PHOENIX – Several major bridge and intersection replacement projects in southern Arizona presented a big challenge for the Arizona Department of Transportation in 2020: How to replace existing structures or entire interchanges without closing highways on projects that last up to two years.

The agency applied several innovative approaches to do just that, keeping passenger vehicles and commerce moving while minimizing potentially disruptive restrictions and closures.

Drivers are benefiting from the strategies at several key projects: The Interstate 10/Houghton Road interchange in Tucson, the Pinto Creek Bridge replacement on US 60 near Globe, a bridge replacement project on SR 77 in Winkelman, and the I-10/Ruthrauff Road interchange replacement project in Tucson.

The I-10/Houghton Road interchange project in Tucson began in August, a project that involves replacing a two-lane Houghton Road bridge with a six-lane diverging diamond interchange, along with rebuilding all ramps. While replacing an interchange sometimes requires extensive closures, ADOT will complete this project with only a three-month closure of two ramps - both of which have already reopened. The other two ramps and bridge are being constructed next to the existing lanes of traffic, and traffic will eventually shift to the new pavement. For the remainder of the project, only overnight closures are anticipated as traffic flows through the busy work zone.

On US 60 between Globe and Superior, ADOT has been working since late 2019 to replace the 70-year old Pinto Creek bridge in an area with rugged terrain and hour-long detours around any highway closures. However, the project required months of blasting that could only occur when US 60 was closed. ADOT’s solution was to limit closures to four hours at the same time and on the same three days of the week, ensuring motorists had a predictable schedule to plan their travels. Since the blasting wrapped up earlier this year, the highway has remained open while the project team works on the new bridge next to the existing structure. A five-day closure is anticipated toward the end of the project in 2021 as crews realign the road to the new bridge.

In Winkelman, ADOT is working to replace the two-lane SR 77 bridge over the Gila River without closing it or shifting the highway. Crews are able to do this by essentially cutting the bridge in half and rebuilding one side of the structure at a time. Since the project began in late 2019, traffic has continued to use the bridge, restricted to one direction at a time as a temporary signal regulates which direction can proceed. Delays are generally less than 15 minutes, with occasionally longer delays for two weeks at a time when new bridge girders have been set into place. The new bridge will open by summer 2021 without any extended closures of SR 77. 

At I-10 and Ruthrauff Road, one of the most heavily traveled segments of the Interstate in Tucson, ADOT has been working since January to replace a 60-year-old interchange without closing the highway. ADOT has maintained three lanes of travel in each direction during peak hours with several traffic shifts onto either the frontage road or newly rebuilt lanes of I-10. While the interchange has been closed most of 2020 and the project won’t be complete until late 2021, ADOT has made it a priority to reopen Ruthrauff/El Camino del Cerro across I-10 by summer 2021 to minimize the impact of the project even as other elements of the project will remain under construction. Also, ADOT’s contract with Sundt Construction encourages an aggressive construction schedule with an early completion incentive for finishing the project 40 days sooner than the contractor’s specified completion date. The goal is to only have the interchange closed for the 2020 holiday travel season and open again before the holidays in 2021. 

PHOENIX – At the Arizona Department of Transportation, 2020 saw the creation of a terrifying distracted driving awareness campaign, a tragic reminder of the need to drive safely in work zones and the adaptive nature of traffic safety professionals.

For National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in October, ADOT launched its “Distracted Drivers Terrify Me” public awareness campaign. The campaign features regular people doing jobs most of us find frightening. What’s the only thing that terrifies the venomous snake handler? Distracted drivers, of course.

The awareness campaign aims to influence and change driver behavior, resulting in fewer drivers engaging in terrifying distractions and making roads safer for everyone. In 2019 in Arizona, at least 10,491 drivers involved in crashes were engaged in distracted driving behavior. These crashes are entirely preventable.

National Work Zone Awareness Week carried extra significance this year in Arizona. A month prior, one of our own, Frank Dorizio, was struck and killed on Interstate 10 south of Phoenix. In the days and weeks that followed the death of Frank, a member of ADOT’s Incident Response Unit, ADOT launched into a public outreach and education effort that carried through National Work Zone Awareness Week with the objective to create more awareness about driving safely in work zones and Arizona’s “Move Over” law.

Public education about “Move Over” continued into the fall when ADOT joined with traffic safety stakeholders and observed National “Move Over” Day, placing safety messages on overhead message boards statewide.

In November 2019, Arizona traffic incident management (TIM) professionals organized the state’s first-ever mass training event for National TIM Awareness Week. The current public health crisis wouldn’t allow for a repeat of that event in 2020, so organizers developed a virtual TIM training course.

