Now that the Loop 101 Pima Freeway has been widened with additional lanes between Interstate 17 in Phoenix and Pima Road in north Scottsdale, ADOT is working with transportation planners at the Maricopa Association of Governments on next steps within MAG’s Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). That includes improvements along Loop 101 to the west of Interstate 17. On Thursday, Feb. 24, you can learn more about those plans.

The RTP is essentially the blueprint for freeway projects via Prop 400, which Maricopa County regional voters approved in 2004. Funding includes a half-cent regional sales tax specifically for transportation improvements in the Phoenix area, including freeways.

An upcoming Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) project is designed to add an additional general purpose, or regular, lane in each direction along the freeway between 75th Avenue and Interstate 17. Construction is scheduled to begin as soon as 2023. That of course will be of particular interest to many northwest Valley residents as well as folks to regularly use that part of the regional freeway system.

You can take part in tonight’s virtual public meeting about the project. Here are the details for doing so:

What: Loop 101 Agua Fria Freeway (75th Avenue to I-17) project virtual public meeting

When: Thursday, Feb. 24, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 

How To Participate: Details about participating in this virtual meeting via computer or smartphone are available at the project website.

Information for those who are not able to attend the virtual meeting, how to provide comments or get additional details is available on the project website.

In addition to gathering comments and answering questions during the meeting, ADOT also is prepared to receive any other public comments through March 10, 2022.  

In addition to providing new lanes, the Loop 101 project between 75th Avenue and I-17 also will widen bridges, reconstruct interchange ramps, provide upgraded freeway lighting, add sound walls where warranted and make other improvements.

Yes, the Loop 101 widening project in the north Valley was finished in time for this year’s edition of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. And, yes, the improved freeway will help a lot of golf fans get to the area of the TPC Scottsdale course in less time. But if you’re heading to the tourney this week, you’ll want to give serious consideration to shuttling to the event.

We’re using our “pitching wedge” at ADOT to help the Phoenix Open organizers and our partners at the City of Scottsdale get the word out about alternative parking plans for spectators.

Experience tells us that with an event as popular as the Phoenix Open, crowded conditions and delays can be expected at times for general parking near the TPC. That’s why this year there is a shuttle lot in place at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, the spring training home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. It’s just a “straight drive” south of the TPC near Loop 101 and Talking Stick Way.

Parking also is available at WestWorld of Scottsdale, off the Loop 101 frontage road at Bell Road north of Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard. WestWorld also is the location for a Rideshare lot. Before you head toward the Greatest Show on Grass, check on parking through the Phoenix Open’s website.

It is great to know that ADOT and its project team last month wrapped up major improvements on the $185 million Loop 101 project that added a fourth regular travel lane in each direction between Interstate 17 and Pima Road/Princess Drive in the north Valley.

In addition to the increased traffic capacity helping drivers get from Point A to Point B in less time, the big project also involved improvements and the realigning of on- and off-ramps at the interchanges within the project’s boundaries. 

As the Phoenix Open takes place this week, allowing some extra travel time should remain par for the course (sorry, couldn’t resist). And, if you’re not going to the event, consider adjusting your travel schedule and/or using alternate routes. That’s advice from a little “birdie.”

Here at the ol’ ADOT Ranch we talk a whole lot about highways and freeways, and why not? It’s a major part of what we do. (Huge, if unrelated, shout out to our great MVD, by the way). And the title of this blog reflects our commitment to making those transportation connections possible.

There’s another connection that is just as vital and ADOT is playing a big part in that. 

If you’re reading this, chances are pretty good that you have access to broadband internet service. For the uninitiated, broadband is essentially the highest standard for internet service, with lighting-fast download and upload speeds. But there are still a lot of people in Arizona who have little choice but to endure long waits with slow internet service. There are still many people, in rural and tribal communities that have no internet capability at all. 

That’s not right, and Governor Ducey, the Arizona Commerce Authority and ADOT are partnering to bring broadband to much more of Arizona. 

ADOT’s part is to install conduit on about 200 miles of right-of-way next to several Arizona interstate highways. From there, Internet Service Providers can develop access to thousands of homes in underserved portions of our state.

Connecting people on everything from 12-lane urban freeways to humble two-lane highways surrounded by open spaces is part of our daily work. Connecting people through technology is a little new for us, but no less important. 

ADOT Fiber Installation Project from ADOT Vimeo-External on Vimeo.

True or false: ADOT crews have removed an abandoned mobile home from the middle of a state highway?

Answer: True!

In December, a dilapidated mobile home was found abandoned on State Route 61 near St. Johns. Its owners couldn't be found and a heavy-haul tow company declined to remove the 48-footer it because of its dilapidated condition.

Enter ADOT's Holbrook and St. Johns maintenance crews. They worked out a plan with the Arizona Department of Public Safety and a nearby landfill to get the deteriorated vehicle off the highway. That's a straightforward plan, but executing it took some patience.

First, DPS closed the highway to traffic. Next, loading the mobile home onto a transport trailer took several attempts with two loaders.

