Category Archives: State Government

Twice-weekly US 60 project closures to continue through June

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PHOENIX ‒ With about 2,000 truckloads of earth still to remove, blasting to create a passing lane along US 60 east of Superior is expected to continue through June.

The highway will be closed in both directions from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a schedule the Arizona Department of Transportation designed to provide consistency for those relying on US 60.

Crews have removed about 105,000 cubic yards of rocks and dirt since the $8.8 million project began in August. Another 25,000 cubic yards of earth must be removed for the project between Devil’s Canyon and Oak Flat.

Working in a tight passage carrying US 60 uphill from Superior has made the work more time-consuming than originally expected. With no room at the worksite to store rocks and dirt after blasting, crews must truck the materials out and clear the roadway before reopening to traffic.

During blasting, eastbound traffic is stopped at milepost 227 east of Superior and westbound traffic at Top of the World, (milepost 235 west of Miami) until the debris is cleared.

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

Once the blasting work is complete, ADOT will pave the widened roadway before opening the additional travel lane to traffic. The project also includes widening the shoulder in Devil’s Canyon (mileposts 233-234), bridge work at Waterfall Canyon (milepost 229) and drainage improvements (milepost 242) west of Miami.

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.

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

Dust closes I-10 between US 191 in southeastern Arizona and Lordsburg, New Mexico

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation has closed Interstate 10 between US 191 in southeastern Arizona and Lordsburg, New Mexico, due to blowing dust from a field at milepost 376 near San Simon.

The 62-mile stretch will remain closed until visibility improves in the stretch next to the newly plowed field. With strong wind forecast throughout the day, the closure could continue through early Friday evening.

ADOT has personnel closely monitoring the area in conjunction with DPS and has resources in place to immediately close the highway when visibility becomes an issue for drivers. With strong winds in the forecast, drivers in the area should remember that conditions can quickly change and that dust is difficult to predict.

Eastbound I-10 traffic is being routed onto US 191 north to US 70 east in Safford. Drivers may continue on US 70 into New Mexico and re-enter I-10 at Lordsburg, New Mexico.

With westbound I-10 closed at Lordsburg, New Mexico, drivers may take US 70 to Safford and then US 191 south to I-10.

The detour route is approximately 110 miles.

With strong winds occurring today, motorists should keep in mind that blowing dust is possible even when there isn’t a major storm. Avoid driving into blowing dust, but if you are caught:

· Immediately check traffic 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.
· 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 dust to subside.

For the most current information about highway closures and restrictions statewide, visit ADOT’s Travel Information Site at az511.gov, follow us on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511.

Northbound lane restriction for I-17 just past Camp Verde interchange begins Sunday night

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Motorists traveling northbound on I-17 through Camp Verde should allow for extra travel time while lane restrictions are in place to accommodate work at the Verde River Bridge (MP 287 – 288) just north of the State Route 260 interchange.

A one-lane restriction for northbound travel will be in place continuously beginning Sunday (May 8) at 7 p.m. and ending Friday (May 20) at 12 noon.

Vehicles wider than 12’ will require to travel via detour to SR 260 via Exit 287 at the Camp Verde Traffic Interchange, to State Route 89A, then continuing to State Route 179 and departing via Exit 298 to continue northbound travel on I-17.

Please observe reduced speed limits and allow for extra travel time while traveling through the work zone.

Paper applications for 2016 fall hunts now being accepted

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2016-17_AZ_Hunt_Regs_-_CoverPHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department has posted the 2016-17 Arizona Hunting Regulations online at www.azgfd.gov/draw.

The department now is accepting paper applications for 2016 hunt permit-tags issued through the draw process for deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bighorn sheep, fall bison and pheasant (the draw process for elk and pronghorn antelope took place in mid-April). The online application service for the draw is expected to be available in early to mid-May.

Paper applications can be mailed to: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn: Drawing Section, P.O. Box 74020, Phoenix, AZ 85087-1052, or dropped off at any department office statewide. The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. (MST) Tuesday, June 14. Paper applications must be received by the department by the deadline. Postmarks do not count.

The printed 2016-17 Arizona Hunting Regulations booklets are expected to be available in the next few days at department offices and license dealers statewide.

In the meantime, hunters are encouraged to open a free Customer Portal account. The Portal allows customers to create a secure account where they can manage and view their contact information, as well as their license and draw results history and bonus points, in their personal “My AZ Outdoors” section. A Portal account is a mobile-friendly, convenient way to access the online license purchase and hunt draw application systems. Just visit www.azgfd.gov, click on the “Sign in to Account” button in the upper right-hand corner of the home page, then select the “Create an Account” option, filling in the requested information.

