Have you ever wondered what it takes to move mountains?

Let’s dig in and learn more! 

The I-17 Improvement Project corridor is one example of an ADOT project that required entire sections of the mountainsides to be blasted and excavated to make way for additional lanes. That includes 15 miles of widening and 8 miles of flex lanes along the entire 23 miles from Anthem Way to Sunset Point. 

The rock and material removed during the blasting process were hauled to another area of the project to be used again in the new roadway. A large portion of the blasted material was crushed and then used as aggregate base, embankment and rock mulch along the 23 miles of new lanes. The construction team recycled the rock to eliminate the need to purchase new material and cut down on construction costs. 

In the areas where rock material was too hard to be ripped it needed to be blasted instead to widen the roadway. Crews had just one hour to close the highway to nighttime travelers. Many times the highway was only closed for 20 minutes to complete the blasting  operation, clear the debris and reopen the highway as shown in this video. 

Each blast was made up of individual explosions that are timed to detonate only milliseconds apart. That is about the speed of a human eye blink. Watch this second video and notice the sequence of light flashes as an explosion occurs. Timing each blast to happen one after the other rather than all at the same time, helps to make the blast safe and control the rock fragments to fall in one location. That helps excavators, loaders, bulldozers and dump trucks haul away the rock quickly and more efficiently. The infographic shows how much rock was moved during the project.

Behind the scenes, work is directed by a blasting engineer who must first create a plan. The plan is important because it shows the location of the rock planned to be blasted and where holes will be drilled in the rock to hold a specific amount of the blasting material. 

These are the some of the important steps required to manage the blasting operation:  

• Make sure all personnel and traffic is at least 2,500 feet away from the blast.
• Start the countdown for everyone to hear and then execute the blast.
• Inspect the results of the blast and confirm all of the explosives have detonated.
• Provide the "all clear" so that crews may begin moving the rock and debris.
• Confirm the highway may be reopened to traffic once the roadway is clear of debris.

   

ADOT’s Senior Resident Engineer Joshua Wentzlof PE, is one of three resident engineers working on the I-17 Improvement Project, and he is familiar with this type of blasting operation. The PE or Professional Engineer designation after Wentzlof’s name references an engineer who is licensed to practice in the profession of engineering.

“The favorite part of my job is the constant problem solving and seeing a project being built from start to finish,” said Wentzlof. “I would say math and science skills are essential for construction engineering. These subjects require you to practice and use your problem-solving skills, which are put to use on a daily basis in construction. Geometry, especially in road construction, is important when reading construction plans.”

Wentzlof began his career with ADOT after receiving his civil engineering degree from Northern Arizona University.  He joined the department’s Engineer In Training (EIT) program and spent five years gaining experience in construction planning and managing large projects before becoming a resident engineer. 

The I-17 Improvement Project is just one of many roadway construction projects happening on state highways in Arizona. If a career in roadway engineering sounds like a blast to you, read about what some ADOT engineers say about their EIT training experience. Check out other highway projects ADOT engineers manage every day in Arizona. 

Please visit ADOT Kids for more stories, activities and videos about engineers.

Here’s a little history: When the automobile was invented, there were so few of them that license plates were not necessary. As cars started to outnumber the horse and buggy, many states began to require license plates to identify the car and owner. 

In 1901, New York was the first state to require owners to register their cars. The first plates were homemade, with only the letters of owner’s initials, no numbers. Since there were no transportation departments (like ADOT) to provide them, car owners had to make their own license plates by hand, out of things like leather or metal. For a couple of years (around 1931), Arizona made license plates out of copper, which was eventually replaced by steel. You can read more about Arizona’s copper plates in this blog.

Arizona is one of the few states that now allow the new digital plates that convert letters and numbers into pixels on a digital screen. Digital license plates can show messages, like if the car had been stolen, or other alerts.

Do you want to impress your friends with some license-plate trivia? You will never see the letters I, O, Q or U printed on standard Arizona license plates. Why? Because those letters could be confused with the numeral one or be seen as zeros on a fast-moving vehicle. (If you see an “0” on a standard plate, it is a zero.)  Since license plates are used to identify cars and trucks by police officers, it’s important that they are easy to read.

