While engineers play a big role at ADOT, employees working in a wide range of jobs also are vital in helping run Arizona’s transportation system.

Director John Halikowski agrees. 

“Everybody’s job is important at ADOT,” he said. “I don’t care where you’re working at or what you’re working on, we’re an incredibly complex and diverse agency ... we all have to rely on each other to make sure that we are safe and we get home safely to our loved ones at night.”

You can read about all the different jobs at ADOT from past blog articles. Here are just a few:

Geologists study the earth at sites before major projects are built. They also examine soil, rocks and moisture properties at the scenes of geologic hazards such as landslides and mudflows.

Landscape architects plan and populate Arizona’s highway road banks and medians with native vegetation (like wildflowers!) that require minimal water.

Materials lab experts run tests on materials from rocks in cement to bolts on bridges to keep the roads and bridges safe.

Snowplow drivers work in 45-foot long, 30-ton machines, which costs an average of $320,000! They keep the roads up north clear of snow using snowplows with cameras and camera laser systems.

Road sign designers and manufacturers turn out 300 to 400 signs a month. Installers make sure the signs stand up to weather, wind and strong drafts created by passing vehicles, especially from semi trucks.

The Incident Response Team is dedicated to keeping the freeways clear. They can push or pull stalled cars out of traffic and clear the roadway after a crash. This can prevent a secondary crash.

Biologists at ADOT work to keep wildlife safe during all design and construction projects. For example, a bridge rebuilding project was put on hold because lesser long-nosed bats (which are an endangered species) were “hanging out” under a bridge. ADOT biologists are part of ADOT’s Environmental Planning group, which also includes archaeologists; planners; and noise, air, water quality and hazardous materials experts.

Highway Operation Technicians are also known as HOT workers. They are taught to use heavy equipment like loaders, graders, skid steers and dump trucks to maintain Arizona’s highways. Maintenance workers are encouraged to innovate to help them improve their work, like this invention called the pokey-picker-upper.

Staff at the Traffic Operations Center, including public information officers and Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers, monitor the state’s highway system 24 hours a day,  seven days a week, using about 460 traffic cameras located throughout the state, which can be put up on any of the 40 55-inch flat-panel displays lining the main wall. They let the driving public know about bad weather, what’s happening on the road using social media and AZ511.gov. 

Motor Vehicle Division customer service representatives issue driver licenses, identification cards, vehicle registrations and more. 

Graphic designers develop and manage ADOT’s brand. You can see in the blog how the different ADOT logos have evolved over time. They work as part of the Creative Services team that includes in-house web developers/designers and video services.

Magazine writers and photographers are also a part of ADOT. Arizona Highways, a world-renowned magazine, brings more than $43 million annually of direct tourism revenue to Arizona, and helps showcase our state’s beauty, diverse culture and rich history with stunning photography and compelling articles.

Learn more on the Careers with ADOT page on azdot.gov. 

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be an ADOT engineer? 

Meet Babak Dehghani. He’s a construction engineer in ADOT’s Engineer-In-Training (EIT) program. He decided to become an engineer because “you could literally change the world.”

That’s barely a brag! Our engineers certainly make Arizona move by ensuring that every road, bridge, airport, water supply and mass transit system is well-planned and completed.

Babak entered the EIT program in January 2020 and in just over a year has worked for a lot of different groups ranging from roadside development to the bridge group.

“Currently I am in construction operations,” Babak said. “The ADOT EIT program is an amazing introduction to the professional world. By working under registered professionals you get the training and experience you need to become a professional engineer. ”

How did he get here? Well, first, Babak went to school. To be accepted in the EIT program, you must have a bachelor’s degree in engineering. A few lessons Babak picked up from his time attending the Fulton School at Arizona State University have stuck with him. 

“The important things you learn from school are in the methods of learning and working well with others,” Babak continued,  “The most important lesson is how to deal with the real world.”

Engineers play an important role for all ADOT projects. Babak says. “It is the transportation engineer's responsibility to plan, design, build, maintain and operate these systems of transport, in such a way as to provide for the safe, efficient and convenient movement for the public.”

He says he’s most happy with his work to build a brand new type of freeway interchange at I-10 and Houghton. 

“I was very proud to work under registered professionals and paraprofessional staff members to see the first diverging diamond interchange built in Tucson.”

