Two public meetings in northern Arizona have been scheduled by the Arizona Department of Transportation to share the details of its plan to develop a network of electric vehicle fast charging stations along interstate highways in Arizona.

The first meeting is in Kingman and will be held on Tuesday, November 1st from 5-7 p.m. at the Mohave County Administration Building, 700 W Beale Street.

In Flagstaff, the meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 2nd from 5-7 p.m. at the Flagstaff Aquaplex, 1702 N Fourth Street.

This is an open house format without a formal discussion; a recorded presentation with study details will be shown throughout the meeting and study team members will be on hand to provide information and answer questions. 

Under the recently-approved plan funded through the federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program, Arizona’s Interstate highways including I-40, I-17 and I-15 in northern Arizona, will have improved or new charging stations placed in locations along the highway no more than 50 miles apart. That work is slated to begin in 2023. 

The goal of the federal NEVI program is to encourage adoption of electric vehicles by improving the accessibility, reliability and equity of clean transportation options.

For more information about the EV plan, additional ways to provide input including an online survey, as well as details on upcoming meetings throughout the state, visit /planning/transportation-studies/arizona-electric-vehicle-program

Arizona is one of the first states in the nation to have its Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan given the stamp of approval from the Federal Highway Administration. 

The Arizona Department of Transportation submitted its draft proposal in August and with the federal approval this week, $11.3 million will be made available immediately with another $16.3 million coming in October of this year to begin implementing the plan. This is a portion of the overall $76.5 million allocated for this program in Arizona over the next five years through the recently enacted federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) /planning/infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act. 

The next step for ADOT is to solicit and award the contracts to upgrade existing stations as well as develop new locations along designated alternative fuel corridors. Advertising for bids to upgrade existing stations will begin in spring of 2023 followed by bid solicitations in autumn 2023 for new construction. The plan calls for stations to be no more than 50 miles apart wherever possible. 

In many cases, stations will be located where there is already infrastructure in place, such as truck stops, roadside lodging, restaurants and shopping centers, among other possibilities. 

Currently, the alternative fuel corridors are identified as all six of the federal Interstate Highways throughout the state. These are Interstates 8, 10, 15, 17, 19, and 40 which account for more than 20 percent of all the vehicle miles traveled in Arizona. Other non-interstate corridors will be determined and included in the plan in future years. The plan will next be updated in August of 2023. 

Among the specific goals of the plan are reducing electric vehicle drivers’ “range anxiety” by closing gaps in the charging network along the designated corridors and ensuring the network is resilient, equitable, accessible and reliable. Also the plan aims to identify new charging locations as part of an ongoing public outreach process and will use data to evaluate the system and make improvements. 

A copy of the plan, more information, and contact information to leave feedback are available here: /planning/transportation-studies/arizona-electric-vehicle-program

KINGMAN – The Arizona Department of Transportation has submitted an application for a federal bridge grant that, if awarded, would allocate nearly $73 million toward the construction of the planned West Kingman Traffic Interchange that will provide a free-flowing connection between US 93 and Interstate 40.

If the grant is awarded, those funds would be added to state-matching funds and other federal funds to cover the estimated $160.7 million cost of construction. The grant is funded under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bridge Investment Program and would cover the bridge improvement portion of the new interchange.

The West Kingman Traffic Interchange, planned for construction in 2024, is a critical component of the highly traveled route between Phoenix and Las Vegas. The I-40 and US 93 area has regional and national economic significance due to the amount of goods that pass through the area.

The traffic interchange will improve safety, reduce travel times, and improve reliability for people and freight moving between the fast-growing metropolitan areas of Phoenix and Las Vegas by establishing a seamless freeway connection.

US 93 between Wickenburg and Kingman is designated as the future Interstate 11. The West Kingman Traffic Interchange will play a critical role in laying the foundation for this future interstate that would connect Phoenix and Las Vegas. With the grant, ADOT will be able to move funds to address other transportation needs while ensuring the construction of the much-needed West Kingman Traffic Interchange goes forward as planned.

For more information, visit azdot.gov and transportation.gov.

