Windy conditions on Monday prevented crews from completing the emergency utility repairs on Interstate 17. Work and temporary closures are scheduled to continue Tuesday, May 16, approximately four miles north of the State Route 260 junction.
North and southbound traffic on I-17 will be stopped at milepost 291 while utility crews work to repair power lines and poles. Closures are scheduled to occur between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., with each closure expected to last approximately 15 minutes.
PHOENIX – The rubberized asphalt used by the Arizona Department of Transportation on many highway paving projects not only creates a smooth ride for drivers, it also provides a second life for the rubber from thousands of old, worn tires that might otherwise be dumped in landfills.
Such is the case with the ongoing project to put a fresh layer of rubberized asphalt on a busy stretch of Interstate 17 in Phoenix. Rubber from about 75,000 tires will be used in the layer of asphalt being added to 11 miles of I-17 between Dunlap and 19th avenues in Phoenix.
For the I-17 project, the process for recycling tires begins at the Crumb Rubber Manufacturers plant in east Mesa, where a complex series of conveyor belts, blades and other equipment removes the internal metal belts from the tires while turning the rubber into granules that look like ground coffee.
The crumb rubber is a key ingredient that is blended with hot asphalt and aggregate to become rubberized asphalt. For the I-17 project, the mixing occurs at a Vulcan Materials Co. plant in Phoenix. The heated rubberized asphalt is then delivered in trucks when weekend paving on the freeway is underway.
ADOT has used rubberized asphalt on many stretches of the state’s highways, including metro Phoenix freeways, for decades. As a result, rubber from millions of tires has been used to help provide a smooth, durable ride for drivers across Arizona.
“What we like most about rubberized asphalt is its durability,” said Dallas Hammit, ADOT’s state engineer and deputy director for transportation. “When our riding surface pavement lasts longer – in some areas for well over a decade – it is cost effective and limits traffic disruptions.”
Rubberized asphalt has also been recognized for reducing traffic noise, specifically the sound from vehicle tires, by approximately four decibels in neighborhoods near urban freeways.
The weekend paving of sections of I-17 is scheduled to be completed in June. This weekend, northbound I-17 will be closed between Glendale and Dunlap avenues from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, May 15, for the resurfacing work. Drivers should consider alternate routes, including northbound State Route 51, to avoid heavy traffic approaching the I-17 closure.
For more information about ADOT’s $9.8 million I-17 Improvement Project between Dunlap and 19th avenues, visit azdot.gov/I17PavementPreservation.
Four temporary full closures of Interstate 17 north of Camp Verde will be required on Monday, May 15, to accommodate overhead emergency utility repairs.
North and southbound traffic on I-17 at milepost 291, located approximately four miles north of the State Route 260 Junction in Camp Verde, will be stopped while utility crews work to repair power lines and poles. Closures are scheduled to occur between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., with each closure expected to last approximately 15 minutes.
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.
PHOENIX – After being buried in snow all winter, State Route 67 running from Jacob Lake to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is scheduled to reopen Monday, May 15.
The Arizona Department of Transportation closes SR 67 when park facilities shut down for the winter––usually on December 1––and reopens it when the North Rim is ready to welcome travelers once again. The 40-plus-mile-long route runs through an area that, at 8,500 feet in elevation, sees an average of nine feet of snow each year.
During the winter months, a gate blocks access to SR 67 just south of US 89A in Jacob Lake.
The Grand Canyon National Park website at www.nps.gov/grca has information on lodging, camping and other visitor services available at the North Rim.
For the latest information about highway conditions across Arizona, please visit ADOT’s Traveler Information site at AZ511.gov, call 511 or connect via Twitter (@ArizonaDOT ) or Facebook (facebook.com/AZDOT).
YUMA – A binational initiative to increase commerce and tourism in southwestern Arizona and the neighboring region in Mexico, stemming from a collaboration involving border communities and state entities including the Arizona Department of Transportation, has been honored for excellence in economic development.
The American Planning Association’s Economic Development Division selected the 4FrontED Initiative for its Donald E. Hunter Excellence in Economic Development Planning Award, saying the public-private partnership “is adding economic value to a multi-jurisdictional region where it may not have otherwise occurred.”
The 4FrontED region includes Yuma, Somerton, Wellton and San Luis in Arizona, as well as San Luis Río Colorado, Mexico. The Cocopah Indian Tribe is a recent member of the initiative.
In 2013, ADOT, the Arizona-Mexico Commission, the Arizona Commerce Authority and the Arizona Office of Tourism worked with the border communities of Douglas, Nogales and San Luis/Yuma County to create the Arizona Border Communities Roadmap identifying assets and strategies to generate economic development.
The 4FrontED Initiative stems from a binational work program, the Border Business Case, that is the first step of the Border Communities Roadmap. Through the 4FrontED Initiative, communities and businesses in southwestern Arizona and in Mexico formed alliances to increase international commerce and tourism and develop strategies to connect investors with opportunities.
“ADOT recognizes that border communities, because of their binational nature, have unique needs but also present a number of valuable opportunities for growth and development,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “The collaborative approach through the Border Communities Roadmap ensures that we maximize the efforts to promote the region and foster new investment and job creation.”
Yuma Mayor Douglas J. Nicholls, who initiated 4FrontED’s launch, said the initiative’s successes have only just begun as participants unite behind its shared vision.
“We are doing so, in unison, with short-term and long-term goals, to put the region on the global map,” Nicholls said.
The award will be presented Monday, May 8, at the American Planning Association National Planning Conference in New York City.
SEDONA – Motorists traveling on State Route 89A north of Sedona should allow extra time Monday, May 8, and Tuesday, May 9, while roadway striping is underway.
