PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation has added large “Wrong Way” signs on Interstate 17 bridges and other structures between the Interstate 10 “Stack” interchange and Loop 101, facing in the direction of potential wrong-way drivers.

That’s the same 15-mile stretch where ADOT is installing a first-in-the-nation wrong-way detection and warning prototype that uses thermal cameras.

Placing these “Wrong Way” signs, each measuring 8 feet by 5 feet, is another way ADOT is testing countermeasures to get the attention of wrong-way drivers on I-17.

Twenty-six of the signs, 13 in each direction, have been installed to face the wrong direction of travel along I-17. They are mounted above the left lanes of the freeway because research has shown that wrong-way drivers, most of whom are impaired, likely will be traveling in those lanes.

Measures already in use to get the attention of wrong-way drivers include larger, lowered “Wrong Way” signs at many freeway off-ramps in the Phoenix area as well as interchanges on other state highways. Crews also have added large white arrows with red reflectors on the travel lanes of dozens of exit ramps to point out the correct direction of travel.

ADOT’s pilot I-17 wrong-way vehicle alert system in Phoenix is scheduled to be fully operational early next year. Thermal cameras will detect wrong-way vehicles on I-17 off-ramps, alerting ADOT and the Arizona Department of Public Safety, posting warning messages to drivers traveling in the right direction along the freeway and activating an internally illuminated, flashing “Wrong Way” sign on the ramp as a way to get the driver’s attention.

PHOENIX – Sections of Interstate 17 in Phoenix will be narrowed to one lane during overnight hours this week for overhead sign work, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Drivers should allow extra travel time and be prepared to slow down and use caution when approaching and traveling through the following work zones:

• Northbound I-17 narrowed to one lane between Glendale and Dunlap avenues from 10 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday (Nov. 8) for overhead sign work. Please allow extra travel time and be prepared to slow down and merge safely in the work zone.
• Southbound I-17 narrowed to one lane between Loop 101 and Greenway Road from 10 p.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Thursday (Nov. 9) for overhead sign work. Please allow extra travel time and be prepared to slow down and merge safely in the work zone.
• Northbound I-17 narrowed to one lane between Greenway Road and Loop 101 from 10 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday (Nov. 10) for overhead sign work. Please allow extra travel time and be prepared to slow down and merge safely in the work zone.

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, by calling 511 and through ADOT’s Twitter feed, @ArizonaDOT. When a freeway closure or other major traffic event occurs, our free app available at ADOTAlerts.com will send critical information directly to app users in affected areas – where possible, in advance of alternate routes.

PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Transportation crews will be doing pavement preservation along a nearly 20-mile stretch of Interstate 17 near Cordes Junction early next week.

The project will require alternating lane closures in each direction along the interstate between Crown King and State Route 169. Work will take place on Monday, Oct. 30, and Tuesday, Oct. 31, between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Drivers heading through the area should budget extra travel time and expect delays while being guided through the alternating lane closures. The speed limit will be reduced to 55 mph.

Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen factors. For more information, please call the ADOT Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or email [email protected]. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511.

PHOENIX – Northbound Seventh Avenue remains narrowed to one lane at the Interstate 17 interchange in Phoenix, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Drivers should consider using other northbound routes in the area approaching downtown Phoenix, including Central Avenue and Seventh Street.

The northbound Seventh Avenue left turning lanes to the northbound I-17 on-ramp are closed. The southbound I-17 off-ramp also is restricted with one of two left turn lanes to northbound Seventh Avenue closed.

The restrictions are in place while ADOT prepares for future bridge repairs at the interchange. One of the I-17 bridge girders over Seventh Avenue was damaged Oct. 9 when it was struck by an over-height vehicle.

The I-17 bridge was inspected by bridge engineers who determined it is safe for freeway travel while repairs are scheduled.

PHOENIX – Northbound Seventh Avenue is narrowed to one lane at the Interstate 17 interchange in Phoenix, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Drivers should consider using other northbound routes in the area approaching downtown Phoenix, including Central Avenue and Seventh Street.

The northbound Seventh Avenue left turning lanes to the northbound I-17 on-ramp are closed. The southbound I-17 off-ramp also is restricted with one of two left turn lanes to northbound Seventh Avenue closed.

The restrictions are in place while ADOT prepares for future bridge repairs at the interchange. At least one of the I-17 bridge girders over Seventh Avenue was damaged when the bridge was struck Monday morning by an over-height vehicle.

The I-17 bridge was inspected by bridge engineers and it is safe for travel while repairs are scheduled.

PHOENIX – The first traffic restrictions required for the installation of a first-in-the-nation pilot wrong-way vehicle detection and warning system are scheduled this weekend at the Interstate 17 interchange at Indian School Road in Phoenix.