Another benefit of having a Portal account is the opportunity to sign up for the “I Support Wildlife” program, which helps fund wildlife conservation in Arizona. An annual membership for $25 includes access to the new “premium” version of the Recreational Access Arizona (RAA) mapping application, the latest fish stocking reports, an “I Support Wildlife” window decal and a one-year subscription to the award-winning Arizona
Wildlife Views magazine.

The premium RAA mapping application is a significant upgrade over the free version and is a tremendous tool when planning your hunt. It is designed to work on all mobile devices and lets you see your current location in reference to different data layers, including Game Management Units, wildlife waters, Arizona land ownership, an ESRI USA Topographic (USGS 24k Topo) basemap and more. Even better, the premium mapping application allows you to create your own point locations and automatically save and sync that data to all of your devices.

Surface treatment to begin on SR 98 east of the US 160 Junction

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Arizona Department of Transportation crews will begin applying surface treatment to protect and provide a new driving surface for a 9-mile segment of SR 98 (milepost 340 to 349); east of the US 160 Junction towards Page on Monday (May 9). Work will take place during weekdays during daylight hours, Monday through Friday and is anticipated to be completed near the end of the month.

What to expect:

  •        Traffic will be reduced to one lane during construction
  •        Pilot car escort will allow for alternating travel through the work zone
  •        Anticipate 15 minute delays during lane closures
  •        Work scheduled for Monday – Friday, early morning to sunset

Please allow for extra time for travel in the area. There will be reduced speeds and lane restrictions at various locations during work hours and flaggers will be used to guide vehicles through the work zone.

Bubbling Ponds Preserve dedication to be held this Saturday, May 7

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SEDONA — The Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Northern Arizona Audubon Society will hold a dedication ceremony for the Bubbling Ponds Preserve at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 7. The dedication will be at the Anita MacFarlane Ramada, located adjacent to the Bubbling Ponds native fish ponds on the west side of the Page Springs Fish Hatchery grounds, about 10 miles south of Sedona.

Bubbling Ponds Preserve is a wildlife-viewing and outdoor educational facility located on the grounds of the Page Springs Fish Hatchery, an approximately 100-acre facility that raises both native and sport fish for Arizona’s rivers and lakes. It consists of a recently upgraded 1.8-mile Black Hawk Nature Trail together with a large ramada, two wildlife-viewing decks, an outdoor educational area, informative signage, and conveniently located benches.

The preserve project is a great example of a public-private partnership. Arizona Game and Fish provided the land and staff who supported the project from its inception. The $45,000 cost of the project was funded by Northern Arizona Audubon, thanks to donations from its members. Members of Audubon also handled the design and project management, and assisted in constructing many of the improvements.

The dedication will feature comments from the Arizona Game and Fish Department and Northern Arizona Audubon Society, and culminate with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The public is invited to attend. Hosts will be available for tours after the ceremony and refreshments will be served. Carpooling is suggested.

The Bubbling Ponds Preserve is located on Oak Creek approximately 10 miles south of Sedona and 10 miles north of Cottonwood, off Highway 89A on the Page Springs Road.

Through detailed study and public input, need for South Mountain Freeway is clear

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south-mountain-freeway-portalPHOENIX — Rigorous analysis that included extensive public involvement, an overwhelming need for the project and a lack of viable alternatives are among the reasons a federal judge should dismiss lawsuits challenging the South Mountain Freeway, the Arizona Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration contend in a legal filing.

ADOT and the Federal Highway Administration are scheduled to present oral arguments on May 11 in U.S. District Court in Phoenix as a judge considers motions for summary judgment in the case.

In their motion filed April 25, the agencies note that Maricopa County voters twice approved building the South Mountain Freeway, most recently in 2004 through Proposition 400, which authorized the comprehensive, multimodal Regional Transportation Plan. They note the current and anticipated congestion on freeways and roads in one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions, especially Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix, and how a new freeway corridor will improve how people and goods get around.

ADOT and the Federal Highway Administration completed a rigorous 13-year analysis, taking into account thousands of formal comments from community members, according to the motion. That includes developing a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement that complies with federal law and follows best practices for transportation projects.

