Tag Archives: Flagstaff

I-17 southbound ramp to be closed at JW Powell Boulevard with detours in place

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FLAGSTAFF — A one-day ramp closure and a detour to JW Powell Boulevard will be in place to prepare for and accommodate construction of a roundabout on the east end of the project area.

Access to the I-17 southbound off-ramp at Exit 337 (JW Powell Boulevard) will be closed on Wednesday, April 15, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., to install a temporary concrete barrier in preparation for the next phase of roundabout construction. This work is part of the intersection improvement project currently underway which includes new roundabouts and realignment of SR 89A/Beulah Boulevard.

The recommended detour for southbound I-17 connections to the Flagstaff Airport and to SR 89A is to continue southbound on I-17 past Exit 337, then exit at Kachina Trail/Mountainaire Road (Exit 333). Detour signage will be in place to assist travel in the area.

Travel through to JW Powell Boulevard via the existing roundabout will be closed to accommodate the new roundabout construction. Access to JW Powell will be maintained for both north- and southbound traffic along SR 89A via a cross-over just south of the construction zone and directed by area signage. This detour is expected to be in place until the end of June and will allow crews to build the new roundabout at the east end of JW Powell Boulevard.

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

Signal maintenance in Flagstaff to be performed at Milton Road (SR 89A) and Plaza Way intersection

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Travelers heading through south Flagstaff can expect heavy delays at the intersection of Milton Road (SR 89A) and Plaza Way on Tuesday, April 14, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., as ADOT electrical operations staff perform maintenance on the traffic signal at this location. A City of Flagstaff police officer will be on-site to maintain travel; however congestion may occur during maintenance operations.

Drivers are asked to allow for extra travel time to reach their destinations and use caution while electrical work is performed in this area.

Accident Involving Flagstaff Police Cruiser

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FLAGSTAFF — The Flagscanner web site reported that around 6:30 P.M on the 7th, a Flagstaff Police Officer was involved in a collision near Black Barts RV Park, 2760 E Butler Ave.

They were attempting to obtain more information, but Christopher Yazzie commented:

Cruiser was going eastbound, and the blue small SUV looked like it was hit on the driver side. The front of the Flag PD cruiser was smashed. From the damage it looked like the collision was at lower speeds around 30 Mph. Traffic was allowed to pass between the two cars involved.

Kaibab National Forest seeks comments on adding camping corridors

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WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest is seeking public comments on an Environmental Assessment released today that analyzes the potential effects of adding camping corridors and making other changes to the transportation system of the Williams and Tusayan ranger districts.

The document and background information are available on the Kaibab National Forest website at http://go.usa.gov/kpQV. The 30-day comment period begins today and runs through May 11.

Specifically, the Kaibab National Forest is proposing to:

  • Designate approximately 291 miles of camping corridors along all or portions of several system roads on both districts. The corridors would extend 200 feet from either side of the centerline of the road, except where limited by topographical factors, resource concerns or private land.
  • Add 15 spur roads to the open road system on the Tusayan district. These spurs total 1.3 miles and would provide access to areas historically used for motorized camping.
  • Close approximately 9 miles of currently open roads across the two districts.
  • Add approximately 16 miles of roads to the open road system across the two districts. This includes 12 miles of formerly closed roads and 4 miles of user-created routes.
  • Develop an adaptive management strategy for making future changes to the transportation system for the two districts based on changing needs and/or new information.

Besides the proposed action, the Environmental Assessment also analyzes the potential effects of other alternatives such as varying corridor widths.

The proposed action and alternatives were all developed based on several years of monitoring following implementation of the Travel Management Rule on the two districts, which included documenting public concerns about recreational access and other issues.

Additional information and methods to submit comments are available at http://go.usa.gov/kpQV

Flagstaff Police traffic focus: Red light violations

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10696242_869554629754728_2255262553267108991_nFLAGSTAFF — It was no joke. On April 1, 2015 the Flagstaff Police Department focused on red light violations within the city limits.