Do you have an interest in becoming an engineer? Well, Babak has some tips for you.

“Take the FE exam before graduation.”

That’s the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, and passing it is one of the first steps you’ll take to become a professional engineer. Babak also said it’s important to pick exactly what type of engineer you want to be. Plus, when you are in school, you can find engineering groups to be a part of on campus. Groups like the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Concrete Institute, and Construction Management Association of America will help when you go searching for your dream job.

“It needs to be on your resume,” Babak said.

Just what does Babak want to do when he graduates from the EIT program in 2022?

“I would love to be part of the I-10 Broadway Curve Improvements project.” He may well get that chance, as the project is slated to start soon and last until 2024.

For now, though, he’s thrilled to be part of the EIT program.

“I’m lucky to work alongside extremely capable and experienced engineers who are always willing to help, guide, and prepare you for the professional world of engineering.”

And he’s keeping a positive outlook as to what’s on the horizon for transportation in Arizona.

“Future technologies can improve the safety, efficiency, reliability, and resilience of our transportation network."

 If you are interested in being an "engineer-as-a-career," stayed tuned for more ADOT Kids videos, blogs and activities running this week for National Engineers Week. And make sure to check out the ADOT Kids website or find #ADOTKids on social media!

Hey, kids, do you like math and science, and helping people?

Then it’s not too early to think about becoming an engineer! You might even decide you want to work as an engineer for the Arizona Department of Transportation.

That’s what Joselyn Valero did! Ever since she was a little girl, Joselyn knew she wanted to grow up and become an engineer.

After all, she has always had a knack for numbers and an affinity for science. She also wanted a career that would enable her to help people.

So working as a development engineer for ADOT is a perfect fit.

“I always loved math and I knew I wanted to be something where math was a big part of it. The idea of building a bridge or a skyscraper fascinated me,” said Joselyn.

Not only is Joselyn an engineer, she is also a project supervisor at the Casa Grande Construction Field Office!

One thing she is really excited about is a first-of-its kind dust detection and warning system on a 10-mile stretch of Interstate 10 near Casa Grande. This system warns drivers if they are about to drive into dust storms – and how severe the storms are. The system can even lower speed limits to match the weather!

“It will definitely make driving safer,” Joselyn said.

Joselyn studied hard to meet her goal. She earned high grades, graduated from high school and then attended Arizona State University. She got not just one, but two degrees in engineering; a bachelor’s and master’s degree.

She interned at ADOT in 2013 and two years later, she joined ADOT’s popular, two-year Engineer-in-Training program. She worked for a number of different teams and was able to piece together how each relates and relies on one another.  It gave her a big picture view and diverse experience.

“You get to see what all the different groups in engineering do as opposed to getting a job at a specific group where all you experience is what that one group does,” she said.  “I also really enjoyed going to different parts of the state and meeting so many people!”

Here are some of her training experiences:

• In the Kingman construction field office, she worked on a mill and fill project for US 93 to Las Vegas. A mill and fill project is when a layer of asphalt pavement is removed and replaced with a new layer.
• In the Prescott Regional Laboratory, Joselyn tested materials before they were  put into highways.

“I was able to run every test that we do when testing asphalt, soils and concrete,” Joselyn said.

• In the Contracts and Specifications Group, Joselyn worked on the plans and contract for the Earley Road to Interstate 8 project. This was part of the I-10 widening project between mileposts 196 and 200 near Casa Grande.

For Joselyn, working for ADOT is a career dream come true.

You can make YOUR dream come true, too! Are you interested in being an “engineer-as-a-career?” We hope so! There are many different kinds of engineers at ADOT.

Check out more ADOT Kids videos, blogs and activities during National Engineers week. You can search for #ADOTKids on Twitter and Facebook. If you want to learn even more about engineering, go to the ADOT Kids website: azdot.gov/ADOTKids.

We love engineers!

But do you know that there are many different types of engineers? Just at ADOT we have many different kinds who look at everything from the best way to get cars over a bridge to the water and power lines that go underground. 

If you've ever thought about being an engineer, here are some of the options available to you!

And once you have read about all the different types of engineers, click on the photo to have your parents download our seek-and-find activity to match them with the type of work they do!

