Tag Archives: ADOT

New roundabout on SR 89 at Perkinsville Road takes shape

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CHINO VALLEY — Over the past two months, crews with the Arizona Department of Transportation have been diligently working on construction of a new roundabout on State Route 89 at Perkinsville Road in Chino Valley.

In order to keep progress moving, crews will switch traffic over to the east side of the roundabout (weather permitted) on Friday (April 8) between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Drivers will remain in the new traffic shift for the next four weeks.

As a result of the traffic shift, drivers who wish to access Perkinsville Road on the west side of SR 89 will have to use the dedicated detour as the road will be closed to through traffic. Perkinsville Road (west side) will be open on the weekends and holidays but closed during work hours between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Drivers may have minimal impacts during work hours and 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.

This $1.5 million project consists of a new roundabout at the intersection of SR 89 and Perkinsville Road between mileposts 328 and 329. Additional work includes removal and replacement of existing pavement, drainage improvements, new pavement markings and lighting.

This project is expected to be complete by September.

Nightime restrictions needed on Milton Road (SR 89A) to test new overhead sign

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FLAGSTAFF — The Arizona Department of Transportation crews will be testing the newly installed overhead electronic message signs on Milton Road (SR 89A), between University and Forest Meadows in Flagstaff. This work will require restrictions for southbound travel on Milton (SR 89A) during nighttime hours, Wednesday (April 6) from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Please observe reduced speeds and exercise caution while traveling through the work zone.

Electronic message signs span ADOT roadways and are used to help keep drivers informed of traffic, road and weather conditions.

ADOT Motor Vehicle Division rolling out Voluntary Travel ID

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is rolling out the state’s Voluntary Travel ID, a credential meeting federal REAL ID Act security requirements for access to airports, restricted federal buildings, military bases and more. It costs $25 and is good for up to eight years.

But there’s no reason to rush out and get one. Most people shouldn’t need the Voluntary Travel ID for another few years.

Here’s why: With the state now offering a credential that complies with the federal REAL ID Act of 2005, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has said it will consider current Arizona driver licenses and IDs valid through Oct. 1, 2020, for travel by commercial aircraft and access to secure federal facilities.

“With the availability of this new Travel ID, Arizonans have certainty around their ability to conduct business as usual when it comes to flying and accessing federal facilities,” said Motor Vehicle Division Director Eric Jorgensen. “Now everyone has several years to decide if and when to replace their current license or ID with a Travel ID.”

Those applying for a first-time Arizona driver license or ID card can get a Voluntary Travel ID at any MVD office or at any of the 24 Authorized Third Party driver license providers around the state.

Beginning Friday, customers wishing to convert their current driver licenses to the Voluntary Travel ID at an MVD office must make appointments at ServiceArizona.com. To start, appointments can be made at eight offices in Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott and Flagstaff. More offices will be added over time.

Current driver license holders can also convert to a Voluntary Travel ID at any of the 24 Authorized Third Party driver license providers around the state without the need for an appointment.

To meet the REAL ID Act’s goal of making identity documents more consistent and secure, the Voluntary Travel ID design incorporates 39 security requirements. The most obvious is a star indicating that a credential is REAL ID-compliant. Each Voluntary Travel ID requires more documentation from an applicant and greater review than a standard Arizona credential, including checking information against additional databases to confirm an applicant’s identity.

Based on federal guidelines, to get an Arizona Voluntary Travel ID, an applicant must supply:

  • one document to establish birth or legal presence such as a certified birth certificate, valid U.S. passport or valid immigration documents;
  • one document to confirm Social Security information, such as a Social Security card or a W-2 form;
  • two forms of documentation to establish proof of residency such as a bank statement, utility bill or Arizona Voter Registration Card. All residency documents must have current address.

A full list of approved documents is available at azdot.gov/travelID.

Because state law gives residents the choice to get a Voluntary Travel ID, newly issued credentials that don’t comply with requirements in the federal REAL ID Act will be marked with the phrase “Not for federal identification,” as called for by the federal law. Even so, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has said these credentials will still be accepted until Oct. 1, 2020.

For more information on the Voluntary Travel ID, please visit azdot.gov/travelID.

For more information on the REAL ID Act, please visit the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website at dhs.gov/real-id-public-faqs.

Closure of Bell Road near Grand Avenue starts this weekend

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PHOENIX — A section of Bell Road near Grand Avenue (US 60) in Surprise will be closed for six to eight months starting Friday night for faster construction of a bridge that will improve traffic flow and reduce congestion in the area, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

When it opens later this year, the new Bell Road overpass will allow drivers to travel over US 60 and the BNSF Railway tracks and connect with US 60 via new ramps.

The closure of Bell Road between West Point Parkway and 134th Drive starts at 10 p.m. Friday. While the closure is in place, Bell Road traffic will be directed to a primary detour route along Dysart, Greenway and Litchfield roads.

The overpass construction is part of an ongoing $41.9 million project to significantly enhance connections between the two roadways. Access to local businesses located closest to the Bell-Grand intersection will be maintained while construction is underway.

The full closure of Bell Road, timed to start with the end of the Cactus League season at Surprise Stadium, will shorten construction by several months. ADOT’s accelerated schedule means Bell Road will be reopened in time for the holiday shopping season in November.

Initial project work, which started in January, has focused on Grand Avenue. Grand Avenue will remain open to traffic at most times while Bell Road is closed. Any necessary closures of Grand Avenue are currently planned at night or on weekends.

When the new interchange is completed, on- and off-ramps located along the center median of Grand Avenue will connect with the Bell Road overpass. The entire 14-month project is due for completion by spring 2017.