PHOENIX – A transportation agency cannot stop hazardous dust storms from blowing across highways, but in 2020 the Arizona Department of Transportation pioneered a first-ever in the nation detection and warning system that now provides quick and reliable information to help motorists slow down for safety during storms.

ADOT’s dust detection and warning system on a 10-mile stretch of Interstate 10 near Eloy began operating in June - just in time for the start of the monsoon season - after years of planning an innovative safety project in a desert region where dust storms pose a threat to drivers all year.

One of the innovative approaches project engineers took was to build a system from existing, reliable technologies - then developing a software-intensive application to tie multiple devices into a seamless and automated system.

From a motorists’ perspective, the system is remarkably simple. When sensors see a drop in visibility enough to affect driver safety, variable speed limit signs reduce the posted speed limit from the usual 75 mph to as low as 35 mph. Also, overhead message boards urge drivers to slow down because of reduced visibility.

Behind the scenes, multiple technologies work together: 13 visibility sensors, a weather radar, sensors embedded in the pavement to provide real-time information on the speed and flow of traffic, overhead message boards, speed feedback signs, closed-circuit cameras and overhead message boards. The system operates automatically while being monitored at ADOT’s Traffic Operations Center in Phoenix.

The system was activated six times since June, during an unusually calm monsoon season. Drivers did reduce their speed every time the system was activated, according to information the system gathered during each activation.

The roughly $6.5 million system was funded in part by a federal FASTLANE grant. As a pilot project, the system will advance ADOT’s knowledge of whether similar technologies would be effective along other Arizona highways. The project won a regional award for operations excellence in the 2020 America’s Transportation Awards competition, sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Automobile Association.

PHOENIX — When snow begins to fall, trained Arizona Department of Transportation snowplow operators will work around the clock to keep the roads safe. Ever-evolving technology incorporated into the snowplows help give the operators a leg up during their 12-hour shifts.

This year, 25 of ADOT’s snowplows have been equipped with new cameras that can stream a live feed back to district offices. These new cameras are another technological innovation to help ADOT be more aware of road conditions along different stretches of highway. They will help decision makers like district engineers and maintenance superintendents be able to see what the plow drivers are seeing.

ADOT districts will be able to see what conditions are like in neighboring districts and make plans to get a jump on snowplow deployment.

Many of ADOT’s nearly 200 snowplows also include auxiliary cab heaters to keep drivers warm while not idling and wasting fuel; heated windshields to prevent wipers from freezing and getting stuck; backup cameras and a camera and laser guidance system to help guide operators; state-of-the-art lighting packages, and front flex plows that can bend in different configurations to remove snow.

ADOT’s 400 snowplow drivers undergo extensive training so they can keep state highways safe. Now that we’re in the season for winter storms to potentially hit, it’s time for you to get to Know Snow by reviewing ADOT’s safety tips at azdot.gov/KnowSnow.

For starters, slow down when roads are slick with snow and ice, leaving extra room behind the vehicle ahead. Take a fully charged cell phone, warm clothing and an emergency kit that includes blankets, food and water, medication and sand or kitty litter.

Check your vehicle before heading out in winter weather, making sure – at a minimum – that the tires, heater and windshield wipers are in good shape.

Before traveling, research weather conditions to determine whether it would be smarter to sit out a storm so ADOT’s snowplows can clear highways. Check road conditions by calling 511 or visiting az511.gov. ADOT’s Twitter account (@ArizonaDOT) and Facebook page (facebook.com/AZDOT) provide real-time information and interaction. 

While ADOT’s snowplow operators are ready to help you, you should help them in return. Always respect the plow. Avoid passing a snowplow that’s clearing a highway until the driver pulls over to let traffic pass, and never assume a snowplow operator knows your vehicle is nearby. If you can’t see the plow driver, there’s a good chance the driver can’t see you.

Remember: The safest place on a highway when it’s snowing is trailing a safe distance behind a snowplow.

Before traveling, start your winter season with a visit to azdot.gov/KnowSnow so you can Know Snow in Arizona.

PHOENIX – New realities mean finding new ways to train emergency responders.

A year ago, during National Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Week, hundreds of emergency responders gathered at locations across Arizona to take a TIM training course and learn how to keep themselves and motorists safe when responding to roadway incidents.

In 2020, TIM Week is different.

