I-10

Governor Ducey, ADOT Advance $230 Million In New Transportation Investments Statewide

Governor Ducey, ADOT Advance $230 Million In New Transportation Investments Statewide

Governor Ducey, ADOT Advance $230 Million In New Transportation Investments Statewide

February 18, 2021

PHOENIX — Governor Doug Ducey today announced $230 million in new transportation infrastructure investments that will enhance highway safety and meet the demand of new residents moving to Arizona.

“Despite the pandemic, Arizona’s economy is strong and families and businesses continue to relocate here in record numbers,” said Governor Ducey. “Now is the right time to use our state and federal dollars to make investments that create jobs, modernize our infrastructure, and improve highway safety."

The funding comes from transportation dollars, including higher than anticipated revenue amid Arizona’s strong economic recovery, and federal COVID-relief funds.

The projects include:

$33 million to rebuild and widen the Gila River Bridge on Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson, paving the way for a full expansion of I-10 between the two cities;
$41 million to widen U.S. Route 93 north of Wickenburg;
$40 million to add capacity to Interstate 17 north of metro Phoenix; and
$117 million to improve more than 600 highway lane-miles across the state.

The funding plan is in partnership with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and follows formal action last week by ADOT’s Priority Planning Advisory Committee. The proposal now will go before the State Transportation Board for consideration at its Feb. 19 meeting.

The I-10 Gila River Bridge is the first step in completing the widening of a key commerce corridor between Phoenix and Tucson. The project will rebuild and widen the I-10 bridge to three lanes in each direction over the Gila River and open opportunities to further widen I-10 in both directions. That project will start construction in 2022.

Road improvements will address rough conditions on more than 600 lane-miles of highways around the state, with nearly 400 of those lane-miles located in rural counties. These 19 projects are expected to be complete in 2022 and will reduce long-term maintenance costs and enhance safety.

“This funding plan outlined by Governor Ducey and ADOT prioritizes Arizona’s most immediate transportation needs and opens opportunities for future expansion,” said State Transportation Board Chairman Steve Stratton, who represents Pinal, Gila, and Graham counties. “I look forward to working with my fellow board members to put this plan to work.”

The projects will be funded with $150.3 million of COVID-19 relief monies allocated to the state and $80 million in state transportation funds, including revenue that exceeded earlier revenue projections. As part of the plan, Maricopa County and Pima County regions will receive $31.3 million for transportation investments through the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Act.

“ADOT is an agency focused on getting everyone Safely Home. That’s not just something we say; it’s our true north as a department,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “These projects—enhancing mobility on I-10 and creating lasting improvements to some of our highways statewide—underscore that commitment to the public and meeting their needs. These projects will support continued economic growth and are designed to address some of our most pressing transportation needs.”

Arizona’s population grew by nearly 120,700 people from July 2018 to July 2019, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released in December 2019.

Funding from the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Act is part of a $900 billion stimulus plan approved by Congress in 2020.

Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Awards Announced

Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Awards Announced

Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Awards Announced

February 1, 2021

PHOENIX - The Arizona Department of Transportation has been honored by the Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Award Committee for excellence shown in a number of infrastructure and other projects statewide in 2020.

These awards recognize transportation partnership teams that show a high degree of achievement by using partnering principles and processes related to the transportation industry.

Partnering is a formal process of collaborative teamwork to achieve measurable results through agreements and productive working relationships. The formal process includes a team charter, mission, goals and guidelines. An issue resolution process is developed along with action plans, evaluation methods, meeting follow-up and reporting.

ADOT is being recognized for the following:

Roadway under $5 million:

Fann Contracting, ADOT, Stantec Consulting Services for reconstructing the access road system of the Grand Canyon National Park Airport.