“The need for the South Mountain Freeway is clear, and Valley voters have realized this for more than 30 years. While there is no ‘perfect’ freeway project, ADOT and the Federal Highway Administration have worked to study the likely impacts of this project and designed ways to minimize those impacts, just as we have done for decades throughout the Valley as the freeway system was developed,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “You only need to travel through the Broadway Curve on I-10 during rush hour to see the problem – Phoenix today doesn’t have the highway capacity to meet traffic demand. The South Mountain Freeway will better meet today’s traffic needs, while supporting better mobility in the future.”

The 22-mile freeway, expected to open in late 2019, will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley, and will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 systems.

In February, ADOT finalized the state’s first highway public-private partnership agreement through which the project team, Connect 202 Partners, will build the freeway at a taxpayer savings of more than $100 million and will open it to traffic three years sooner than originally projected. The fixed $916 million contract for design and construction makes this the largest highway project in state history. The development team will be responsible for 30 years of maintenance following the completion of the project, supporting construction with innovation and built-in cost efficiencies for the long term.

With construction scheduled to begin this summer, ADOT is conducting preliminary engineering, addressing cultural resources in the right of way, acquiring and preparing properties, and relocating utilities. ADOT received final federal clearance to move forward with the project in spring 2015.

For more information, visit azdot.gov/SouthMountainFreeway.

Four-hour closure scheduled Friday night on SR 89 at Hell Canyon, weather permitted

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CHINO VALLEY — As progress continues on the new bridge over Hell Canyon on State Route 89 (milepost 346), approximately 13 miles north of Chino Valley, crews will need to close the road to pour concrete on the bridge deck Friday (May 6) between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m.

Drivers traveling on SR 89 Friday night into Saturday morning need to plan ahead as the road will be closed in both directions. Law enforcement will be on site to assist with the road closure.

As preparations take place leading up to the closure, crews will have SR 89 narrowed to one lane through the work zone from 6 p.m. on Friday night to 8 a.m. Saturday morning. Minimal delays are expected.

The next milestone for the bridge replacement project will be to open the new bridge to two-way traffic in mid-June.

ADOT advises drivers to proceed through the work zones with caution, slow down and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

ADOT pursues federal grants to advance highway improvements

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PHOENIX — Improving traffic flow and safety on Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson. Helping commerce move on a state route between the border and Interstate 19 in Nogales. Rehabilitating an 850-foot-long bridge along Interstate 15 in northwestern Arizona.

Aiming to move forward sooner on those goals, the Arizona Department of Transportation is seeking $109.5 million through two highly competitive federal grant programs.

With $800 million available through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s FASTLANE grant program, established under the 2015 FAST Act, ADOT has applied for $60 million and offered to provide $86.83 million in matching funds to be used in four ways along I-10 between the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas:

• Realigning and widening four miles in the Picacho area to three lanes in each direction while reconstructing the interchange with State Route 87.
• Widening four miles between Earley Road and Interstate 8 to three lanes in each direction while upgrading ramps at Jimmie Kerr Boulevard near Casa Grande.
• Making technology enhancements to improve traffic management and safety, including remote sensors to provide early warning of approaching dust.
• Conducting preliminary engineering and completing an environmental analysis for widening 27 miles of I-10 to three lanes in each direction between the Loop 202 Santan Freeway and approximately SR 387 in Casa Grande. Any plan to widen I-10 through the Gila River Indian Community would require an agreement with the tribal government.

“The impact of Interstate 10 on Arizona’s citizens and economy is huge. Improvements to this vital link between Phoenix and Tucson are critical to our quality of life,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “Each element of the FASTLANE grant proposal will advance these efforts to continue improving I-10 and significantly benefit motorists and the flow of commerce.”

Meanwhile, ADOT has submitted Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant proposals for two projects:

• $25 million, with a proposed $39 million state match, to improve the 3.75-mile State Route 189 (Mariposa Road) in Nogales. Proposed upgrades to the route, which connects the Mariposa Port of Entry with Interstate 19 and Interstate Business 19/Grand Avenue, include a raised median and improving ramps connecting with I-19.
• $24.5 million, with a proposed $10.5 million state match, to rehabilitate Virgin River Bridge No. 1 on Interstate 15. Built in 1964 and located just east of Littlefield in the far northwestern corner of Arizona, the bridge has never undergone a major rehabilitation.

Both TIGER grant projects and the two I-10 construction projects in the FASTLANE grant are already part of ADOT’s plans, both through its current construction program and the Tentative Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program that’s receiving public input and awaiting a vote by the State Transportation Board.

