By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

You did it again, Arizona!

For the second year in a row, your entries in the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Safety Message Contest were fantastic. Your messages made us laugh, smile and showed us how safe driving affects all of us.

We received about 2,200 submissions in the first phase of the contest, which ended Feb. 27. The second phase of the contest began when we revealed the 15 finalists and opened up voting to the public. Voting will continue through Monday, Mar. 26, and can be done at azdot.gov/signcontest.

Like last year, the top two vote-getters will be declared winners and their authors will be invited to our Traffic Operations Center where they’ll be able to type their safety message into our system and send it to overhead signs across Arizona.

So, please, do your civic duty, vote today and support safe driving!

This post originally appeared on ADOT Director John Halikowski's 
LinkedIn page. He has led the agency since 2009.

By Dani Weber / ADOT Communications

All across the Arizona State Highway System, there are dynamic message system boards that alert the traveling public to everything from the estimated time it’ll take to reach a certain off-ramp or destination to events that might impact traffic to reminders to drive safely. But those messages don’t just appear out of nowhere. Traffic Management Coordinator David Egliskis is always there, making sure the right messages get to the public in a timely manner.

“What I do is I try to prepare, plan, coordinate, schedule and try to eliminate any conflicts,” Egliskis said.

Leading up to big events ranging from Arizona Coyotes games to Super Bowls, Egliskis works closely with the Arizona Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement to determine the best way to direct traffic, keeping the traveling public safe and moving. Thanks to their efforts, they’re able to spread traffic around and reduce backups on on- and off-ramps, both before and after big events.

“It’s a challenge to keep up with the information that comes and goes,” Egliskis said. “We have a great working relationship with the folks at DPS, state and federal agencies.”

For his continued effort and commitment to keep Arizona’s freeways safe around big events, Egliskis was awarded the first ADOT Customer Service Award.

“I nominated David Egliskis because he is a trusted agent,” said Kim Campbell, ADOT's former emergency manager. “People go to David when they know that he goes the extra mile to get the job done. David is just an outstanding individual who has a very hard work ethic, and he deserves the award.”

By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

Do you remember seeing the message, “THAT’S THE TEMPERATURE-NOT THE SPEED LIMIT,” on an overhead sign above Arizona state highways? It was one of the winning entries to the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Safety Message Contest. The public’s response to this contest was incredible that we are asking for your ideas again for this year. Entries can be submitted at azdot.gov/signcontest until Feb. 26.

With nearly 7,000 entries submitted last year, I am looking forward to what the public sees as important in changing driver behavior and making safer the roads we travel every day. Last year’s messages ran the gamut from creative and funny to heartfelt and serious.

ADOT’s displays quirky safety messages, which are often related to current events and pop culture, as part of our ongoing effort to encourage drivers to change their actions behind the wheel. More than 90 percent of vehicle crashes are caused by driver decisions, such as speeding, driving aggressively, distracted or impaired.

After entries have been submitted, ADOT will select 15 finalists. Like last year, the public will then vote for their favorites and the two messages that receive the most votes will appear on overhead signs above Arizona state highways.

So, get those creative minds going. We want to see messages that capture attention and spark a reaction. We want messages that educate and entertain while encouraging conversations about safe driving.

This post originally appeared on ADOT Director John Halikowski's
LinkedIn page. He has led the agency since 2009.

By Doug Pacey / ADOT Communications

As motorists travel on Arizona’s state highways on Feb. 14, they’ll see a Valentine’s Day safety message displayed on overhead signs.

Making the choice to drive safely is one of the best ways to show loved ones how much they’re cared for. More than 90 percent of vehicle collisions are caused by driver decisions, including speeding, driving aggressively, distracted or impaired, meaning nearly all crashes are probably preventable.

We can’t promise candy hearts or roses to safe drivers, but we’ll be a not-so-secret admirer of those who make smart and safe decisions behind the wheel.

By Caroline Carpenter / ADOT Communications

The #FridayFive is taking you from the sun to the moon to a Broadway show. Keep reading and it will all make sense! Don’t forget to follow the hashtag #FridayFive on social media to see what others are sharing from their week.

1. We’re kicking off this week’s #FridayFive with the photo above featuring work on South Mountain Freeway set against the backdrop of Arizona’s amazing skyline. The Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway is already more than 35 percent complete, but construction will ramp up even more this year. The latest updates are available on the project’s Facebook page and at SouthMountainFreeway.com.

2. While our cameras usually only see traffic, we occasionally spot animals or great sunsets on our cameras. If you weren’t up early enough on Wednesday morning to catch the Super Blue Blood Moon, our high-definition traffic cameras captured it and we shared it on our social media pages.

3. The MVD is testing expanded hours in 11 communities across the state and will open at 7:30 a.m. We took a Facebook poll and most of you were in favor of the expanded hours. For those of you who aren’t early risers, many MVD transactions can be conducted online at ServiceArizona.com.

4. We hope you’ve marked your calendar and will join us next week in Tucson for a public meeting on the Interstate 10 and Houghton Road interchange. The meeting will focus on the proposed replacement of this traffic interchange. It begins at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8, at Empire High School.

5. “Hamilton,” the hit Broadway musical, debuted at ASU Gammage earlier this week. You might be wondering what a Broadway show has to do with transportation. We used this opportunity to tie transportation safety to a local event and remind drivers to be safe on the roads. The signs spawned the hashtag #ADOTaMusical on Twitter and even caught the attention of the Hamilton creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda.

By Caroline Carpenter / ADOT Communications

"Hamilton," one of the most successful Broadway musicals ever, opened at ASU Gammage last night. The show made a splash on Broadway and on ADOT’s social media sites. In case you missed it, Hamilton-themed freeway message boards were a hit with our followers.

Thanks to all of your tweets, "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda even took notice of our signs. Many on Twitter offered their own puns and a few asked for a job with ADOT. Fans even came up with the hashtag #ADOTaMusical.

Our Twitter Moment below gives you a quick rundown of some of the tweets we received and the signs that kicked off hundreds of retweets and nearly 2,000 "likes."

Hamilton heads off-Broadway and onto ADOT message boards

By Doug Pacey / ADOT Communications

When it comes to posting traffic safety messages on overhead signs, we often look for opportunities to craft messages related to pop culture or local events.

So, when the biggest Broadway musical in decades arrives in Arizona, we were not throwing away our shot at the opportunity to engage motorists in making safe decisions behind the wheel.

Across Arizona today, about 100 Dynamic Message Signs will display a safety message related to “Hamilton,” the international hit that today begins a four-week run at ASU Gammage in Tempe.

What message will be displayed on signs? Wait for it, wait for it…

Travelers on Arizona’s highways will see the message “TALK LESS // DRIVE MORE,” on overhead signs throughout the state. #Hamilfans will certainly understand the reference, while others may see it as a simple anti-distracted driving request.

In addition to that message, we are sharing three others that we liked, but won’t appear above state highways.

What comes next? Be our right-hand man and encourage your friends and family to make safe choices when driving.