Roadway $5 million to $25 million:

Fann Contracting, ADOT for SR 64 Pipeline Road to Air Park Project
Fann Contracting, ADOT for US 93 Eleventh Street - Windy Point
FNF Construction, ADOT, City of Flagstaff for I-40 Fourth Street Underpass & Butler Ave TI Overpass
Sunland Asphalt & Construction, City of Chandler, Ritoch-Powell & Associates, Kimley-Horn, MakPro Services, Roadway Electric, LLC for Queen Creek Road Improvements

Roadway over $25 million:

Coffman Specialties, Federal Highway Administration, Union Pacific Railroad, ADOT for I-10 SR 87 to Town of Picacho
Pulice Construction, ADOT, AECOM for 101 Price Freeway Improvement Project

Other transportation infrastructure under $5 million:

Fann Contracting, ADOT for I-40 Haviland Rest Area Truck Parking Expansion

The Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Awards are sponsored by Arizona Department of Transportation, Arizona Chapter Associated General Contractors of America, Arizona Public Works Association, American Council of Engineering Companies, Associated Minority Contractors of Arizona, Arizona Transportation Builders Association, Federal Highway Administration and Maricopa County Department of Transportation.

In Tucson, a wider Houghton Road bridge starts coming into view

In Tucson, a wider Houghton Road bridge starts coming into view

In Tucson, a wider Houghton Road bridge starts coming into view

By Garin Groff / ADOT Communications

January 25, 2021

We’ve been sharing plans for a new and much wider Houghton Road bridge at Interstate 10 in Tucson for some time now, but we know it may have been hard to picture exactly what we’ve been talking about.

No more. Take a look at this aerial shot and you can see the new bridge is wide - even wider than the interstate below.

This photo from early January shows only the girders of the new bridge, as it doesn’t have the concrete deck on top of it yet. Once the deck is completed later this year, it will accommodate six lanes of traffic rather than the two lanes on the existing structure. It’s all part of a $24.4 million interchange replacement project to improve safety and traffic flow in this rapidly growing area southeast of downtown Tucson.

You probably also spotted that the photo shows sections of concrete that will form the new ramps. They’re being built in stages, so drivers should expect periodic changes as traffic is gradually shifted onto larger sections of the new ramps through the rest of 2021. Through the rest of the project, occasional nighttime closures are possible on the ramps as well as on Houghton Road.

However, drivers should expect periodic overnight lane restrictions on I-10, including this week. Each weeknight, crews will reroute one direction of I-10 up and over the entrance and exit ramps. The other direction of I-10 will be reduced to a single lane. Houghton Road will remain open, but expect delays of up to 15 minutes. The work is scheduled from 9:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. as crews work on bridge piers and abutments.

Drivers can expect to take advantage of the new bridge and ramps by the end of 2021.

And a reminder: The Houghton Road interchange will be the first diverging diamond interchange in southern Arizona. To learn more about that kind of interchange or the project as a whole, please visit azdot.gov/i10Houghton.

Back To ADOT Blog

Road Trip Recipes: Salt River Pretzel Bites

Road Trip Recipes: Salt River Pretzel Bites

Road Trip Recipes: Salt River Pretzel Bites

By John LaBarbera / ADOT Communications

January 13, 2021

Greetings, hungry travelers!

The holidays are but a memory and wintertime has settled in once again. Good portions of our state will experience snow and frigid temperatures for the foreseeable future. Heck, even the low 40s that folks see in Phoenix and Tucson this time of year can be downright bone-chilling for desert dwellers.

So how about staying inside and whipping up something warm and scrumptious to enjoy while wrapped up in a cozy blanket on your favorite couch and/or futon?

For this edition of Road Trip Recipes, we are proud to present: Salt River Pretzel Bites!

We’ll get to the recipe in just a moment. First, let’s talk a little bit about its namesake.

The Salt River travels close to 200 miles between Maricopa and Gila counties. It ends as a tributary of the Gila River near Tolleson, but we can follow it back northeast as it winds through man-made reservoirs such as Theodore Roosevelt Lake. We can keep going quite awhile until we reach its formation at the confluence of the White and Black rivers in the White Mountains. It’s that spot, known for huge salt deposits, that give the Salt River its name.

Now, you may be thinking, “Well, all that is absolutely fascinating. But what does it have to do with transportation?”

We’re glad we assumed you asked!

The Salt River lends its name to some very important pieces of ADOT infrastructure.

Namely, the Salt River Bridge. In fact, there are several of them!

In the Phoenix metro area, you’ll find a Salt River Bridge on Interstate 10 between the I-17 "Split" interchange and University Drive. The current iteration of the bridge opened in 1986; it’s nearly a quarter mile long and carries millions of drivers over the often dry riverbed each week. You'll also find a Salt River crossing on both the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway and the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway. The latter's bridges, spanning the river just west of the Loop 101 Pima Freeway, are the longest in the entire state!