Civil Engineers:

If you’ve got the inclination to draw, design, problem solve and create order, you might want to be a civil engineer. Civil engineers uses computer-aided design and drafting to prepare the technical drawings used to build freeways, bridges, and more. Civil engineering deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment. This includes public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewage systems, pipelines as well as structural components of buildings and railways.

ADOT has many specific kinds of civil engineers. These include:

• Geotechnical engineers, whose knowledge of soils and rocks are important to building roads and bridges.
• Drainage engineers with expertise in designing for flooding and erosion control.
• Environmental engineers with expertise in minimizing the negative impacts to the environment while constructing and maintaining transportation features.

Civil engineering also includes what we are going to look at next: roadway, traffic and bridge engineers. 

Roadway, Bridge and Traffic Engineers:

Roadway, Bridge and Traffic engineers use mathematics and science to determine where or how to build new highways and to make existing highways better.

• Roadway engineers work with many other types of engineers and together they make plans for construction to make the highways. Roadway engineers design the geometric parts of a road such as widths, curves and slopes.  They also design road safety hardware like guardrails.
• Bridge engineers use computer programs to design the bridges that carry cars and trucks over waterways, rivers, washes, railroads and other roadways.  
• Traffic engineers design the signs, pavement markings and roadway lighting that help make the highways safe to drive on and help people understand where they need to go. They also design traffic control plans used to help traffic move safely through a work zone.

Resident Engineers:

Resident engineers work in ADOT district offices around the state and make sure contractors who build the projects follow the design plans. They also help resolve challenges and find solutions while the project is being constructed.

Survey Engineers and Surveyors:

Before a designer can prepare construction plans for highways, roads and bridges, they need more information about the land they wish to build on.

• Surveyors use tools to measure and locate features like mountains and rivers that can be used to make topographic maps. Topographic maps detail the “topography” of the land, showing the surface of the earth and features such as hills, rivers and houses. These maps and plans help engineers design highways and bridges. Aerial photography is done by planes or drones taking pictures from the sky. Did you know that George Washington was a surveyor?
• Survey engineers and surveyors provide engineering surveys and topographic maps to assist designers of ADOT highway projects. They collect and analyze 3-D information about the land, roads and bridges. They use sophisticated equipment such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS), levels and electronic theodolites. Theodolites are special telescopes that help them measure angles while surveying. They then use computers to make 3-D digital drawings for other engineers to use while designing highways. Survey engineers and surveyors also help ADOT’s Right of Way group by performing property surveys. 

Transportation technology engineers:

Transportation technology engineers use computers, electronics, control systems (like traffic lights), communications technologies and management strategies for transportation systems to provide travel information to improve road safety and efficiency. As new transportation technologies emerge, like self-driving vehicles and smart/connected cars, transportation technology engineers are needed to make sure our infrastructure safely accommodates these new transportation trends.

Have you seen the message boards along the freeway? These are types of transportation technology. Technology is also used to calculate the travel times displayed on the boards like how long it will take to get from Phoenix to Tucson based on distance and how fast cars are traveling. If there is a crash on a road and a lane is closed, it will take much longer to get to Tucson from Phoenix. 

Utility and railroad engineers:

Utility and railroad engineers work with utility companies and design engineers to locate underground utilities. Did you know that things like the water, electricity and gas that come into your house are called “utilities?” The pipes and wires that bring these utilities are located underground or strung from large poles. Utility engineers help place all these pipes and wires under the ground or on poles.

When highway projects are happening, utility engineers help locate these utilities and other items that could interfere with construction. They use non-invasive technology and techniques along with carefully controlled excavation methods to provide detailed information on underground features so they can either be avoided or relocated. This process is important to construction workers’ safety, controlling costs and making sure people nearby can still have water and electricity.

ADOT does not have engineers that drive trains but they have engineers to determine what to do when a road and a railroad meet at a crossing or when a bridge goes over or under a railroad. To ensure that trains and cars can travel safely while sometimes crossing paths, utility and railroad engineers ensure the safety of motorists and train operators by using signs, signals and pavement markings.

Engineer as a career

There you have it! There are so many different types of engineers you can grow up to be. But all of them are important in designing and building highways and bridges, not to mention keeping people safe. 

While deciding what kind of engineer you want to be, have fun with the seek-and-find activity! And if you are really interested in being an "engineer-as-a-career," watch for more ADOT Kids videos, blogs and activities running this week for National Engineers Week. And make sure to check out the ADOT Kids website or find #ADOTKids on social media!