According to NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) motorists are more likely to be injured in crashes involving red-light violations than in other types of crashes. A nationwide study of fatal crashes at traffic signals estimates that 20% of the drivers involved failed to obey traffic signals.

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (December 2000), or MUTCD, defines traffic signal indications (i.e. green, yellow, and red signals as follows:

  • Steady green signal indicates that vehicle “may proceed straight or turn right or left (at an intersection) except as such movement is modified by lane-use signs, turn prohibition signs, lane markings, or roadway design.”
  • Steady yellow signal indicates that vehicle “is thereby warned that the related green movement is being terminated or that a red signal indication will be exhibited immediately thereafter when vehicular traffic shall not enter the intersection”.
  • Steady red signal indicates that vehicle “shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if there is no stop line, traffic shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection; or if there is no crosswalk, then before entering the intersection, and shall remain stopped until a signal indication to proceed is shown.”

Based on the definitions listed above, drivers should be prepared to stop when they see the yellow signal and stop completely. The yellow traffic signal does not indicate to speed up and get through the intersection.

The Flagstaff Police Department would like your assistance and cooperation with red light compliance most especially in the intersections of South Milton, and Butler Avenue, N. Country Club Drive and N. Highway 89, and Switzer Canyon and Rt. 66.

The Flagstaff Police Department has started a program of concentrating on certain driving violations, of late. Recently they have concentrated on seat belt violations and texting while driving.

Is there snow in your future?

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20121214flagFLAGSTAFF/WILLIAMS — The long-rage weather forecast shows a slight chance of rain and snow on Wednesday for Williams and Flagstaff. There is another chance next Sunday. Little or no accumulation is expected.

Otherwise temperatures will hang between 50 and 60 during the day with temperatures just above 20s at night.

There is a hazardous wind advisory for tomorrow for Apache, Coconino, Northern Gila, Navajo and Yavapai counties. Wind gusts of 40 miles-per-hour are expected across Coconino County.

A fire watch will be in effect Monday for the northeast quarter of the State.

Board of Supervisor regular session April 7

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Coconino-County-4FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Board of Supervisors meets next Tuesday, April 7 at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at the Board of Supervisors First Floor Meeting Room, 219 E. Cherry Ave, Flagstaff.

They remind you that if you are carrying electronic devices, that they are set to silence before the meeting begins.

Some highlights of the meeting include:

  • Approve the request to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey to designate Coconino County as a Local Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Area under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014.
  • Approve the appointment of John Lamb as Justice of the Peace Pro Tempore for Coconino County, February 9, 2015, through June 30, 2015, on an as-needed basis.
  • Approve the renewal of the contract with GPS Monitoring Solutions for an additional one (1) year term to provide home detention, electronic monitoring and continuous alcohol monitoring of clients in all four (4) Justice Courts and in Superior Court. The term of the renewal is from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.
  • Approve the budget amendment and grant award totaling $22,200 from the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) Substance Abuse Prevention and Education Program for the term of 4/1/15 – 9/30/15 for drug tests and substance abuse assessments for those clients that are court-ordered and require a thorough assessment for treatment/prevention referrals for Integrated Family Court and DUI/Drug Court.
  • Approve a Grant Award, Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning (HMEP) Grant FFY 2015, Grant Award Agreement Number, HM-HMP-0454-01-00 for the amount of $5700 from the Arizona Emergency Response Commission (AZSERC) and a budget adjustment of $6567.
  • Approve the purchase of two (2) vehicles under Arizona State Contract No. ADSPO12-01667 from San Tan Ford in the amount of $57,546.66.
  • Pass and adopt Flood Control District Resolution 2015-01 authorizing and directing District staff and legal counsel to accept the counter offer made by the Defendants in settlement of Cause Number CV 2014-00390, and to execute any documents that may be necessary to carry out the purpose of the resolution.

Brief Agenda (PDF)

Fleas Test Positive for Plague in Picture Canyon

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640px-HookeFlea01FLAGSTAFF — Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) officials confirmed that fleas collected in Picture Canyon, a popular hiking area located in northeast Flagstaff, tested positive for plague (Yersinia pestis).