There’s a Salt River Bridge on State Route 288 too. You’ll find it just north of the junction with State Route 188 near Roosevelt Lake. This one was built a solid 100 years ago in 1920 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. You can see that in the photo to the right.

That leads us to US 60. This highway finds itself going over the Salt River about halfway between Globe and Show Low. But the interesting thing is, there are TWO Salt River Bridges there! The first one was built in 1934 and funded by the New Deal’s Public Works Administration. It’s now restricted to pedestrian traffic only and can be found on the National Register of Historic Places. The modern bridge opened in 1996 and is a striking shade of rose, adorned with beautiful symbols commemorating the Native American communities in the area. That's the beautiful piece of architecture you see at the top of this post.

Close by this bridge pair you’ll find the Salt River Canyon Rest Area. Not just a place for personal hygiene, this rest area offers pleasant views of the Salt River. Walk down a few steps and you’ll find picnic tables on which you can enjoy a quick meal while overlooking the water. In 2014, the Salt River Canyon Rest Area received a major renovation, including the addition of solar panels that now power the facility.

Now, let’s make some pretzels!

Salt River Pretzel Bites

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups warm water
1 packet instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
4 cups flour
9 cups water (for baking soda bath)
½ cup baking soda (for baking soda bath)

Topping Options:

Coarse sea salt
Everything bagel mix
Cinnamon sugar

Prepare:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the yeast together with the warm water. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk in the salt, brown sugar, and melted butter.
Add flour, one cup at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon until dough forms.
Knead dough for 3 minutes and shape into a ball. Cover with a slightly damp towel and allow to rise for 10 minutes.
Combine water and baking soda into a large pot. Start bringing to a boil. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400°F. Line baking pans with parchment paper and coat with nonstick spray.
Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 6 equal sections. Roll each section of dough into 1 inch ropes. Cut the rope every 1 ½ inches with the pizza cutter, forming your bites.
Drop 8-10 pretzel bites into the boiling water at a time for 20 seconds. Retrieve bites with a slotted spoon and drain as much water as possible. Spread onto your prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with the topping of your choice.
Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe should yield about 100 bites. Pretzels can be stored for up to three days in an airtight container. Serve with a dip of your choice!

Back To ADOT Blog

2020 brings first-of-its-kind dust detection and warning project

2020 brings first-of-its-kind dust detection and warning project

2020 brings first-of-its-kind dust detection and warning project

December 14, 2020

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.

Overnight restrictions, delays begin Dec. 14 at I-10/Houghton Road

Overnight restrictions, delays begin Dec. 14 at I-10/Houghton Road

Overnight restrictions, delays begin Dec. 14 at I-10/Houghton Road

December 9, 2020

PHOENIX – Motorists who use the Interstate 10/Houghton Road interchange in Tucson should expect overnight delays for about two weeks starting Monday, Dec. 14, as crews place girders for the new Houghton Road bridge.

During the work, I-10 traffic will be routed up and over the entrance and exit ramps while crews place the girders above one direction of the highway at a time. The 26 concrete girders, which are 120 feet long and weigh 55 tons each, are lifted off truck beds and hoisted into place with a crane.

Motorists should plan for delays during the work, which is scheduled between 9:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. each night. The work will require rerouting one direction of Interstate 10 at a time. Houghton Road will remain open, with delays of about 15 minutes near the ramps.

During the work, drivers should consider alternate routes that include Rita Road and Colossal Cave/Wentworth Road.

The work is part of a $24.4 million project to replace the two-lane Houghton Road bridge with a new diverging diamond interchange that features a six-lane bridge across I-10. The project began in August and is expected to be completed in late 2021.

Motorists should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment. Law enforcement will direct traffic through the intersection during work.

For more information, please visit azdot.gov/i10Houghton.

Do you know how Arizona remembers this infamous day?

Do you know how Arizona remembers this infamous day?

Do you know how Arizona remembers this infamous day?

By David Rookhuyzen / ADOT Communications

December 7, 2020

Today is the day.