Preliminary work started in the past week on the Arizona Department of Transportation’s $3.7 million thermal-camera based project designed to immediately alert ADOT and the Department of Public Safety if a wrong-way vehicle is detected along a 15-mile stretch of I-17.

Indian School Road will be closed in both directions at I-17 from 9 p.m. Friday to noon Saturday (Aug. 19) for the mounting of thermal cameras, installation of fiber-optic cable and rewiring of control cabinets in the area. Both I-17 off-ramps at Indian School Road will be closed. Drivers should consider alternate routes, including Camelback or Thomas roads. Indian School Road traffic approaching I-17 will be required to make right turns onto the freeway’s frontage road or on-ramps.

Future restrictions will be scheduled at other I-17 interchanges between I-10 northwest of downtown and Loop 101 in north Phoenix as the installation project advances over the next few months. No restrictions will be scheduled over the Labor Day holiday weekend. Following installation and testing, the system will be fully operational by early next year.

Work on the I-17 wrong-way vehicle alert system started a month sooner than estimated because ADOT pre-ordered some of the materials, including thermal cameras and fiber-optic cable, earlier this summer rather than wait for a contractor to purchase those items.

The system will use thermal cameras to detect a wrong-way vehicle along an off-ramp, initially triggering an illuminated wrong-way sign with flashing lights aimed at getting the attention of the wrong-way driver.

The system also will immediately alert ADOT and DPS that a wrong-way vehicle is detected while warning other freeway drivers in the area through overhead message boards. On the freeway, additional cameras will signal when a wrong-way vehicle passes to help State Troopers plan their response. That response right now usually begins with 911 calls from other motorists.

The I-17 pilot system will speed notification, but it can’t prevent wrong-way driving, which in most cases involves impaired drivers. ADOT and its partner agencies, including DPS and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, continue to study other potential countermeasures to reduce the risk from wrong-way driving.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation is proposing a diverging diamond interchange to replace roundabouts at the Interstate 17/Happy Valley Road interchange as a way to provide efficient and safe traffic flow for a growing area of north Phoenix.

A diverging diamond interchange has one major difference from standard diamond interchanges common around Arizona: Local street traffic makes a temporary shift to the left side while crossing the freeway, allowing for direct left turns onto entrance ramps without waiting at an additional traffic signal.

In examining options, ADOT determined that a diverging diamond interchange would be better able to manage the growing volume of traffic at Happy Valley Road and reduce the amount of time drivers spend waiting at traffic signals. It also enhances safety by reducing the number of points where directions of travel conflict.

More than 80 diverging diamond interchanges have been constructed in 29 states since 2009.

ADOT’s I-17 project also will include reconstructing the I-17 interchange at Pinnacle Peak Road, still as a traditional diamond interchange but with increased traffic capacity.

ADOT will host an informational meeting about the project the evening of Tuesday, July 25, with staff members available to answer questions:

• What: ADOT meeting on I-17 interchanges project
• When: Tuesday, July 25, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (formal presentation at 6:30 p.m.)
• Where: Goelet A. Beuf Community Center, 3435 W. Pinnacle Peak Road, Phoenix

Building a diverging diamond interchange at Happy Valley Road also will have less of an impact on local businesses and commuters, since traffic will continue to use the existing interchange while most of the construction work is taking place. The project will replace the two roundabout intersections that have been in use at the Happy Valley Road interchange since 2001.

ADOT continuously seeks innovative approaches to enhance safety and improve traffic flow, and the diverging diamond configuration is one of the tools available as interchanges are built or upgraded. Diverging diamond interchanges also will be built at two locations along the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway: Desert Foothills Parkway and 17th Avenue.

The updated Regional Transportation Plan managed by the Maricopa Association of Governments, the regional transportation planning agency, provides funding for a project to reconstruct the I-17 interchanges at Happy Valley and Pinnacle Peak roads, scheduled to start as soon as fall 2018.

ADOT designs and constructs Phoenix-area freeway improvement projects based on the 20-year Regional Transportation Plan approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004.

Note: An ongoing Federal Highway Administration project will close State Route 89A south of Flagstaff between the Vista Point Overlook and JW Powell Boulevard on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings at 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. the following morning. No daytime restrictions are planned July 1-4.

PHOENIX – During the Independence Day weekend, state and local agencies are focusing on keeping motorists safe and placing equipment and resources along heavily traveled highways to help move traffic should incidents occur.

Motorists will play key roles in keeping traffic moving, too, by making smart driving decisions that won’t result in serious crashes that ruin road trips and create travel delays.

The Arizona Department of Transportation urges drivers to use caution over the holiday weekend in existing work zones and in three “holiday travel corridors” that will receive extra enforcement and resources to minimize travel delays.