For Virgin River Bridge No. 1, $33 million in construction funding is programmed for fiscal 2019. For SR 189, ADOT has recommended $64 million in fiscal 2021 for construction. For the I-10 projects, ADOT has recommended $85 million in fiscal 2018 for the Picacho area and $40 million in fiscal 2019 for Earley Road to I-8.

Winning grants would allow these projects to move forward faster and enable ADOT to redirect money toward other pressing needs.

“There are no guarantees when it comes to competitive grants, but success pays big dividends for Arizona,” Halikowski said.

Since 2012, ADOT has received a total of $43.6 million through 15 competitive grants, most of them administered by U.S. DOT. Much of that amount comes from TIGER grants for a planned railroad overpass on State Route 347 in Maricopa and the ongoing reconstruction of Virgin River Bridge No. 6 on I-15.

There will be plenty of competition from other states for FASTLANE and TIGER grants. For fiscal 2015, when ADOT won a $15 million grant toward the SR 347 project, U.S. DOT received 627 eligible applications worth $10.1 billion for the $500 million available. About $500 million is available in the current round of TIGER grants.

U.S. DOT is expected to announce awards from both grant programs later this year.

Arizona Game and Fish urges public comment on proposed boating restrictions at Havasu National Wildlife Refuge

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CORRECTED 160420, 10:53 a.m.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department advises constituents to be aware of, and participate in, the public comment process regarding the draft recreational boating Compatibility Determination for the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) released the Compatibility Determination on April 12 and opened a 30-day comment period that ends May 12. The Compatibility Determination contemplates the closure of some areas used by recreational boaters on the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department recognizes the importance of watercraft-related recreation to the Lake Havasu community and has concerns over the short 30-day comment period.

“It astounds me that USFWS is considering this proposal, given the recent history of the Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery debacle causing a halt to trout stockings and threatening some of the 1,700 jobs and $75 million generated by anglers along the Mohave County/Clark County stretch of the river,” said Arizona Game and Fish Commission Chairman Kurt Davis. “Thanks to the immediate engagement of U.S. Senator John McCain, U.S. Representative Paul Gosar, and local elected officials, USFWS has been forced to give the public a chance to make their voices heard. Arizona Game and Fish supports a 60-day public comment period extension in order to thoroughly analyze any and all impacts to recreational boating, angling, hunting and most importantly to the local economy.

“I hope that the federal government will once again listen to the public, come to their senses, and realize what devastating economic impacts their arbitrary decisions can have.”

Others are also calling for an extended comment period.

In an April 25 letter to USFWS Director Dan Ashe, Senator John McCain requested an extension, citing concerns over the economic impact of such restrictions.

“By USFWS’s own estimates, between two and three million visitors vacation at Lake Havasu annually,” wrote McCain. “Additionally, an average holiday weekend attracts 50,000 boaters to the area. The regional economic impact of visitors to Lake Havasu City is substantial, and significantly contributes to the greater regional economy… I ask that no decision be made final until a thorough attempt is made to understand and address the concerns raised by local stakeholders.”

Similarly, in a bipartisan letter today to USFWS Director Ashe, Rep. Paul Gosar and 20 other members of the House of Representatives urged an extension of the comment period for an additional 60 days.

“Countless stakeholders and members of Congress from both parties have voiced opposition and are calling on the Service to heed their concerns,” stated Gosar in a news release. “Given the significant flaws with the CD, I’ve called on the Service to drop this proposal. At minimum, the comment period should be extended 60 days as few people understand what is actually going on, including staff within the Service.”

The USFWS has currently scheduled three meetings to provide information and to gather public input.

  • May 2, 2016 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
    Relics and Rods Hall
    Lake Havasu City Community/Aquatics Center
    100 Park Avenue
    Lake Havasu City, Arizona 86403
  • May 3, 2016 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
    Avi Resort and Casino
    10000 Aha Macav Parkway
    Laughlin, Nevada 89029
  • May 3, 2016 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
    Avi Resort and Casino
    10000 Aha Macav Parkway
    Laughlin, Nevada 89029


Unless the comment period is extended, comments to the draft recreational boating Compatibility Determination for the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge will be accepted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through close of business on May 12, 2016. Please send written comments to:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Havasu National Wildlife Refuge
Attn: Draft Recreational Boating CD
317 Mesquite Avenue
Needles, CA 92363

Comments may also be emailed to: Havasu_Boating_Comments@fws.gov.