On this date 79 years ago, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service bombed the surprised naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. One of the battleships sunk that day was the USS Arizona, which was irrepairably damaged when one of the bombs exploded in its magazine. The explosion caused the ship to go down with 1,177 souls still on board. It's the remains of the Arizona which you can still see today if you visit Pearl Harbor.

But you probably already knew that. After all the attack on Pearl Harbor drew the United States into the Second World War, and most can recite the rhetoric used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt's in his speech to Congress the next day, where he declared December 7th, 1941 as "a date which will live in infamy."

However, maybe we can share some things you might not have known about the attack on Pearl Harbor. For instance, did you know Roosevelt's line in his speech was actually a last-minute change? As you can see in this draft of the speech, the line was a hand-written edit, replacing the still true, but softer "a date which will live in world history."

Did you also know that you can catch a glimpse of the USS Arizona without leaving the state? If you visit Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza, directly east of the Capitol Building, you'll find a number of memorials to veterans, including Navajo Code Talkers and Vietnam veterans. And among these are one of the USS Arizona's two masts, a 14-inch gun barrel from its deck and one the ship's anchors – which weighs 16,000 pounds!

Finally, did you know that I-10 west of Phoenix is named in honor of those who died at Pearl Harbor? You may have, as we told you about it in a post from a couple years ago. In brief, the state legislature passed a resolution in 1995 declaring that stretch of I-10 to be the "Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway." And just to tie everything together, the first highway sign to go up on I-10 displaying the name was originally unveiled 25 years ago today, near the mast, gun and anchor in Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza.

But if you don't feel like traveling right now to see reminders of Pearl Harbor, you are in luck. You can catch a glimpse of the mast, gun and anchor – as well as the other memorials – in these slideshows that an ADOT photographer took during separate events honoring veterans at the plaza a few years ago. It is one way we can help observe this infamous day.

Back To ADOT Blog

Interstate 10 ramps reopen at Houghton Road after reconstruction

Interstate 10 ramps reopen at Houghton Road after reconstruction

Interstate 10 ramps reopen at Houghton Road after reconstruction

November 18, 2020

PHOENIX – Two ramps on the east side of the Interstate 10/Houghton Road interchange in Tucson have reopened, restoring full access to drivers as the Arizona Department of Transportation makes progress on a project to rebuild the interchange.

Motorists are now able to use the eastbound on-ramp from Houghton Road to I-10 and the westbound exit ramp from I-10 to Houghton Road. The ramps closed in late August for reconstruction.

The new ramps, along with new bridge piers for the future Houghton Road bridge, are the most significant improvements to date on a $24.4 million project to improve safety and traffic flow in the rapidly growing area east of downtown Tucson.

The new interchange will be an innovative design called a diverging diamond, a configuration where traffic on Houghton Road will make a temporary shift to the left side of Houghton Road while crossing the freeway. This allows for left turns onto entrance ramps without waiting at an additional traffic signal. This design promotes safety because drivers turning left don’t cross traffic while entering the on-ramp.

The new Houghton Road bridge will feature six lanes of traffic, compared with two lanes on the existing structure. Also, the project will improve access for pedestrians and bicyclists.

The two ramps on the west side of the interchange will be rebuilt without extended closures, as ADOT has developed a construction plan that allows those ramps and the new bridge to be constructed with only occasional nighttime closures.

The project is scheduled for completion in late 2021.

More than 115 diverging diamond interchanges are in use in the U.S. as of mid-2020, including a full diverging diamond interchange that opened at Interstate 17 and Happy Valley Road in Phoenix this month.

For more information about the project and diverging diamond interchanges, please visit azdot.gov/i10Houghton.

Eastbound I-10 traffic switching to new lanes this weekend

Eastbound I-10 traffic switching to new lanes this weekend

Eastbound I-10 traffic switching to new lanes this weekend

November 12, 2020

PHOENIX – Drivers heading from Marana toward downtown Tucson will begin using the new eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 at Ruthrauff Road this weekend.

Beginning Friday evening, Nov. 13, crews with the Arizona Department of Transportation will begin moving eastbound traffic to the new eastbound lanes as part of a nearly two-year project to rebuild the I-10/Ruthrauff Road interchange. The traffic shift is expected to be completed the morning of Saturday, Nov. 14.