With children spending more time at home because of the public health situation, parents, grandparents and teachers are looking for ways to educate and entertain them.

That's why in April 2020 we launched ADOT Kids to pique youngsters’ interest in math, science and creativity through engineering-related activities. From building toothpick bridges and creating chalk art drawings, to writing safety messages and solving word jumbles, ADOT Kids activities pique youngsters’ interest in math, science and creativity.

Now, with National Engineers Week kicking on Feb. 21, ADOT Kids activities will focus on the topic of “engineer as a career.” Expect posts and activities next week that focus on what it means to be an engineer.

Development Engineer Joselyn Valero and Engineer-in-Training Babak Dehghani are sharing their stories to encourage children to pursue engineering careers.

“I always loved math and I wanted to be where math is a big part of it. The idea of building a bridge or a skyscraper fascinated me,” Valero said.

Dehghani, a construction engineer, is gaining experience in different aspects of engineering through ADOT’s Engineer-In-Training program.

“With an engineering degree, you could ensure that every road, bridge, airport, water supply and mass transit system is well-planned and completed,” he said.

Bridge Design Manager David Benton, who discusses bridges in an ADOT Kids video, praised the ADOT Kids initiative.

“ADOT Kids helps young kids understand how employees at ADOT help people get to where they want to go and help keep them safe on the road,” Benton said.

ADOT staff creates all theinteractive educational content, which can be be found on ADOT Kids website, azdot.gov/ADOTKids. There you'll find cartoon characters, games, photos, videos and Zoom video backgrounds of large equipment and Arizona landscapes. Communications team members even created an original song for ADOT Kids about dust storm safety.

ADOT employees like East Flagstaff Highway Operations Tech Supervisor Tod Skinner are helping to promote ADOT Kids. His wife, Kelsey, is area director of the Boys and Girls Club of Williams where children participated in ADOT Kids snow plow activities. Tod even brought a TowPlow to the club so youngsters could see it up close.

“We talked about the science involved in snow and ice removal, the technology and engineering of the truck, and the math involved in the price of the TowPlow versus two regular size plows and the cost of manpower and fuel,” Kelsey said.

Check out ADOT Kids activities and help spread the word to your friends, schools and youth organizations. Look for #ADOTKids activities on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Send suggestions for ADOT Kids activities to [email protected]. 

And make sure to be on the lookout next week for special National Engineers Week content!

Hey, ADOT Kids, do you know how all those road signs are made?

The Arizona Department of Transportation makes all its own signs at a sign shop in Phoenix, where a handful of sign technicians turn out 300 to 400 signs every month.

The signs come in all shapes and sizes and in all colors, including square, rectangle, diamond, green, white, yellow, blue and red.

But, did you know they are all made from aluminum stock?

There are two ways signs are made: Screen printing and electric cutting. 

For the electric cutting method, technicians first apply reflective vinyl onto the aluminum. If it is a red sign with white letters, the white vinyl goes on first and then the red vinyl. Then the sign goes to the electric cutter. Technicians program precise measurements into the cutter machine. Then the cutter cuts out the words that will appear white on the red sign. The red vinyl is peeled off where the letters were made, revealing the white vinyl underneath. That’s how a red sign gets white letters.

Making signs is so much fun that ADOT Director John Halikowski made some from scratch during a visit to the shop several years ago. You can watch him making signs in our video. We even had a 7-year-old sign lover named Hunter Vincente tour the sign shop. Read about that visit and the "no trucks" sign that was created just for him.

The sign techs also have fun making the signs. One of them missed making signs so much he came out of retirement to return to the sign shop!

If you want to learn more about our highway signs, you can read this other ADOT Kids story we did about them. And if you would like to learn more about what goes into building and running highways and freeways, check out our ADOT Kids website for fun videos and activites to bring our your inner engineer!

Hey, kids! Have you ever noticed highway signs while you were going someplace in a car with your mom or dad?  

Of course you have! These signs come in all sizes, shapes and colors, and give your folks and other drivers important information, like what speed they should drive, where they should stop and whether there’s a curve coming up.

Did you know that the Arizona Department of Transportation makes all the highway signs you see? ADOT has its own sign shop, and a small handful of employees makes thousands of different signs.  

