We've been pretty entrenched in social media this week so we thought we'd take this opportunity to answer a question we get asked from time to time... Why, as a state agency, does ADOT commit resources to social media?

We're headed into monsoon season (the official start is today) and those dusty, unpredictable storms are on their way...

Would you say that you’re a planner, or do you adhere to more of a “let’s see what happens” approach to life? Nothing wrong with either attitude, but here at ADOT we’re definitely planners (no surprise – we’ve blogged plenty about it!).

Placing Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP) is one of the final steps involved when building a road, but it’s far from an afterthought…

When Haboob Haikus made the news all the way in New Zealand, we started to realize this Twitter challenge of ours was really taking off! Who could have guessed that #HaboobHaiku would end up yielding more than 500 stories in worldwide media outlets?

Transportation funding is an extensive topic and even though we’ve covered it in the past, there’s still more to blog about. So, today we’re focusing on a particular funding source available for really big transportation projects – ones that, when completed, will have a significant national or regional impact.

You probably don’t think much about drainage when you’re driving, but a well-designed drainage system can increase the lifespan of a highway and help keep the public safe. We’ll blog about how these systems are designed and maintained soon, but today we just want to give you a quick glimpse of the types of drainage solutions used on a project like the Loop 303/I-10 interchange.

When it comes to designing a road, just knowing where it’s going to be built isn’t enough – engineers have to really understand the area’s features and terrain before they can even begin to plan. This is where ADOT’s Engineering Survey section comes in…

This item probably looks pretty familiar to any of you photography buffs out there. It’s a roll of film – a really big roll of film. But, what does this have to do with transportation, you might ask?

The wait is over ... today's the day we announce the top Haboob Haikus as voted for by the public. Before you watch the video above to see if your favorite was selected, we just want to give a big thanks to everyone who participated in the 2012 Haboob Haiku challenge!

We just got some really exciting news about the US 93 project (you remember, it’s the one that improved about 15 miles of roadway south of the Hoover Dam – we wrote about it here and here…

We’ve followed the progress of the SR 143/Sky Harbor Boulevard traffic interchange project pretty closely here on the blog and we’re excited to let you know that the work is now complete!

According to one dictionary’s definition, engineering is “the art or science of making practical application of the knowledge of pure sciences, as physics or chemistry, as in the construction of engines, bridges, buildings, mines, ships and chemical plants.” Sure, it’s an accurate description, but do you get any real sense of what an engineer does from reading that?

It’s still summer vacation for most students, but several schools across Arizona already are planning on creating or enhancing their Safe Routes to School programs for next school year, thanks to reimbursement grants from ADOT.

QR codes are big nowadays … you see them everywhere. They’re the two-dimensional bar codes that provide a quick link to web pages for your smart phone. They are not only fun (there’s something kind of awesome about scanning a code and instantly being taken to a web destination), but they’re also convenient and that’s why ADOT’s Motor Vehicle Division is utilizing QR codes along with a new mobile site to provide customers the ability to renew vehicle and aircraft registration on the go!

Hard to believe, but after more than 200 blog posts we’re still surprised by some of the things we find out here at ADOT. For example, did you know there’s a small yard adjacent to an ADOT field office parking lot filled with dozens of sign samples?

The “mystery tree” on I-17 still has us baffled, so imagine our bewilderment upon seeing these photos of a shoe tree off of State Route 87, south of Payson.

Interstate 10 moves approximately 260,000 vehicles through the Phoenix metro area every day. It’s a vital link for commercial traffic traveling to and from California and New Mexico; for intrastate travelers going between Phoenix and Tucson; and for a respectable number of travelers going to and from many of Arizona’s southern towns and cities.

As ADOT prepares to open a new eastbound on-ramp and westbound off-ramp at Sarival Avenue and I-10, crews have been busy adding the finishing touches…

The bridge crossing the Gila River outside Florence has quite a few distinctions in its history.