FLAGSTAFF – As the Arizona Department of Transportation makes a final push to complete a pavement project on I-40 between I-17 and Walnut Canyon Road in Flagstaff, drivers should expect alternating lane restrictions and delays while traveling through the area.

Beginning Thursday, July 21, there will be alternating lane restrictions on I-40 throughout the 10-mile project area during daytime hours from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Drivers should expect delays of 30 minutes or more.

The lane restriction configurations will change over the next few weeks as crews complete paving along I-40. The lane restrictions are expected to last through mid- August. 

The paving project, which began in the spring of 2021, will create a smoother ride for drivers and fix years of winter weather damage to the road surface. In addition to replacing the pavement, work also includes making repairs to bridge decks along the 10-mile stretch and repairing guardrail as needed.

For more information, visit azdot.gov/I40WalnutCanyonRd.

FLAGSTAFF – The Arizona Department of Transportation has replaced the A-1 Mountain Road bridge in west Flagstaff ahead of schedule thanks to an innovative bridge construction method. The new bridge was opened to traffic Tuesday, June 7.

Crews used an accelerated bridge construction method known as a geosynthetic reinforced soil-integrated bridge system. Utilizing this method benefits drivers with a serious savings in construction time, allowing the project to be completed sooner than traditional methods. The A-1 Mountain Road bridge was demolished and replaced in a little over a month.

Crews will return later this month to put down final striping and roadway markings on the bridge. That process will require ramp restrictions.

ADOT first employed this innovative technique a few years ago when the agency replaced the Meteor City Road bridge over I-40 east of Flagstaff.

The $4.9 million project is located about 5 miles west of the I-17 junction along I-40.

For more information on the project, visit azdot.gov/i40-A1-Mountain.

KINGMAN – The Arizona Department of Transportation will perform pavement repair along a six-mile stretch of Interstate 40 in Kingman beginning Sunday, May 15.

East- and westbound I-40 will be narrowed to one lane in each direction from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. nightly from Sunday, May 15, to Saturday, May 21. The work will take place from Andy Devine Avenue to west of the Kingman city limits (mileposts 46-52).

Crews will mill down worn asphalt in certain areas along I-40 and repave those areas with new pavement creating a smoother ride for drivers.

Drivers should be prepared to slow down and use caution during construction. 

Since 2016, ADOT has replaced pavement on more than 90 miles of I-40 and repaired, upgraded or replaced 47 bridges along the corridor.

FLAGSTAFF – The Arizona Department of Transportation will demolish and replace the A-1 Mountain Road overpass along I-40 in Flagstaff in 40 days thanks to an innovative bridge construction method.

Crews will use an accelerated bridge construction method known as a geosynthetic reinforced soil-integrated bridge system. That means crews will create bridge abutments by putting in alternating layers of granular fill reinforced with synthetic material.

In order to replace the bridge, A-1 Mountain Road will be closed to all traffic over I-40 starting Monday, May 2.

During the 40-day closure, drivers will need to use the established detour route. Eastbound I-40 drivers wanting to exit A-1 Mountain Road will be detoured to Exit 191 to turn around and travel west to access A-1 Mountain Road. Drivers on A-1 Mountain Road who want to travel eastbound on I-40 will first travel westbound on I-40  and exit Hughes Avenue (Exit 185) to turn around and travel eastbound.

I-40 will also close overnight at the location of the bridge 16 times in each direction between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. during the 40-day closure so crews can demolish the current bridge and construct the framework for the new bridge. Traffic will use the off- and on-ramps to detour around the closure.

Utilizing this method benefits drivers with a serious savings in construction time, allowing the project to be completed sooner than traditional methods. In addition, a new bridge deck will be constructed using a polyester polymer concrete that can be placed and cured in a matter of days rather than weeks.

The closure is expected to be lifted by Friday, June 10.

ADOT first employed this innovative technique a few years ago when the agency replaced the Meteor City Road bridge over I-40 east of Flagstaff.

The $4.9 million project, located about 5 miles west of the I-17 junction along I-40, is anticipated to be completed by this fall.

For more information on the project, visit azdot.gov/i40-A1-Mountain.