ADOT and the prime contractor on the project, Coffman Specialties Inc., have been working with the city of Surprise and other local organizations on public outreach and traffic-access plans in support of local businesses located in the area of the Bell Road closure.

Additional law enforcement officers will patrol the area while the Bell Road closure is in place. Drivers are urged to obey traffic signage as well as posted speed limits.

The US 60 (Grand Avenue) and Bell Road Interchange project is part of the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan approved by county voters in 2004. Funding sources include a county half-cent sales tax for transportation projects and the MAG region’s share of federal highway funds.

State Route 89A improvement project beginning soon

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FLAGSTAFF — Contractor crews began surveying on SR 89A today (March 23) in preparation for improvements to SR 89A between the Vista Point Overlook and the JW Powell Boulevard intersection (PDF).

The Central Federal Lands Highway Division of the Federal Highway Administration, in cooperation with ADOT and the United States Forest Service, will widen and rehabilitate SR 89A in the project area, increasing shoulder width, adding new passing lanes and enhancing clear zones to improve safety and traffic operations.

Access through SR 89A will not be restricted during surveying, however drivers are asked to slow down and watch for workers in the area. Project-related traffic restrictions may be anticipated later in the Spring and Summer months as construction progresses. Please stay tuned for future updates on the SR 89A widening project.

ADOT, Phoenix open SR 51 ramps at Black Mountain Boulevard

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation has opened elevated ramps connecting State Route 51 at the Loop 101 Pima Freeway with Black Mountain Boulevard, improving access in the Desert Ridge area.

A roundabout serves as a transition to slow traffic to and from the freeway, and a pedestrian bridge has been added over Black Mountain Boulevard near Pinnacle High School.

ADOT and Phoenix partnered on the $17.8 million ramps project, with ADOT managing construction that began in June 2015. A separate project, also managed by ADOT on behalf of the city, included improvements to Black Mountain Boulevard north to Pinnacle Peak Road.

“Our goal has been to deliver a project that helps the city with its transportation plans for the Desert Ridge area and beyond,” said ADOT Assistant Director Steve Boschen, who leads the agency’s Infrastructure Delivery and Operations Division. “The ramps provide local drivers with direct access to State Route 51.”

“As the city continues to develop in the north, better transportation options are needed to meet the needs of a growing city,” said Phoenix Councilwoman Thelda Williams, who chairs the City Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee. “The new ramps will provide options for a rapidly growing area.”

At the roundabout, along Black Mountain Boulevard south of the high school, signs direct drivers to slow to 20 mph. Motorists also should be prepared to yield to traffic already in the roundabout.

While helping high school students cross Black Mountain Boulevard, the pedestrian bridge is part of the Reach 11 trail within a 1,500-acre recreation area popular with hikers and bicyclists.

The connections between State Route 51 and Black Mountain Boulevard have been part of Phoenix’s plans for the Desert Ridge region for several years. The project was funded as part of the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan approved by county voters in 2004.

Work continues on SR 169 safety improvement project this week

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Drivers traveling on State Route 169 next week will need to allow additional time to reach their destination as crews continue work on the safety improvement project. Starting on Tuesday and Thursday crews will move temporary concrete barrier and repave the existing roadway between milepost nine and 10.

Work hours are from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day. Drivers will be guided through the work zone with a pilot car in alternating directions; delays of up to 15 minutes are expected.

ADOT advises drivers to proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel. The speed limit through the work zone will be 45 mph.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions, but there is a possibility that unscheduled closures or restrictions may occur. Weather can also affect a project schedule. To stay up-to-date with the latest highway conditions around the state, visit the ADOT Traveler Information Center at www.az511.gov or call 5-1-1.

This $1.6 million safety improvement project includes widening the existing roadway to provide new turn lanes, drainage improvements, signing and new striping.

Final paving scheduled on US 93 north of Wickenburg

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Drivers traveling on US 93 north of Wickenburg (mileposts 185 to 190) should allow extra travel time for the next two weeks starting Monday (March 21) through Thursday (March 31) as crews prepare for final paving on the project.

Traffic will be guided through the work zone by pilot cars and minimal delays are expected between 4:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday each week. Speed will be reduced through the work zone.

As part of the final paving, crews will mill some of the existing pavement on the northbound lanes and drivers will be on rough road conditions until final paving is complete.

ADOT began this expansion project in February to widen US 93 between State Route 71 and State Route 89 which included the reconstruction of the highway into four lanes. This work will complete the widening project.

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 and comply with the reduced speed limit.

Pavement work scheduled on US 60 in Wickenburg for next two weeks

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This week, crews will be sealing cracks in the pavement on US 60 during the day (mileposts 111-113) through Thursday (March 17) between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day. Drivers can expect minimal delays through the work zone.

Starting Sunday (March 20), crews will seal cracks in the pavement in the same area, but will do the work overnight to minimize impacts to traffic and business access. Work hours at night will be 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Thursday morning (March 23).

Motorists should expect some delays and should allow extra time to reach their destinations.

Transcon Lane South of Interstate 40 (Winslow) to undergo improvements beginning tomorrow

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The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is administering improvements on behalf of the City of Winslow to Transcon Lane between Interstate 40 and the travel plaza (truck stop) beginning Wednesday morning. Construction will occur during daylight hours, Monday through Friday. No weekend or holiday construction is anticipated; however traffic restrictions will be in place continuously until project completion late July, 2016.

Travel through Transcon Lane and access to the travel plaza will be available at all times.

ADOT advises drivers to proceed through the work zone with caution, obey posted speed limits and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.