Tag Archives: Award

ADOT earns ‘Owner of the Year’ award from engineering magazine

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PHOENIX — Noting the agency’s significant contributions to the state’s economy through partnerships with contractors, Engineering News-Record Southwest magazine has honored the Arizona Department of Transportation as Owner of the Year for its management of infrastructure projects.

The honor, presented recently during the publication’s annual awards luncheon in Phoenix, also highlighted how ADOT benefits Arizonans and works with Arizona’s construction industry.

“As an agency we are proud to have received this honor,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “Our employees deserve a lot of credit for working through the challenges presented by the economic downturn last decade. Transportation is such an important part of the state’s economic engine.”

The publication cited the ongoing $110 million Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway widening project in Mesa and the $73 million widening of Loop 101 in the Scottsdale area as examples of major infrastructure improvements. Both projects, designed to accommodate future traffic growth, are slated for completion next year.

“ADOT’s commitment to working with the contracting industry to resolve challenges and to build strong working relationships is one of the best in the country,” Sundt Construction Inc. CEO Mike Hoover told ENR Southwest. “In fact, ADOT has led the nation in its innovative partnering strategies since the early 1990s.”

The magazine also recognized ADOT for its $25 million reconstruction of US 89 south of Page after a 2013 landslide, naming it Best Highway/Bridge Project and winner of the annual Excellence in Safety award.

ADOT receives Employer of the Year award

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation has been honored for its support and advancement of women in transportation. The department received the Employer of the Year award from the Phoenix Chapter of the Women’s Transportation Seminar at the organization’s annual scholarships and awards ceremony.

In an industry typically dominated by men, ADOT was recognized for its upward movement and promotion of women, along with its workforce development program, which supports, engages and empowers employees, recognizing the fundamental contributions of both women and men, which are necessary to achieve a high-performing organization.

“I am proud to lead an agency that recognizes the talents of so many dedicated and hard-working individuals, both women and men, who make a difference every day as we work together to provide a safe, efficient and reliable transportation system for the people of Arizona,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski, who accepted the award Saturday night with a team of top ADOT managers alongside him.

“There is strength in numbers, and the women of ADOT have done an outstanding job not only in the field of transportation, but in supporting each other through leadership and mentoring. This environment is part of the overall culture at ADOT, one that fosters success as an individual and success as an entire agency.”

One of ADOT’s most successful programs is the Women Information Network, or WIN. This program, which is led by a group of female supervisors and managers, provides opportunities for all female employees at ADOT when it comes to networking, discussion and mentoring, in order to identify and implement advancement and leadership opportunities within the agency. WIN provides a variety of events throughout the year for female employees through brown-bag lunch programs with relevant topics, an ongoing mentoring program, and education encouragement for working women.

“WTS celebrates ADOT’s initiative to provide women with workforce enhancement and management opportunities,” said Susan Tierney, president of the WTS Metropolitan Phoenix Chapter. “ADOT leadership clearly recognizes that providing opportunities for women to learn and thrive in the workplace is a rock-solid strategy.”

ADOT’s Loop 303 project between Glendale and Peoria avenues wins regional award for budget savings

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640px-303PHOENIX – One of the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Phoenix-area freeway projects has won an award for being completed under budget, according to a major transportation association.

ADOT’s Loop 303 expansion project between Peoria and Glendale avenues was $8.5 million under its $80 million budget and earned one of the “America’s Transportation Awards” from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) during the group’s western region conference in Albuquerque.

“We’re very proud of this recognition because it reflects our commitment as a steward of the taxpayers’ investment in our transportation system,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “We strive to save funds that can be used on additional freeway improvements.”

The Loop 303 improvements between Peoria and Glendale avenues are part of a series of five major projects ADOT began in 2011 to reconstruct more than 12 miles of Loop 303 north of Interstate 10. Construction crews have changed an outdated two-lane highway into a modern six-lane freeway with on- and off-ramps at major cross-street interchanges.

The award-winning project includes ramps connecting with the new east-west Northern Parkway, a smooth and durable rubberized asphalt pavement and bridges taking Loop 303 over local railroad tracks.

In pointing out ongoing uncertainty about transportation funding in the U.S., AASHTO President Mike Hancock said awards like the one given to ADOT “not only give state departments of transportation recognition for their hard work and incredible results, but also highlight the need for stability as the federal Highway Trust Fund continues its decline toward critical levels.”

ADOT is preparing to complete its series of Loop 303 expansion projects between I-10 and Grand Avenue (US 60) in the West Valley in September, when the freeway-to-freeway interchange linking I-10 and Loop 303 in Goodyear is due to open to traffic.

The America’s Transportation Awards competition is sponsored by AAA, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and AASHTO.

ADOT MVD receives award for self-service kiosks

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PHOENIX – When the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division launched ServiceArizona.com in 1997, it was the nation’s first motor vehicle division online service for vehicle registrations.

Over the years, continual technological enhancements and the addition of multiple customer service features allow the website to handle more than eight million MVD-related transactions per year. In recognition of the most recent improvements, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators recently presented ADOT with a 2014 Public Affairs and Consumer Education (PACE) Award for the installation of self-service, touch-screen kiosks, which perform ServiceArizona transactions, in more than half of the statewide MVD offices.

“These kiosks allow customers to quickly and efficiently complete their transactions in an MVD office and we’re pleased that thousands are doing so each week,” said Stacey Stanton, director of ADOT’s Motor Vehicle Division.

In 2013, ServiceArizona.com was redesigned to enhance the browsing experience and to improve the capabilities of the website. In addition, many of the features available on the full-service website were made available on kiosks located in MVD offices.

Two types of kiosks were developed. The EXPRESS Registration Renewal kiosk is programmed for registration renewals only and the EXPRESS MVD Services features registration renewals in addition to 19 other transactions, including address changes, voter registration and temporary vehicle permits. Most of the larger MVD offices are equipped with both kiosks.

ADOT MVD offices conduct an average of 14,000 kiosk transactions each month.

The self-service kiosks were implemented to allow more customers in MVD field offices the opportunity to conduct transactions on their own without assistance from customer service representatives. By introducing customers to the time-saving benefits of the new touch-screen kiosks, ADOT hoped more customers would be encouraged to conduct future transactions online at ServiceArizona.com.

The PACE Awards program recognizes public relations, public affairs and consumer education excellence among the motor vehicle, law enforcement and traffic safety agencies across North America. The awards acknowledge creativity, cost effectiveness and the ability to reach consumers with a well-crafted, measured and executed message.