The I-10/Ruthrauff Road interchange project, which remains on schedule and approaching the halfway point, will add a lane in each direction to I-10 and a bridge to carry Ruthrauff Road over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. The improvements will allow traffic to move more smoothly through the area while enhancing safety.

Westbound I-10 traffic is tentatively scheduled to switch to the new eastbound pavement the night of Friday, Nov. 20.

ADOT will maintain three lanes of travel in each direction until the project is completed in late 2021. When the project is finished, I-10 will have four lanes in each direction and Ruthrauff/El Camino del Cerro will have two lanes in each direction. Also, reconstructed frontage roads will connect to the elevated interchange.

ADOT is overseeing the $129 million project, which began in early January. Ruthrauff/El Camino del Cerro will reopen across I-10 in summer 2021, with work continuing through the year to connect frontage roads and ramps. ADOT is maintaining access to area businesses throughout the project.

The project is part of the Regional Transportation Authority’s roadway improvement plan, managed by the Pima Association of Governments.

For more information on the project, please visit azdot.gov/RuthrauffTI.

Dust detection and warning system tracks its first season

Dust detection and warning system tracks its first season

Dust detection and warning system tracks its first season

By Kim Larson / ADOT Communications

November 4, 2020

With its first monsoon season under its belt, data shows that ADOT’s innovative dust detection and warning system works as designed.

Monsoon 2020, however, was not the most robust weather event, jokingly dubbed a ‘nonsoon.’

“It was a mixed blessing,” said David Locher, resident engineer for the project. “Less dust storms is obviously a good thing when it comes to driving conditions; however, we didn't have the normal weather events that would have been ideal for data gathering in our first season.”

There was one 20-minute event that provided measurable data. At one point during that storm, visibility dropped to less than 300 feet, triggering the speed limit to drop to 35 mph, which happens incrementally. How did drivers react to the warning system? The loop detectors showed that the average vehicle was driving about 45 mph, a big drop from the normal 75 mph limit.

“We do know that the system is working — it is doing what it’s supposed to,” said Kevin Duby, statewide road weather manager. “Our next step is to take the data we have to evaluate and determine the efficiencies of the system to improve performance.”

Often debilitating, dust storms in the area between Tucson and Phoenix have been a safety concern for several years. A study from 2010 and 2015 detailed how traffic was impacted along that Interstate 10 corridor, showing 83 dust-related crashes with more than half of them occurring within about a half-mile of each other.

The 10-mile area between mileposts 209 and 219 was identified as the focus of safety efforts. In 2016, ADOT, Arizona Department of Public Safety and National Weather Service staff, as well as vendors and contractors, began creating a system to help Arizona drivers be better equipped to deal with dust storms. Nothing of this nature existed so it was a momentous undertaking and would require substantial funding. A Federal Highway Administration grant was secured to help fund the $72 million project, which also included widening I-10 and improvements to the State Route 87 traffic interchange.

X-band Radar 3 Long Range Dust Detection Sensor_051220_40

The dust-detection technology employed includes overhead message boards, variable speed limit signs, closed-circuit cameras and short-range detectors for blowing dust. In addition, a long-range weather X-Band radar dish is part of the system, sitting atop a 22-foot-tall pole at the SR 87 interchange that can detect storms more than 40 miles away. X-Band is frequency range from 8 to 12 gigahertz, which is most often used for civil, military and government radar applications such as weather monitoring, air traffic control, maritime vessel traffic control, defense tracking and vehicle speed detection for law enforcement. Its lower frequencies make this band suitable for the harshest weather conditions, providing exceptionally high link availability for weather-monitoring radar solutions.

Despite the literally dry run this year, the first-of-its-kind dust-detection and warning system has already received some impressive kudos. It received regional recognition in the 2020 America’s Transportation Awards contest in the Operational Excellence category. Sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and AAA. The National Weather Service (NWS) also named ADOT as a 2020 Weather Ready Nation Ambassador of Excellence, for upholding the shared mission of protecting life and property through proactive public outreach and hazard mitigation efforts, and specificially cited the dust detection system.

This perfect storm of technology was assembled for this project, and its impact will be measured more in depth as time goes on.

Back To ADOT Blog

Subscribe to I-10