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“Ready to Rubble” sparks interest in transportation, engineering

“Ready to Rubble” sparks interest in transportation, engineering

“Ready to Rubble” sparks interest in transportation, engineering

By the I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project Team

May 3, 2023

We came, we saw, we rubbled!

The April 22-23 “Ready to Rubble” event wrapped up another major milestone for the I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project—the removal of the old 48th Street and Broadway Road bridges over Interstate 10. This milestone generated a great deal of interest from all over the Valley.

Of all those in attendance, one particular group of spectators brought a youthful energy to the event. Students from the University of Arizona, Arizona State University and Peoria’s MET Professional Academy were on hand to see the removal process. After the event, many of them said they were excited to see how rewarding a career in engineering might be–some even suggested that working for the Arizona Department of Transportation would be a great experience.

Sofia Iliev, a sophomore at the University of Arizona, went on the 60-minute tour to see the removal process of the 48th Street and Broadway Road bridges. Students and guests boarded buses and toured the work site, seeing all the shearing and hammering from a safe distance. Iliev said she has visited other sites, but nothing compared to the scale and scope of the I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project.

“I have seen bridges go up. It’s cool to see them come down,” Iliev said. “I have always been good with building things with my hands, going back to when I built Legos. This is why I’m interested in a career in engineering. Working for an agency like ADOT would be cool.”

Robert Samour, ADOT's Senior Deputy State Engineer for Major Projects said he was happy with the success of the tours.

“I’m glad that students got to see and share the experience of some of the great things happening at ADOT in terms of engineering and the delivery of a major project,” Samour said.

Arizona State University junior Chad Stark said he was looking forward to graduating in 2024 and seeing the completion of the I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project, which is scheduled to be finished that same year. He added that talking to ADOT engineering professionals was a “breath of fresh air.”

“It’s good to see that these [professionals] have an interest and passion for the job they have,” Stark said. “I’m excited about it. You spend all this time taking classes like Calculus… now we are at the point where we can start seeing this stuff in action.”

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Waste Not: Reusing materials from the past to build for the future

Waste Not: Reusing materials from the past to build for the future

Waste Not: Reusing materials from the past to build for the future

By the Broadway Curve Improvement Project Team

November 15, 2022

Reduce, reuse and recycle: They’re key to protecting natural resources and lessening the amount of trash in our landfills. They’re also an important part of the Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project.

"We reuse as much as we can so nothing goes to waste,’ said Kole Dea, P.E., senior resident engineer with the Arizona Department of Transportation. “If something can’t go back into the project, then it’s recycled.”

Asphalt millings, concrete, metal and steel are the most common types of waste; but the project team has future plans for all of them.

Asphalt Millings

The black material you see piled up in the work zone are asphalt millings. When construction began in summer 2021, crews removed the rubberized asphalt from the surfaces of I-10 and US 60 in the project area. That work created 1.3 million square yards of millings, which are being used as the base layer for temporary haul roads in the project area. Millings provide a strong base for trucks and equipment to drive on, and they reduce dust - another plus for the environment. Millings can also be mixed in with dirt to build embankments that will support the roadway. Outside of the project area, ADOT uses millings on its maintenance roads in unpaved areas.

Concrete

As walls and other concrete structures are taken down to make way for new construction, they’re broken up so they can serve a new purpose. Crews use equipment to break each piece into sizes no larger than 24 inches.Those pieces are used as fill to build up approaches for new bridges, and can be used to fill in holes or otherwise supplement unstable materials in the project area.

Metal and Steel

Metal and steel products are major components of highway infrastructure, inside and out. In addition to what you can see, they’re also used to reinforce concrete girders and other structures, and strengthen walls. Steel rebar and other materials are broken down and taken to a recycling facility. Fun fact:

Recycled steel is as strong and durable as new steel made from iron ore.

ADOT works in compliance with state and federal regulations to ensure reused materials do not pose a threat to the environment. Careful testing confirms that the paint stripes on milled asphalt don’t contain lead, and that old pipes or bridge structures are free from asbestos.

As new roadways, ramps and bridges take shape throughout the Broadway Curve work zone, remember how important the infrastructure from the past is to building for the future.

