Tag Archives: ADOT

Interstate 40 westbound ramp work at Bellemont begins Monday

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BELLEMONT – The Arizona Department of Transportation will begin reconstructing the westbound Interstate 40 on- and off-ramps at Bellemont (exit 185) early Monday, August 14.

To accommodate this work, the westbound on- and off-ramps at Bellemont will be closed from 5 a.m. Monday, August 14 to 6 p.m. Friday, August 25. The Bellemont bridge over I-40 will remain open at all times.

Motorists can use interchanges at Parks (milepost 178) and A-1 Mountain (milepost 190) to travel between westbound I-40 and Bellemont. Signs will mark the detour routes.

After work ends on the westbound ramps at Bellemont, crews will begin reconstructing the interchange’s eastbound on- and off-ramps.

The ramp reconstruction is part of a larger project underway between Parks to Riordan that includes paving, new guardrail and minor bridge repairs at the Parks, Bellemont and A-1 Mountain traffic interchanges. Please visit the project website for more information at: azdot.gov/I40Paving.

Drivers should use caution and watch for personnel and equipment while construction is underway. Please allow for extra time for travel.

Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen factors. For more information, please call Coralie Cole, ADOT senior community relations officer, at 602.501.4899 or ccole@azdot.gov. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit the ADOT Traveler Information site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.

MVD and feds partner to make E-Verify more secure

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PHOENIX – The E-Verify process just got more secure for Arizona employers.

The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division has signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that makes it possible for DHS to verify the validity of driver’s license and ID cards against the MVD database.

The Records and Information from DMVs for E-Verify (RIDE) initiative is an enhancement to E-Verify that verifies the validity of driver’s license and ID card information by matching the data entered by employers against participating state motor vehicle department records. Approximately 80 percent of E-Verify cases use a driver’s license or ID card as proof of identity, making RIDE a critical tool to the program. With this agreement, when an employee presents an Arizona driver’s license or ID card for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification during the hiring process, E-Verify employers will now have the added benefit of confirming that identity document issued by the MVD is genuine. The employer does not see the MVD record, but will receive a match or no match response from E-Verify.

E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee’s Form I-9 to data from DHS and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility. Additional partnerships such as RIDE allow for the verification of other documents which are acceptable for the Form I-9 process. RIDE enables two-part verification by validating the information on select identity documents issued by the Arizona MVD in addition to the existing employment authorization check.

“The Arizona Motor Vehicle Division joined this partnership to help employers gain added assurance that their newly hired employees meet the guidelines required by federal law,” said MVD Director Eric Jorgensen. “We’re very pleased to help streamline this process for Arizona employers.”

For more information about E-Verify and RIDE, visit www.uscis.gov/e-verify

For more information about MVD, visit azdot.gov/mvd.

State Transportation Board OKs contract for ADOT wrong-way detection system

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PHOENIX – Construction of a first-in-the-nation system to detect wrong-way vehicles and alert law enforcement and other drivers is scheduled to begin in early August following State Transportation Board approval of the contract for installation.

At the direction of Governor Doug Ducey, the Arizona Department of Transportation has accelerated the start of construction on the $3.7 million pilot project along 15 miles of Interstate 17 in Phoenix. That includes pre-ordering materials, including thermal cameras that will detect wrong-way vehicles as well as poles and fiber-optic cable, rather than waiting for a contractor to secure those items.

On Friday, the State Transportation Board conditionally approved a $1.89 million bid from Contractors West Inc. of Mesa to install the system.

Construction is scheduled to begin in early August, a month sooner than earlier project estimates. Installation and testing are expected to be completed by early next year.

The system will use thermal cameras to detect a wrong-way vehicle along an off-ramp, triggering an illuminated wrong-way sign with flashing lights aimed at getting the attention of the driver. The system will immediately alert the Arizona Department of Public Safety and ADOT while warning other freeway drivers in the area through overhead message boards. On the freeway, additional thermal cameras placed at one-mile intervals will signal when a wrong-way vehicle passes to help State Troopers plan their response.

While ADOT and the DPS react quickly to reports of wrong-way drivers, the response right now usually begins with 911 calls from other motorists.

The I-17 pilot system will speed notification, but it can’t prevent wrong-way driving, which in most cases involves impaired drivers. ADOT and partner agencies, including DPS and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, continue to study other potential responses to reduce the risk from wrong-way driving.

Paving scheduled on Interstate 40 near Interstate 17 junction next week

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FLAGSTAFF – Motorists traveling eastbound on Interstate 40 to Flagstaff should allow extra time while paving continues near the I-17 junction. Paving is scheduled from 2 a.m. to noon both Tuesday, August 8, and Wednesday, August 9. A single-lane restriction will be in place to accommodate work between mileposts 195 and 197, located one mile west of Butler Avenue.

