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.

Ever survey an Arizona freeway during a monsoon? If you have, you’re likely to have seen debris in the roadway, landscapes in disarray, damage and even flooding…

This might sound cliché, but ADOT really is getting rid of the old to make room for the new… It’s happening right now on the San Carlos Apache reservation as ADOT crews construct a new bridge to replace the US 70 Gila River Bridge at Bylas.

Judging from the video above, crews have been busy since we last checked in on the SR 260 widening project east of Payson… Go watch the video from a year ago to compare with today’s and see if you agree (we’ll wait right here!).

The new interchange and realignment will feature wider entrance and exit ramps with traffic signals, overpass bridges that will provide for future growth, and a design that will accommodate a future project to add a westbound I-10 climbing lane starting at the Ocotillo Road exit east of SR 90.

Sound walls are built to block sound waves and … actually, that’s about all they’re designed to do. Despite serving pretty much just one single purpose, sound walls are important features in freeway design – especially to those living near a freeway.

We probably don’t need to tell you this, but it is really, really hot out there … A lot of us are lucky to work indoors during the warmest parts of the day (thank goodness for air-conditioning!), but here at ADOT many employees are stationed outside to work.

We’ve got some great news to share … Arizona has been awarded $3.4 million in federal discretionary grants for projects that will improve roadways and add infrastructure in seven communities around the state! The local projects, all designed to enhance mobility and safety, are aimed at creating jobs and spurring economic growth, while enhancing Arizona’s transportation system.

ADOT does a lot of digging, but we have to be very careful not to disturb any historic (or prehistoric) sites that could be at a potential project site. That’s where the ADOT Historic Preservation Team comes in. As a part of ADOT’s Environmental Planning Group, this team is in place to make sure all ADOT projects adhere to state and federal historic preservation laws.

Ordinarily, an excavation like this would have to wait until ADOT had a highway construction project to work on (lane widening, new freeway construction, etc.) -- that way the cost would be included in the project’s scope. But this site’s a little different…

ADOT installed the 160-ton, 600-foot long bridge over two nights in June next to the Central Arizona Project (CAP) canal.

A new annual report shows that the number of fatalities on Arizona’s highways and local roads increased during 2011… According to ADOT’s most recent “Crash Facts” report, 825 people lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes in the state last year – an 8.7 percent increase from last year’s figure.

you were able to “virtually” drive on the new stretch of road and see the views around your neighborhood? Imagine if you could get a glimpse of what a freeway ramp would look like from the vantage of the road?

Here we are, past the halfway point on the I-17/Cordes Junction interchange project and it’s clear that work is really moving along! At least, it’s clear if you drive the area frequently, or if you watched this video back in February. Crews have been busy since then, as you can see above.

“Utility relocation” is a phrase that might sound familiar if you get our traffic alerts. A fairly self-explanatory term, it refers to the moving of underground or overhead utilities (things like cable, telephone, electricity, sewer, water or gas lines).

We’re looking for your feedback on a transition plan that’s designed to outline in detail how ADOT plans to ensure safe access to all of its facilities for all individuals.