggers and law enforcement will be present to guide motorists through the detour safely.
Upon completion of the $17 million project, ADOT will expand the two-lane roadway to a four-lane divided highway along a five-mile segment of SR 89 (mileposts 320-325) between Road 4 South in Chino Valley and Deep Well Ranch Road in Prescott, just north of the SR 89/SR 89A junction. The project is scheduled to be complete by August.
PHOENIX — Where will you be when the dust settles?
That’s a question the Arizona Department of Transportation is asking motorists this year as another summer monsoon season begins.
For the fourth consecutive year, ADOT is rolling out its “Pull Aside, Stay Alive” dust storm public awareness campaign in an ongoing effort to educate drivers about the year-round threat of dust storms as monsoon season officially begins in Arizona today. Dust storms pose a serious public safety risk because they can strike out of nowhere. Motorists can protect themselves if they plan ahead and know the safe actions to take when the dust hits.
This year, ADOT – and partners at the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the National Weather Service – has created new television and radio public-education announcements that ask drivers if they know what to do if they get caught in a sudden dust storm event. The new TV public service announcement depicts a young driver following all the safety recommendations when she sees a dust storm while driving along a highway.
ADOT’s mission is to provide useful and memorable safety information to drivers before they get caught in a low-visibility dust storm. This year, the agency’s top recommendation is to avoid driving into a wall of dust at all costs.
“We hope motorists have heard the message that driving into a dust storm is dangerous and should be avoided,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “But every day we have new-to-Arizona drivers, and young drivers, who may not yet know about ‘Pull Aside, Stay Alive.’ If you know a new driver, take a moment to remind them about dust storm safety.”
Halikowski added, “As the monsoon arrives, this year we’re asking drivers to do the smart thing, the safe thing and plan ahead for possible blowing dust and limited visibility along the highway. It’s better to alter travel plans rather than attempting to drive through dust storms. It’s a risk you don’t have to take.”
Dust storms develop quickly and dust-related crashes can occur, particularly along the Interstate 10 corridor between Phoenix and Tucson. To advise drivers of approaching storms, ADOT employs a range of strategies – including electronic highway message boards, social and traditional media, communication with ADOT staff and law enforcement officers in the field, television and radio advertising, and close coordination with partnering agencies – to keep information flowing to motorists.
Please visit PullAsideStayAlive.org for the new public-education video, along with videos from past years. The website also includes a safety tip sheet.
During Arizona Monsoon Awareness Week, ADOT will be using social media to engage Arizonans in spreading the word to “Pull Aside, Stay Alive.” In addition to blog posts (azdot.gov/media/blog) and Facebook posts (Facebook.com/AZDOT), the “Haboob Haiku Challenge” is back for a fourth year at twitter.com/ArizonaDOT: use #HaboobHaiku. Anyone can channel their inner poet, but this year ADOT is asking the public to show off their creativity by providing poems about safe driving tips in dust storms.
Tips for drivers who encounter a dust storm:
Avoid driving into or through a dust storm.
If you encounter a dust storm, check traffic immediately around your vehicle (front, back and to the side) and begin slowing down.
Do not wait until poor visibility makes it difficult to safely pull off the roadway – do it as soon as possible. Completely exit the highway if you can.
Do not stop in a travel lane or in the emergency lane; look for a safe place to pull completely off the paved portion of the roadway.
Stop your vehicle in a position ensuring it is a safe distance from the main roadway and away from where other vehicles may travel.
Turn off all vehicle lights, including your emergency flashers.
Set your emergency brake and take your foot off the brake.
Stay in the vehicle with your seatbelts buckled and wait for the storm to pass.
Drivers of high-profile vehicles should be especially aware of changing weather conditions and travel at reduced speeds in high wind.
A driver’s alertness and safe driving ability are always the top factors in preventing crashes. It is your responsibility to avoid distracted or impaired driving.
PAULDEN — While the Arizona Department of Transportation completed interim repairs to the Hell Canyon Bridge in 2013, the agency moved forward with plans to design a new bridge along State Route 89 in Yavapai County that would ultimately replace the aging and narrow bridge that does not meet today’s design standards. Two years later, ADOT will start construction on Tuesday, July 14 on a modernized bridge that will replace the current bridge when completed.
PHOENIX — If you’re seeking public records from the Arizona Department of Transportation, you can now save time, paper and postage by making your inquiry online.