Drivers should use caution and watch for construction personnel and equipment while paving is underway.

Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen factors. For more information, call the ADOT Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or email Projects@azdot.gov. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.

Specialty license plates help Arizonans be generous to the tune of $9.8 million

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PHOENIX – Arizona’s specialty license plates come in many different colors, but one color they have in common is green – as in dollars.

In the most recent fiscal year ending June 30, sales of these plates generated more than $9.8 million for charitable causes and public programs. In the previous fiscal year, that figure totaled just under $9.4 million.

Many long-time plates continue to see growth in their sales, and the overall figures were bolstered by the introduction of four new plates midway through the fiscal year. Those plates support the 100 Club of Arizona, Special Olympics, Grand Canyon University scholarships and preservation efforts for Historic Route 66.

“The specialty plate program is a real point of pride for Arizona and is a tremendous success,” said Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division Director Eric Jorgensen. “To see this kind of continued growth proves Arizonans are both generous and eager to support great causes.”

Specialty plates typically cost $25. Of that, $17 is committed to the benefiting organization. For more information about specialty plates including how to order, please visit ServiceArizona.com or azdot.gov/mvd.

The specialty plate program was established by state law in 1989.

New system allows qualified trucks to bypass some ADOT ports of entry

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PHOENIX ‒ To help interstate commerce flow more efficiently while promoting safety, the Arizona Department of Transportation is adding a system that automatically checks the weight and registration of qualified commercial trucks without requiring them to stop as they enter the state.

“Using cutting-edge technology allows us to enforce safety requirements on trucks that enter Arizona while letting trucks that comply with our rules to continue on their way,” said Tim Lane, director of ADOT’s Enforcement and Compliance Division, which operates commercial ports of entry. “We’re eliminating friction that can be costly for both the trucking companies and the state of Arizona.”

The Drivewyze Preclear technology, similar to a system in place since 2015 near three ADOT interstate highway rest areas, uses geofencing technology and sensors embedded in the roadway to identify and check the weight, credentials and safety status of trucks that subscribe to the service as they approach seven Arizona ports of entry from California, Utah and New Mexico.

The driver’s cellphone or an electronic logging device in the truck’s cab then receives instructions. Trucks registered with Drivewyze that pass the tests may continue on their way, though like other trucks some will be selected at random for safety checks. Registered trucks that are overweight or have paperwork issues will be instructed to stop for inspection.

“If we pull over every truck, it causes unnecessary delays for drivers and companies that have complied with Arizona’s regulations,” Lane said. “This system will allow us to increase enforcement in the cases where we need to do that.”

The system is being added at these locations over the coming month:

  • Interstate 8: Yuma
  • Interstate 10: Ehrenberg near the California line, and San Simon near the New Mexico line
  • Interstate 15: St. George, just north of the Arizona-Utah line
  • Interstate 40: Topock near the California line, and Sanders near the New Mexico line
  • State Route 68 and US 93: Kingman

For the past two years, a similar system at the McGuireville Rest Area on I-17, the Canoa Ranch Rest Area on I-19 and the Sacaton Rest Area on I-10 has used sensors and cameras to determine a commercial vehicle’s approximate weight and check the status of its registration, U.S. Department of Transportation number, fuel tax assessment and carrier safety records. A sign instructs vehicles exceeding weight requirements to pull into the rest areas to be weighed and inspected.

Reducing wait times at commercial ports is among ADOT’s priorities using the Arizona Management System. Championed by Governor Doug Ducey, the system has employees continuously looking for ways to make state agencies more valuable to customers.

ADOT’s other steps in the past year to remove barriers to commercial travel include training truckers and trucking firms in Mexico on inspection requirements to reduce delays at the border without sacrificing safety.

Traffic switch next week for Interstate 40 work west of Williams

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WILLIAMS – Drivers heading eastbound on Interstate 40 toward Williams and Flagstaff will use one of the westbound lanes for five miles starting Monday, August 7, while Arizona Department of Transportation crews begin rebuilding the eastbound section of highway.

The project, occurring between mileposts 156 and 161, will rebuild the roadway from the ground up, including laying a new foundation. This work will be a long-term fix for the winter-weather damage this stretch has seen through the years.

This past week, crews have been building a temporary road across the median at each end of the project for eastbound drivers which will create one lane in each direction on the westbound side of I-40. The traffic switch will occur early Monday morning and remain in place through the fall.

Motorists traveling in the area should slow down and plan for extra travel time through the project area.

Because of the critical nature of I-40 for truckers and travelers, ADOT worked to get this $34 million project started this summer.

In addition to this project, crews continue to repave 12 miles of I-40 in each direction closer to Flagstaff between mileposts 179 and 191. That $13.9 million project is about halfway complete.