Instead of holding in-person courses at locations around Arizona, TIM stakeholders have been working for months to develop a virtual course. In October, the Arizona Department of Transportation, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Mesa Fire Department, Maricopa County Department of Transportation and the Arizona Professional Towing and Recovery Association staged and filmed video demonstrations of TIM techniques at the City of Mesa Public Safety Training Facility. These videos will be used in the virtual TIM training.

“Just like we use different TIM strategies to approach the variety of incidents we encounter on roadways, we’re adapting our outreach and education efforts in the current public health situation to deliver essential training,” said DPS Capt. John Paul Cartier, a nationally-recognized TIM advocate. “We’re excited about the virtual training program, which will have live instruction, and the possibility to use this platform moving forward and engage even more responders in TIM practices.”

TIM is important because it keeps the men and women who respond to crashes, those involved, and other motorists safe. That’s right, drivers can practice TIM tips, too!

A common one is “Quick Clearance.” If a driver is involved in a minor crash without injuries, state law requires them to move their vehicle from the roadway if it is operable and can be moved safely. Drivers and passengers involved in the non-injury collision can inspect their vehicles and exchange insurance information from an off-highway location instead of dangerous travel lanes as cars whizz past.

Some drivers have been taught to not move their vehicles until law enforcement arrives, but that is not correct. In fact, state law requires drivers to move operable vehicles out of travel lanes if there are no injuries.

Professionals responding to the incident, like law enforcement and tow truck operators, can do their jobs from the safety of an off-highway location or the shoulder, instead of travel lanes. With travel lanes open, the chance for a secondary collision involving other motorists is reduced.

“One of our primary goals is to make incident scenes safe for responders and the traveling public,” said Mark Brown, ADOT’s Traffic Incident Management and Incident Response Unit program administrator. “By moving your car out of travel lanes, you’re not only making it safer for those around you, but you’re putting yourself in a much safer environment.”

Remember, if you are involved in a crash, the first action to take is to make sure you and occupants in your vehicle are OK. Then, if your vehicle is operable, move to the emergency shoulder, median or exit the highway and call 911. Stay out of travel lanes, be alert and watch approaching traffic.

Across the state this week, motorists will see a TIM-themed safety message on overhead message boards that reminds drivers of “Quick Clearance.”

PHOENIX -  Arizona Department of Transportation innovations designed to improve driver safety and awareness during bad weather conditions have earned recognition from the National Weather Service, which has cited ADOT as a “Weather Ready Nation Ambassador of Excellence.”

Because Arizona’s climate ranges from low desert to Alpine extremes, ADOT works with National Weather Service offices in Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff and Las Vegas to constantly monitor a remarkable range of weather activity. This includes heat events, major winter storms, monsoon storms that can produce deadly lightning and flash flooding, the effects of wildfires, high winds and other occurrences throughout Arizona. 

With central Arizona being a prime location for dust storms, in 2019 ADOT installed a state-of-the-art X-band radar dust detection system on portions of Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson, as well as variable speed limit signs that adjust in response to poor weather such as dust storms or heavy rainfall. 

DOT also coordinates with the National Weather Service on an emergency action plan to respond quickly to flooding emergencies, especially in areas burned out by wildfires where flooding can be more severe. Streamlined communication and preventative measures as part of the federal Pathfinder Program allow maintenance crews to take quick action to close highways and keep drivers safe in the event of flooding.

Among the weather-related safety initiatives promoted by ADOT are the “Pull Aside, Stay Alive” dust storm awareness effort and the “Know Snow” campaign for winter driving safety.

“The National Weather Service and ADOT work closely to promote safety for all Arizona drivers. Weather conditions in Arizona can bring extreme heat, blinding dust storms, flash flooding, thunderstorms, snow, ice and many other conditions that challenge drivers”, said Acting Warning Coordination Meteorologist Jaret Rogers. “Our partnership is vital for making roadways as safe as possible during adverse weather conditions and ADOT has promoted innovative safety measures and awareness campaigns. This has earned ADOT the distinction of being known as a National Weather Service Weather Ready Nation Ambassador of Excellence.”

“Safety is the number one priority for the Arizona Department of Transportation and we rely very heavily on great partners like the National Weather Service,” said ADOT Transportation Systems and Management Operations Director Brent Cain. “Arizona weather can range from temperatures in the 80s in one part of the state to snow in another, sometimes on the same day. Without our relationship with the National Weather Service, it would be difficult to effectively meet the safety needs of the public. We’re grateful for this recognition.”

For more information: 

https://www.weather.gov/wrn/ambassador_recognition

Know Snow, Dust Detection: /about/transportation-safety/severe-weather

PHOENIX – The pilot Interstate 17 thermal camera system in Phoenix has proven to be a reliable way to detect wrong-way vehicles, alert law enforcement and warn other drivers to reduce the risk of crashes involving often-impaired wrong-way drivers. The Arizona Department of Transportation has already expanded use of the technology, with plans to do more as time and funding allow.