In an effort to reduce crashes and delays that result from speeding and driver inattention, speed limits will be lowered during peak holiday travel periods on a winding stretch of Interstate 17 north of Phoenix.

ADOT will reduce speed limits by 10 mph Friday, June 30, on northbound I-17 between New River and Sunset Point Rest Area. Speed limits on the same stretch of southbound I-17 will be reduced by 10 mph on Tuesday, July 4.

Temporary signs will advise drivers of the lower speed limits. For example, areas where the speed limit is ordinarily 65 mph will have a speed limit of 55 mph. Throughout the long weekend, temporary electronic signs will remind drivers how fast they are going.

By obeying speed limits, driving safely and not allowing impaired persons behind the wheel, travelers can reduce the chance of serious crashes that often create long travel delays and close highways. In 2016, 14 fatal crashes occurred during the holiday weekend – alcohol played a role in eight – that killed 16 people.

As they have during recent major holiday weekends, ADOT and the Arizona Department of Public Safety are emphasizing safety in three high-traffic zones: Interstate 17 between north Phoenix and Flagstaff, Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson, and State Route 87 between Mesa and Payson. Along those routes, ADOT crews will strategically stage equipment, such as loaders and utility trucks, to minimize travel delays with faster response times to crashes and stalled vehicles.

DPS will focus on preventing three leading causes of traffic deaths: speeding, impaired driving and lack of seat-belt use. The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is working with state troopers, police officers and deputy sheriffs on a holiday DUI enforcement campaign.

Travelers should be aware that existing work-zone restrictions with lane reductions will remain in place. This includes a 30-mile stretch of I-40 east of Kingman and I-40 near Twin Arrows.

Because unexpected delays can occur due to crashes and stalled vehicles, drivers are encouraged to:

• Pack extra drinking water and snacks.
• Avoid the busiest travel times, if possible.
• Get plenty of rest before driving.
• Check vehicles, including tire pressure, belts and fluid levels.

As summer temperatures soar, so does the potential of brush fires and wildfires occurring. Travelers can minimize the risk of fires along Arizona roads by not parking or driving in dry, tall grass; making sure trailer chains are secured and not dragging and emitting sparks; and never throwing cigarettes out the window.

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Traveler Information Center at az511.gov, by calling 511 and through ADOT’s Twitter feed @ArizonaDOT.

PHOENIX – A $3.7 million project to construct a first-in-the-nation thermal detection system, which will detect wrong-way vehicles and alert the other drivers and law enforcement of them on Interstate 17, was approved Friday afternoon by the State Transportation Board.

Last week, Governor Doug Ducey instructed the Arizona Department of Transportation to accelerate the construction of this system in light of recent wrong-way crashes, which resulted in Friday’s vote.

Construction of the thermal camera pilot system is expected to begin this fall on I-17 from I-10 to Loop 101. ADOT is exploring ways to begin construction even sooner. Full installation will take seven months, and the performance of this pilot will guide further expansion.

The system will take a three-phase approach when a wrong-way vehicle is detected: alerting wrong-way drivers so they can self-correct, warning right-way drivers and notifying law enforcement.

Once operational, the system will use thermal cameras, warning signs for wrong-way drivers and advisories for right-way drivers along a 15-mile stretch of I-17. In addition, the system will automatically focus highway cameras on the wrong-way vehicle and send automated alerts to the Highway Patrol, helping troopers intercept vehicles faster.

On freeway ramps, wrong-way vehicles will trigger alerts, including illuminated signs with flashing lights, aimed at getting drivers to stop. The system will immediately warn other drivers through overhead message boards as well as law enforcement. Cameras in the area will automatically turn to face the wrong-way vehicle so traffic operators can better track it. On the freeway, thermal cameras placed at one-mile intervals will signal when a wrong-way vehicle passes so State Troopers plan their response and get out in front of the wrong-way driver, providing a faster response.

While ADOT and the Arizona Department of Public Safety respond quickly to reports of wrong-way drivers, most incidents begin with 911 calls from other motorists. The advantages of this system begin with automatically alerting ADOT and DPS to wrong-way drivers at the point of entry and getting State Troopers to wrong-way vehicles faster.

This system can reduce the risk, but it can’t prevent wrong-way driving.

Phoenix-area freeways safely move hundreds of thousands of vehicles every day. When crashes do occur, research demonstrates that more than 90 percent of the time, the collision is the result of driver behavior – like speeding, reckless or distracted driving, or driving while impaired. Wrong-way crashes fit this pattern.

Beyond a detection system, coordination with the Arizona Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement is necessary to stop and intercept wrong-way drivers before they enter the highway system.

ADOT also continues to study new technologies that promote highway safety for all users, including tools for detection, tracking and notification of wrong-way drivers.

Following Friday’s action by the State Transportation Board, the project now requires approval from the Maricopa Association of Governments Regional Council.