A rolling lane-striping operation is scheduled during daylight hours, weather permitting. Although no travel lanes on SR 89A will be closed, drivers should be patient and watch for slower-moving equipment between mileposts 375 and 386 in Oak Creek Canyon.
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
PHOENIX – Are you an experienced motorcycle rider looking to learn advanced techniques? A new rider learning the basics? Maybe you have to dust off your motorcycle before the occasional weekend ride?
If any of those situations sound familiar, consider taking a motorcycle rider course. And there’s no better time than now because May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.
“Educated riders are safe riders,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “Whether you’re new to riding, need a refresher or want to learn advanced techniques, a rider course can help keep you safe on the road.”
Not only will the skills and knowledge gained from a driving school keep riders safe, they can help you skip written and road tests when applying for a motorcycle license or endorsement. It’s simple: Attend an approved motorcycle training school and receive a Motorcycle Safety Foundation card from the school, and you’ll be exempt from written and road tests.
There are more than 30 approved motorcycle driving schools across the state. More information on motorcycle licenses and approved driving schools is available at azdot.gov/motorcyclelicense.
Drivers of four-wheeled vehicles can help keep motorcyclists safe by being aware that blind spots can hide motorcycles. To increase awareness, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is running a statewide campaign in May with radio and billboard advertisements featuring the message, “It came out of nowhere.” Additionally, overhead signs will display messages that encourage drivers to look twice for motorcycles.
“All motorists – drivers of vehicles and motorcycle riders – need to be aware of their surroundings on the road,” GOHS Director Alberto Gutier said. “If we look out for each other, we’ll keep each other safe and make sure everyone makes it home.”
FLAGSTAFF – With a contractor selected, the Arizona Department of Transportation is moving forward with a $13.9 million project to add new pavement to 12 miles of Interstate 40 between Flagstaff and Williams.
Meeting in Flagstaff on Friday, April 21, the State Transportation Board approved a contract for the project with FNF Construction. A schedule will be set in the coming weeks.
The work in both directions between Parks and Riordan, milepost 179 to 191, will mill down several inches of the current pavement and replace it with new asphalt. It will greatly improve a road surface that has required regular repairs due to the combination of more than 200 freeze-thaw cycles each year and heavy use by commercial vehicles, as well as damage from numerous storms this past winter.
“We’re grateful this much needed project is moving forward,” said Audra Merrick, ADOT’s North Central District engineer. “This project will be the long-term fix to the damage the road has taken over the winter.”
The project also will replace pavement on the on- and off-ramps at the Bellemont interchange, replace guardrail and make minor bridge deck repairs at the Bellemont and A-1 Mountain Road overpasses.
A similar project, slated for the fiscal year beginning July 1, will pick up where this project ends at milepost 179, and continue west for 17 miles to Cataract Lake near Williams.
After pavement damage from powerful and repeated winter storms, ADOT crews continue following up on temporary repairs with asphalt overlays on I-17, State Route 89A in Oak Creek Canyon and other parts of I-40.
PHOENIX – Like a lot of Arizona these days, the hillsides along State Route 87 south of Payson look mighty green after a wet winter. But that didn’t stop a brush fire from breaking out last week after a vehicle dragging chains threw sparks off the roadway, backing up traffic as first responders addressed the blaze.
When warmer temperatures turn all that ground cover brown, there will be even more reason for precautions to prevent brush fires along highways.
“Everyone can help prevent fires,” said Jesse Gutierrez, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s deputy state engineer for statewide operations. “That starts with making sure your tires are properly inflated, being careful not to park over tall grasses and ensuring that chains aren’t dragging.”
During the winter and spring, ADOT crews mow vegetation along highway shoulders. Crews also remove brush, thin trees and spray fire retardant within the ADOT right-of-way to prevent fires and slow the spread of those that occur. But motorists have an important role as well:
Don’t park in tall grass, as the heat from parts under your vehicle can start a fire.
Make sure nothing is hanging from underneath your vehicle and dragging on the pavement.
Dragging chains during towing can cause sparks. Never substitute parts when towing.
Check tire pressure before you travel. Exposed wheel rims can cause sparks.
ADOT participates in the “One Less Spark One Less Wildfire” campaign that the U.S. Forest Service and other land management agencies launched to focus on the role drivers and homeowners play in preventing wildfires.
PHOENIX – If watching someone toss a cigarette butt out the car window has ever made you mad, there’s an easy way to take action: Report the offender to the Arizona Litter Hotline.
In partnership with Keep Arizona Beautiful, the Arizona Department of Transportation maintains this hotline to spread the word about the harm roadside litter causes. All that’s required is providing the vehicle’s license plate number and incident details in a call to 877-3LITTER or on the Keep Arizona Beautiful website at kazb.org.
Once Keep Arizona Beautiful receives a report, the owner will get a free litter bag and a letter noting that someone was reported tossing trash from the vehicle, explaining how roadside litter trashes Arizona and reminding the owner that littering fines go up to $500.
Hundreds of letters go out each year. Nothing is shared with law enforcement, and those reported have no points added to their driver licenses.
Taxpayers pay more than $6 million each year to clean up litter along Arizona highways. Besides marring our state’s scenery, litter on roads can be dangerous and cause crashes.
In addition to the hotline, ADOT combats litter through its Adopt a Highway programs. Adopt a Highway volunteers can apply for two-year permits to clean up roadside litter, or businesses can contract with maintenance providers to perform the work as part of the Adopt a Highway sponsor program.
More information on ADOT’s Adopt a Highway program is available at azdot.gov/AdoptaHighway.