Those are among the key findings in an assessment of ADOT’s first-in-the-nation wrong-way vehicle detection and warning system along I-17. The report includes recommendations for components to be added at urban and rural locations as funding becomes available. 

Compared to waiting for 911 calls from other drivers, the immediate alerts provided by thermal camera detections result in faster response times by law enforcement, a finding borne out by ADOT’s assessment of the I-17 system.

“The I-17 pilot system has delivered positive results and helped provide a road map for expanding use of technology to reduce the risk from wrong-way drivers,” said Dallas Hammit, ADOT’s state engineer and deputy director for transportation. “We’re using the thermal camera technology elsewhere and have established plans for other areas, including rural locations. I want to stress that thermal cameras can’t stop someone from being a wrong-way driver. But they are a big part of our efforts to reduce the risks associated with often-impaired wrong-way drivers.”

Meanwhile, the thermal camera detection technology that is key to the I-17 system has now been installed at most interchanges along the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway. Installations are underway along Loop 303 in the West Valley, and the technology will be added as part of Loop 101 expansion projects that are under construction east of I-17 and also south of US 60.

ADOT also has converted thermal cameras already used on traffic signals at more than a dozen interchanges in the Valley to send alerts to the Traffic Operations Center and the Arizona Department of Public Safety when wrong-way vehicles are detected. Those include four locations along the Loop 101 Agua Fria Freeway (59th, 67th and 75th and Northern avenues), I-17 at 19th Avenue and Jomax Road, I-10 at 27th and 91st avenues, and multiple intersections along State Route 347 between I-10 and Maricopa.

The $4 million I-17 pilot system was funded by Proposition 400, the dedicated sales tax for transportation improvements approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004. Since the system began operating in January 2018 between the I-10 “Stack” interchange and Loop 101, it has detected more than 100 vehicles traveling the wrong way, mostly on exit ramps and frontage roads along the Black Canyon Freeway. Drivers of most of those vehicles either turned around on exit ramps or pulled into driveways or parking lots without entering I-17 in the wrong direction.

The alert system also features specialized internally illuminated wrong-way signs with flashing LED lights along I-17 off-ramps, designed to get the attention of a wrong-way driver.

The system’s 90 thermal cameras are positioned to detect wrong-way vehicles entering off-ramps or traveling along the freeway in areas between the I-10 “Stack” interchange near downtown and the Loop 101 interchange in north Phoenix. Through a computerized decision-support system, the system also triggers the internally illuminated “Wrong Way” signs with flashing red lights aimed at getting the attention of wrong-way drivers. At the same time, the system immediately alerts AZDPS and ADOT, allowing law enforcement to respond immediately and ADOT to immediately alert other freeway drivers with “Wrong Way Driver/Ahead/Exit Freeway” warnings on overhead message boards.

In addition to installations completed and planned, ADOT is prepared to work with regional planners on adding wrong-way vehicle alert technology elsewhere as funding becomes available. The priority will be locations with the greatest incidence of wrong-way incursions.

“We’re working on determining locations in greater Arizona where thermal cameras could be added for example on overhead message signs or at strategically identified interchanges along rural highways,” Hammit said. “Locations along I-17 between Phoenix and Flagstaff are planned if and when funding is identified.”

One example of the technology’s performance was in summer 2018, when thermal cameras on I-17 detected a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction south from Loop 101. State troopers stopped the driver, who exited the freeway and re-entered going the right way in the northbound lanes. In early 2019, a thermal camera detection at I-17 and Camelback Road led to state troopers stopping a wrong-way pickup in the travel lanes. 

There have been successes beyond the I-17 pilot area as well. In August 2019, a thermal camera at I-10 and 27th Avenue alerted ADOT and the Arizona Department of Public Safety to a commercial truck entering the freeway in the wrong direction. Law enforcement stopped the driver on I-17 near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. In 2017, a thermal camera being tested at the Loop 101 Agua Freeway Freeway interchange at 75th Avenue detected a wrong-way vehicle on an off-ramp, helping state troopers stop the vehicle near Grand Avenue.

Longer-term and subject to funding availability, ADOT’s assessment of the I-17 pilot system also recommends installing the internally illuminated, flashing “Wrong Way” sign at urban locations with thermal camera detection. ADOT’s overhead message boards could be used as locations for additional thermal cameras above the roadway in urban and rural areas.