ADOT Blog

Some terrain is so rough and rocky that even heavy-duty machinery can’t break through. That was the case last Thursday when ADOT crews used more than 7,000 lbs. of explosives to remove roughly 8,000 cubic yards of material along SR 260, about 20 miles east of Payson.

We want to hear from you! Public involvement is the key to designing a roadway that improves traffic flow and enhances safety. As ADOT works with the Federal Highway Administration and the Regional Transportation Authority to widen Oracle Road (SR 77) from Tangerine Road to the Pinal County line, our ears are open to comments, questions and concerns.

With the number of road construction projects happening around the Valley right now, chances are you’ve driven through an active construction zone or two recently. Maybe you’ve noticed the lane lines in some of these construction zones look a little different. A little … temporary?

Ever been stuck on the side of the road? Perhaps a flat tire was to blame, or maybe an overheated engine forced you to pull over. Whatever the reason, most will agree the side of a busy freeway is not the ideal parking spot.

On Wednesday we told you about ADOT’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Program, today we want to direct your attention to efforts being made in creating a U.S. Bicycle Route System. ADOT will play a role in determining some specific routes in the U.S. Bicycle Route System. A partnership between state DOTs, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and Adventure Cycling Association, the system is a proposed national network of bicycle routes that span multiple states.

Few situations are as stressful as hitting traffic on your way to the airport … especially if you’re holding on to that non-refundable ticket for a trip out of town. That’s why ADOT is working on reconstructing the State Route 143/Sky Harbor Boulevard Traffic Interchange to improve access to and from the airport.

Airports may not be the first thing most people think of when it comes to ADOT … but the Arizona Department of Transportation actually plays an important role in aeronautics and the development of airports across the state. Just like automobiles, all aircraft based in Arizona must be registered with MVD. Those registration fees, along with flight property, aircraft dealer licensing and aviation fuel taxes – paid by pilots and aircraft owners – go toward the state aviation fund.

In less than a year, spectacular ramps and bridges have risen from bare ground in the southeast Valley. By this fall, they’ll link 12 miles of new high occupancy vehicle lanes on the Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) with Interstate 10 and the Loop 101 (Price Freeway) in Chandler -- see the project's progress in the slide show above.

Sometimes the simplest concepts work the best. Take for example the truck-mounted attenuator. Maybe you aren’t too familiar with them, but chances are you’ve seen one when driving on the freeway.

On June 6, more than 300 soldiers with the 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion returned home to Ft. Huachuca after serving in Iraq for the past year. These soldiers were welcomed by family, friends and community – but, many also were greeted with the fact that there is so much to take care after you’ve been away from home for 12 months.