And here’s what you’ve been waiting for…another fun ADOT Kids activity! The Scrambled Word License Plate game features some of the state’s newest specialty license plates with scrambled Arizona-themed words (and some hints, if needed)!  See if you can unscramble all eight words! You can find out more about ADOT’s specialty plates here. Curious about how ADOT makes license plates? Read more here.

Check out azdot.gov/ADOTKids! ADOT Kids is a website created to spark children’s curiosity in how things work and what makes things go, tapping into their interest in science, technology, engineering and math in a fun way!  ADOT Kids has lots of free, downloadable activities like mazes, word games, coloring sheets, links to videos and more!   

As with any important project (think writing a report for school), the first thing to do is plan. ADOT starts planning for new roadways by studying where a new roadway is most needed.

Next, ADOT engineers begin to create the detailed project plan. Some roads need bridges or overpasses as part of their design. Can you think why a bridge or overpass might be needed?

You can read blogs on our website that detail some parts of the construction process, like pre-wetting, designing a water drainage system, partnering and communicating with those involved, oh, and our favorite…blasting rocks and moving dirt! This is called earthwork and it helps to build a solid foundation. 

Then it’s time for the paving of the road, using asphalt and concrete. Workers make cuts—called joints—between the concrete slabs to allow them to expand and contract with changing temperatures without breaking.

Building a new freeway can take many years to complete, from the planning to adding the final signage and pavement markings. Did you know that the white stripes on the freeway are actually 10 feet long? They look shorter as you drive by them. It takes a lot of different types of workers from civil, bridge, environmental and road engineers, to construction equipment operators, and many others. Let’s not forget the maintenance teams who work to keep the freeways in good shape once they are built.

View or download and print this fun ADOT Kids activity “Spot the Differences” which is sure to challenge your skills of observation. Play with a friend and see who can find all seven differences first.

Check out azdot.gov/ADOTKids! ADOT Kids is a website created to spark children’s curiosity in how things work and what makes things go, tapping into their interest in science, technology, engineering and math in a fun way!  ADOT Kids has lots of free, downloadable activities like mazes, word games, coloring sheets, links to videos and more!   

Hey ADOT Kids (and parents)!

Are you taking one more road trip before school starts back up? If so, we have a fun game for the whole family to play in the car (except the driver!). License plate bingo is easy and fun to play. We have a link to the playing cards with 24 Arizona specialty license plates. The printable sheet allows up to four people to play at a time. When you see one of these plates, you mark it on your card. First person to find 5 plates across, down or diagonal wins. Download and print a license plate BINGO game card!

There are nearly 100 different specialty plates that you can look for on the roads everyday. Some of these plates include the professional sports teams like the Cardinals, Coyotes, Diamondbacks and Suns. There are many other types of plates too. There are educational plates, plates for pets and animals, military and veteran plates, and even college and university plates. 

Specialty plates are not just fun to spot as you are riding across town, city, state or even across the country, they also give much needed money to charities that help kids and adults in Arizona. 

These plates represent lots of charities that are working to help Arizona communities in many different ways. They support educational and sports programs designed to improve the lives of children, health, inclusion of individuals with and without disabilities, wellness and economic advancement, scholarship opportunities and environment.

Over $10 million is donated each year through these colorful plates. Most specialty plates cost $25 each year. $17 from each plate goes to a charity or nonprofit group of that plate. 

You can check out all the different specialty plates available at azdot.gov/plates and order the plate that says “BINGO” to you at azmvdnow.gov/plates. 

Visit the ADOT Kids website at azdot.gov/adotkids for more fun and educational activities and videos!

As an Arizona kid, you are likely used to many days of hot, dry weather. When we get the occasional rainstorm, do you celebrate by dancing in the rain (but never during a thunderstorm), rather than heading indoors to stay dry? 

You may have learned about the earth’s water cycle and how water moves from the earth to the atmosphere and back to earth.