Crews will also be doing minor paving repairs in the morning hours on August 8 and 9 on eastbound I-40 near the I-17 junction approaching the Butler Avenue exit.

For more information on this and other paving projects along I-40, visit azdot.gov.

ADOT-sponsored Construction Academy provides gateway to careers

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PHOENIX – Thirty-one individuals seeking a hand up obtained entry-level positions as flaggers on construction projects, paying $13 to $19 per hour, thanks to free training provided by the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Those who took part in the flagger-certification program held this summer are the latest cohort in the Construction Academy Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program offered by ADOT’s On-The-Job-Training Supportive Services Program, part of the agency’s Business Engagement and Compliance Office.

Many of the recent trainees starting off as flaggers will move on to construction apprenticeships and later reach journeyman status as ADOT provides continuing support and guidance.

Flagger certification is just one of the training opportunities available to women, minorities and members of economically disadvantaged groups, including those who are out of work, through ADOT programs funded by the Federal Highway Administration. Individuals also can receive training that will help them become concrete finishers, block masons, highway surveyors, heavy equipment operators and commercial drivers.

ADOT’s goal in sponsoring this training: removing barriers to beginning construction careers.

ADOT-sponsored Construction Academies also are offered through Gila Community College, Gateway Community College and, starting this fall, Pima Community College and Pima County Joint Technology Education School District.

ADOT covers training costs and fees for participants and provides support including transportation and child care assistance, job-readiness training and safety gear such as hard hats and protective eyewear.

This past spring, for example, all 18 Construction Academy participants at Gila Community College landed jobs. They completed a 16-week program that included highway flagger certification, training in carpentry and job-seeking strategies, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration instruction on job-related safety and health hazards.

Participants in Pima Community College’s first Construction Academy will receive 10 weeks of similar training, while 30 students in the Pima County JTED Construction Academy’s construction and heavy equipment program will receive training that includes flagger certification.

Meanwhile, a Commercial Driver License Construction Academy that ADOT offers in Phoenix and Tucson helps participants obtain Class A commercial driver licenses to land trucking jobs in the construction industry. The ADOT Business and Compliance Office Construction Project Management Academy, launching this fall, will provide training for participants in the On-The-Job-Training Supportive Services Program as well as to Disadvantaged Business Enterprises.

For more information or to apply for a Construction Academy, please visit azdot.gov/BECO, call 602.712.7761 or pick up materials at the ADOT Business Engagement and Compliance Office, 1801 W. Jefferson St., Suite 101, in Phoenix.

ADOT detectives nab man accused of stealing identity of baby killed 35 years ago

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PHOENIX – A Tempe resident who allegedly stole the identity of a baby killed 35 years ago has been arrested thanks to Arizona Department of Transportation detectives’ use of facial recognition training and technology.

Acting on a tip from the Social Security Administration, ADOT’s Office of Inspector General found that Jeremiah Ash, 35, had for the past several years been using the name, date of birth and Social Security number of Michael Anthony Lewis II, who was 10 months old when he was killed in Oceanside, California.

ADOT detectives located the Arizona driver license in Lewis’ name and ran the photo through the facial recognition system. The system got a hit from Ash’s profile in the state’s driver license database. The detectives, who have FBI training in facial recognition, determined that both of the photos were of Ash.

In December 2012, Ash applied for an Arizona driver license under the stolen name at the Tempe MVD office. Two years later, he returned to apply for a motorcycle endorsement under the same name.

ADOT’s investigation found that Ash has an extraditable warrant out of Michigan for failure to pay child support. He was arrested on July 19 and booked at the Maricopa County Fourth Avenue Jail on identity theft and forgery charges.

A search warrant carried out by ADOT detectives at Ash’s Tempe residence uncovered falsified documents in the victim’s name as well as literature on how to steal a person’s identity.

The Social Security Administration provided the death certificate for Lewis, revealing that he was the victim of a homicide in 1982.

Ash used the same stolen identity in Florida to obtain a driver license. ADOT detectives notified Florida officials, who are now building their own case against Ash.

This case is one more example of how facial recognition technology used by ADOT’s Office of Inspector General protects Arizonans’ identities and helps prevent fraud involving state-issued driver licenses and identification cards.

Paving scheduled on Interstate 17 near McGuireville next week

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Motorists traveling southbound on Interstate 17 near McGuireville should allow extra time while paving is underway on three miles of roadway. Construction is scheduled from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, July 24, through Thursday, July 27. A single-lane restriction will be in place to accommodate work between mileposts 293 and 296, located near the McGuireville Road exit.

Drivers should use caution and watch for construction personnel and equipment while paving is underway.

Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen factors. For more information, call the ADOT Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or email Projects@azdot.gov. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.