"The mobile home was unstable and on the brink of falling apart," explained Jay Wagoner, St. Johns Unit Highway Operations Supervisor. "Once the loaders were able to safely pick up the mobile home, the transport trailer was backed up underneath the mobile home, which was being held up by both loaders.”

Finally, the mobile home was safely loaded and moved to the landfill, about ten miles away.

Most people are familiar with the “Big Check.”

You see the Big Check at things like telethons, golf tournaments or Publisher’s Clearinghouse commercials. It’s a ridiculously oversized piece of foam board that’s a real attention grabber. 

But of course the “Big Check” is just a prop. You would have a little trouble heading to your neighborhood bank and making a deposit. It might be kind of fun to try, though.

This subject occurs to us at the ‘ol ADOT Ranch because some people think we just got the Big Check with the recent passage of the federal infrastructure bill. 

While it’s true that this new law will pump a fair amount of money into the state for various infrastructure-related projects, there is no Big Check. The money, while definitely appreciated, has to travel through a pretty complex process that takes time and a lot of cooperation between the State, the federal government as well as local and regional government entities.

Truth be told, government funding for lots of things, including transportation, requires a great deal of scrutiny before it gets directed to one thing or another. And that’s a good thing because it’s your money. Your tax dollars at work, as the saying goes. 

It’s important that as the funds come in, they are accounted for and distributed in strict accordance with the law and through a transparent and public-facing process. This recent news release explains that process.

All of this detail to accept and distribute these new funds may seem cumbersome and maybe even frustrating. But that’s OK because those processes are there by design to make sure no rash decisions are made and everyone has a chance to examine and comment on what’s going on. 

We will admit, however, that getting a Big Check would be kinda fun. 

The Arizona Department of Transportation is testing a two-mile section of State Route 85 in Maricopa County using fiber-reinforced asphalt concrete.

The mixture consists of hot or warm asphalt and reinforcing fibers consisting of FORTA-FI’s high tensile strength fiber blend. This mixture has a greater resistance to rutting, thermal cracking, fatigue cracking, and reflective cracking, as compared to conventional non-fiber asphalt mixes. 

The process of using reinforced asphalt concrete is an alternative to conventional asphalt mixes, according to ADOT Resident Engineer Jon Fell. 

“With deteriorating pavements, rising material and labor costs, and shrinking budgets, the innovative strategy of using aramid fibers to decrease initial project costs, reduce required maintenance activities, and extend the pavement design life is gaining the attention of engineers, contractors and owners,” Fell said.

By mechanically changing the properties of the asphalt by simply mixing the fibers into the mix before placing onto the roadway surface, ADOT hopes to increase the lifespan of the asphalt and incur lower life-cycle costs from a longer service life. 

Evaluations of this section of roadway will continue for the next 10 to 15 years to determine the effectiveness of the reinforcing fibers used.

I would like to thank Steve Stratton for his year of service as chair of the State Transportation Board in 2021 and welcome incoming Chairman Jesse Thompson. I look forward to working alongside you and the board in 2022.

While I am responsible for leading the Arizona Department of Transportation, there is a seven-member board which serves as advisors to me and to the general public. It is the State Transportation Board and I would like to provide some insight as to the roles and responsibilities of the Board.

Board members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Arizona State Senate. They serve six-year terms which are staggered. The state of Arizona is divided into six districts. Maricopa County serves as one district and has two members on the Board. Pima County serves as one district and has one member on the Board. The rest of the counties make up the remaining four districts with at least three counties in each district. When a board member’s term expires, a new member is appointed from the same district, based on a rotation schedule among the counties in that district. For example, District 3 is made up of Cochise, Greenlee and Santa Cruz counties. When there was a vacancy on the Board from that district last year, Cochise County was responsible for submitting names to the governor’s office for consideration.

The Arizona State Transportation Board is responsible for establishing a complete system of state highway routes. The Board awards construction contracts, monitors the status of construction projects and has the exclusive authority to issue revenue bonds for transportation funding. The Board is granted its policy powers by the governor.

Before the pandemic, the Board traveled extensively throughout the state, holding its monthly meeting at a new location. I’m not aware of another state board that traveled as much as the State Transportation Board. Currently, the Board is using a hybrid-approach when it comes to its monthly meetings, allowing the public to appear in person or virtually and following all health and safety protocols.

The Board follows open meeting laws, and provides the public the opportunity to comment on projects and weigh-in where our finite resources should be spent in the state. I consider public involvement a key component in determining how best to meet the needs of our customers. I value the role the State Transportation Board performs as trusted advisers to me and my team at ADOT. They represent the “voice of the customer.”

The Board also holds periodic study sessions to learn more about a particular subject or issue. These study sessions also follow open meeting laws.

I encourage you to visit our website to learn more about the Board, meet the current members and sign up to receive meeting notices. 

I would also like to recognize and thank all of our past board members who have served. Your dedication to serving the people of Arizona is appreciated.