When water falls to the earth as rain, we call that STORMWATER. In the Sonoran desert, this water can soak into the ground or flow over different surfaces like roads, driveways, sidewalks and parking lots, into washes, gutters and drains, eventually making its way into storm drains that empty into our local streams, washes, rivers, and oceans. Stormwater is not treated like the water we use in our homes, so any pollutants (things like oil, chemicals, fertilizers and even pet waste) that go into a storm drain can affect the environment in a harmful way. ADOT works to reduce these pollutants and well as reduce the amount of litter on our roads that can clog freeway drains. Check out the cool hydrovac truck that ADOT crews use to help clean up the trash in the drains.  This video starring “Stormwater Stanley” can help you learn more about stormwater in the desert and why it is important to protect our waterways. 

Here is a fun activity you can download and print where you can help solve a hidden message about stormwater and storm drains! You can visit the ADOTKids website at azdot.gov/adotkids  for more fun and educational activities and videos!

Hey kids — and big kids, too! Headed to northern Arizona this summer to enjoy the high country’s cool weather or stake your claim to a favorite fishing hole? We’ve got the map that may help plan your trip and help save travel time by revealing a more direct route to your intended location. 

The Arizona 511 Traveler Information System – download the AZ511 app for free for Apple and Android devices or visit az511.gov – helps people do just that and much more. Before you go, we’ve created a matching activity to help everyone piling into the car get familiar with some of the map features. 

Begin the map challenge by matching the identifying words in the left column to the icons in the right column. No peeking for pete’s sake—phones and tablets down until you’ve completed the match! 

Then visit the app homepage and test your skills by identifying the icons and their functions. Click into the map legend and check the boxes for the first icon in the legend. Notice how information related to the icon pops up on the map. Click on the icon to learn what’s going on at that highway point on the map and so forth, to learn about each icon’s function.

Thanks for playing and safe travels!

Wherever your road trip takes you this summer, be a mappin’ pro with az511.gov. Visit ADOT Kids for more fun and activities.

People litter when they throw their garbage somewhere instead of putting it in a trash can. Sometimes people litter when they don’t care about the place where they’re throwing their trash, or when they think someone else will come and clean up after them. 

Not only is litter unsightly to see on the ground, along our highways or in waterways, but this type of pollution hurts people and the planet in multiple ways. 

Litter costs money to clean up, it can hurt humans and wildlife, and it also harms the environment as the chemicals in plastic break down and enter the soil or the water. Litter can wind up in storm drains that could then cause flooding on the roads.

Litter is a problem that can be controlled and YOU CAN HELP make a difference! 

How can you help? Never let trash escape from your car. Keep it contained in a bag inside of your vehicle. Find a proper trash container to throw it in, or recycle it if you can. (Did you know that most of the aluminum cans in the United States are made with recycled aluminum?)

Don’t throw apple cores, banana peels or other food parts out the window. Not only is it ugly, but animals can be attracted to the scent and can cause a crash if they cross the road.

Help us by doing  your part to keep Arizona Grand!

Download and print a fun scrambled word sheet to find types of litter found on Arizona roads. Visit the ADOT Kids website at azdot.gov/ADOTKids for activities and videos about freeways … and more!

ADOT Kids is a website created to spark children’s curiosity in how things work and what makes things go, tapping into their interest in science, technology, engineering and math in a fun way!  ADOT Kids has lots of free, downloadable activity sheets, links to videos and more!   

Topics include bridges, freeway design, litter, safety, snowplows, road signs and engineering. ADOT Kids provides many activities that teachers can use in their classrooms and kids can do on their own! Children can learn about engineering (maybe as a career?), bicycle safety, what drivers should do if their car comes across a dust storm and why it’s important for drivers to secure their loads. We’re adding new activities to engage, educate and entertain them while they learn about Arizona’s transportation system.  

This summer, we will be rolling out a new activity every two weeks, so check back often! Here is a new crossword puzzle about ADOT Kids to rev up your brain! Check out all there is on azdot.gov/ADOTKids!