Each month, these men and women produce about 400 new signs. They also take care of 500,000 signs a year. That is a lot of signs!

I bet you already know what the red, eight-sided sign is, even without reading it. It means stop! Do you know what the five-sided sign with two children carry books on it means? That’s right, it means a school zone!

There are a whole bunch of signs just for school zones. There are other categories, too, like work zone signs, route marker signs, recreational and cultural signs, guide and information signs, historical markers and much more.

Some signs are very small, such as mile markers, which are only a few inches long. Others can be very big. One guide sign is 23 feet long!  That’s as long as some African elephants.

Did you know you don’t need much lighting to see ADOT signs? That’s because they are made with highly reflective, prismatic sheeting. Some are also protected by graffiti shields. They are made to stand up to wind, rain, snow and the strong draft created by big trucks.

A lot of people get excited about signs. You can read a blog about a little boy, Hunter Vincente of Chino Valley, who is so enthralled with highway signs that he had the tour of his dreams at a sign shop recently. You can also catch our blog when Hunter dressed as a highway sign for Halloween.

Grown men like highways signs too. You can watch a video of ADOT Director John Halikowski try his hand at making all the signs you see along state highways, rest stops and MVD offices.

As long as ADOT has been building roads we’ve been building signs. After all, we would be lost without them!

If you want to learn more about what goes into building and running highways and freeways, check out our ADOT Kids page for fun videos and activites to bring our your inner engineer!

During this unprecedented time, ADOT has created a website with transportation activities for kids. Please visit azdot.gov/ADOTKids to see what we have going on. 

By Audrey St. Clair / ADOT Communications

Winter break is here for most students! After all the fa-la-la-ing and decking the halls, you may find yourself with some extra time. Well, ADOT Kids is here to help fill those empty hours with fun and educational activities for future engineers – or anyone interested in designing and building things like bridges and roads.

Visit azdot.gov/ADOTKids to watch featured videos about bridge and freeway building or even demolition (which is always fun to watch!). You can also download activities, like word searches, mazes and coloring sheets, or learn about civil engineering. What does a civil engineer do, you ask? Civil engineers are the ones that design and maintain infrastructure – things like freeways, bridges, tunnels, dams and airports.

One of ADOT’s civil engineers, David Benton, says he first thought about construction and engineering when he spent a lot of time playing in the mud as a kid.

“If you like to build things out of mud and like to shape things out of mud, that’s what it’s like to build with concrete,” he said. “I remember a teacher said if you like to build things and you’re good at math, civil engineering is a good profession.”

Or maybe you and your family might be traveling to the northern part of Arizona to enjoy the snow over winter break. The ADOT Kids website has a whole section about snowplows. Did you know that ADOT has about 400 snowplow drivers? And if you are driving in the snowy part of the state, the safest place to be is four car lengths behind a snowplow?

Also, remind your parents to pack an emergency kit with items like extra blankets; warm clothes; food and water; healthy snacks; cat litter or sand for traction; and a first-aid kit. Make sure your gas tank is at least three-quarters full and take along a fully charged cellphone, and never park alongside the highways to play in the snow.

Be sure to check the ADOT Kids website in January when we will have a new topic, “Engineer as a Career!” and hear from actual ADOT engineers about their jobs and what’s important to learn in school.

Think it doesn’t snow in Arizona? Think again!

Driving in snowy and icy road conditions require some extra caution and planning. ADOT’s snowplows keep the highways in Arizona's mountain areas clear of snow and ice to help everyone stay safe. Operating these powerful machines are drivers who receive a lot of training, including spending time in a snowplow simulator machine. That training is important, since a new snowplow costs from $303,000 to $340,000, depending on the plow’s configuration. ADOT has about 200 snowplows. 

There is a lot to learn about snowplows at an ADOT website we call Know Snow. You also can check out our Know Snow YouTube playlist with videos about snow, snowplows and winter driving. Both links will take you to lots of safety tips. Most of these safety tips are for drivers, but here's one every kid should know: Never play in the snow next to a highway. One reason is that snowplows throw A LOT of snow and ice way off the roadway. You don't to be in the way when that's happening!

Download and print the snowplow-focused activity you see here to color. You can also read safety tips for your next trip with your family to play in the snow!