Picture Canyon is located east of Highway 89 North, and north of Interstate 40 and Old Route 66.

The tests were recently conducted by the Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics at Northern Arizona University.

CCPHSD Environmental Health staff collects and tests flea samples from locations throughout the County. The recent samples were collected from burrows located along the Picture Canyon hiking trails. Visitors to the area are asked to avoid rodent burrows and keep dogs on a leash as required by Arizona State law.

The CCPHSD and the City of Flagstaff have notified nearby residents of the situation and posted signage at the trailheads. The burrows are being treated and the area will be closely monitored to determine if further action is required.

This positive test is the first evidence of plague activity reported in the County this year. While this is the only location within the County where the plague has been confirmed, the disease is endemic to areas throughout the County and may be more widespread.

The CCPHSD is urging the public to take precautions to reduce their risk of exposure to this serious disease, which can be present in rodents, rabbits, and sometimes predators that feed upon these animals. The disease can be transmitted to humans and other animals by the bite of an infected flea or by direct contact with an infected animal.

Symptoms in humans generally appear within two to six days following exposure and include the following: fever, chills, headache, weakness, muscle pain, and swollen lymph glands (called “buboes”) in the groin, armpits, or limbs. The disease can become septicemic (spreading throughout the bloodstream) and/or pneumonic (affecting the lungs), but is curable with proper antibiotic therapy if diagnosed and treated early.

Additional Information: PDF

Coconino County Board of Supervisors meet tomorrow in support of illegal immigration

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300-illegal-alienFLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Board of Supervisors will be conducting a special executive session (PDF) tomorrow at 10 a.m. on the first floor board room in Flagstaff. The location is 219 E. Cherry Avenue.

In this session the Board of Supervisors will discuss the possibility of filing an amicus brief in support of President Obama and the defendants in Texas v. United States, No. 1:14-cv-254 (PDF). This is case in which a Texas federal judge ordered a cease to executive orders stopping deportation of illegal aliens. The case is in the 5th Circuit Court while Arizona is part of the 9th Circuit Court.

The session is an executive session, which means there will be no discussion allowed by the public.

Texas and 13 other States and several governors have filed suit against the United States representatives who have decided not to enforce the immigration laws passed by Congress.

Upcoming Neighborhood Watch meetings for Doney Park and Timberline/Fernwood areas

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FLAGSTAFF — Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll and District 4 Supervisor Mandy Metzger would like to invite residents of the Doney Park community to attend the monthly Neighborhood Watch meeting on Thursday, April 2, 2015. The meeting will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Summit Fire District Station 32 and Administrative Offices located at 8905 Koch Field Road Flagstaff, AZ.

In Timberline/Fernwood, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll and Coconino County Supervisor Liz Archuleta would like to invite residents to the monthly Neighborhood Watch meeting on Tuesday, April 7, 2015. The meeting will be held from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM at Summit Fire Station 33, located at 6050 Firehouse Lane, off of Highway 89N. Members of the Sheriff’s Office staff will be at the meeting to share information and encourage continued neighborhood participation.

The guest speaker at both events will be Charlotte Peterson who is an Animal Management Officer for Coconino County. Charlotte will speak about animal abuse, animal hoarding and will give a broad overview of the animal management department and county ordinances that pet owners should be aware of.

Community Deputies will be available to answer questions and provide support to this partnership between law abiding citizens, law enforcement and county government.

Neighborhood Watch is similar to the Block Watch program commonly conducted in urban areas and goes back to the concept of “neighbors looking out for neighbors” that many people remember from 30 years ago. It is one of the most effective ways to prevent and deter criminal activity, attend to home and personal security, address the safety of our children and the elderly, and to alleviate fear and isolation. Residents learn how to observe and report suspicious activity and reduce the risk of becoming a victim of crime.

For more information about the Neighborhood Watch program and the meeting schedule, please call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 226-5089.