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ADOT introduces new Public Service Announcement about work zone safety.

ADOT introduces new Public Service Announcement about work zone safety.

ADOT introduces new Public Service Announcement about work zone safety.

March 30, 2022

The link to that video is here: https://vimeo.com/685493235

PHOENIX – Motorists who drive over the 55 mph speed limit while traveling through the Arizona Department of Transportation’s largest-ever urban freeway reconstruction project could end up getting a ticket as ADOT increases its efforts to encourage motorists to slow down in the project work zone.

In the Phoenix-metro area, the Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project stretches for 11 miles from the Loop 202 Santan/South Mountain Freeway interchange to I-17 near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The ADOT project team is initiating a campaign to raise awareness of work zone safety that includes added Department of Public Safety patrols in the area.

“The I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project is one of the most visible work zones in the state, but speeding through any work zone can be deadly and costly for drivers, their passengers and of course workers in these zones,” said Project Manager Amy Ritz.

She added, “One aspect of this project that has taken me by surprise is the number of people who risk their lives, and the lives of others every day, to save about three minutes. That’s how much time you save if you drive these 11 miles at 75 mph compared to the posted 55 mph limit. The time it takes to listen to a hit song is not worth someone’s life.”

In addition to the added enforcement, ADOT is using overhead message signs and billboards to share safety information and has produced a public service announcement featuring I-10 Broadway Curve project team members asking drivers to slow down.

Whether a work zone is a major construction project or a one-day repair and maintenance job, drivers should expect the unexpected, always obey speed limits, never drive distracted or impaired, and be especially vigilant and patient.

For more information: https://i10broadwaycurve.com/work-zone-safety/

Protecting native plants along I-10 in the Broadway Curve

Protecting native plants along I-10 in the Broadway Curve

Protecting native plants along I-10 in the Broadway Curve

March 17, 2021

PHOENIX – Months before construction begins on reconstruction of Interstate 10 through the Broadway Curve, the Arizona Department of Transportation is identifying native plants to preserve along an 11-mile section of the freeway.

Crews are examining an estimated 2,500 trees along I-10 between Interstate 17 and the Loop 202 (Santan/South Mountain Freeway) to identify state-protected plants -- such as ocotillo and saguaro and barrel cactus -- and native trees, including palo verde, mesquite and ironwood. Plants will be relocated into temporary nurseries during construction so they can be transplanted when work is complete.

“Protecting the natural Arizona environment is an important part of our work,” said Robert Samour, senior deputy state engineer and leader of ADOT’s Major Projects Group. “There were more than 1,000 plants along the South Mountain Freeway that we maintained for more than three years and replanted after construction to preserve the plants and the beautiful landscape.”

Crews will remove plants near I-10 to clear the way for construction of new freeway lanes and other improvements.

ADOT anticipates construction will begin this summer on the Valley’s first urban freeway reconstruction project. Over the next several months, crews will relocate utility lines and continue design work as preparations continue on one of the largest freeway construction projects in Arizona history. ADOT anticipates construction will be complete by late 2024.

In January, ADOT signed a $615.6 million contract with a joint venture of Pulice Construction, FNF Construction and Flatiron Constructors to design and construct the project, with T.Y. Lin International Group as the lead designer. The improvements will enhance safety, reduce travel time, ease access to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and support the local, regional and state economies.

Improvements include:

Widening I-10 to six general purpose lanes and two HOV lanes between 24th Street and US 60 (Superstition Freeway).
Building collector-distributor roads between Baseline Road and 40th Street to separate local traffic from through traffic on I-10.
Adding an additional general purpose lane on I-10 from US 60 to Ray Road and keeping the HOV lane.
Modifying I-10 connections at State Route 143, Broadway Road and US 60 to improve traffic flow and safety.
Adding two bridges for pedestrians and bicyclists over I-10 between Baseline and Broadway roads and improving the Sun Circle Trail crossing at Guadalupe Road.

The I-10 Broadway Curve improvement project is funded in part by Proposition 400, a dedicated sales tax approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004.

For more information on the project, visit i10broadwaycurve.com.

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