PHOENIX – As traffic demands continue to grow across the state, the Arizona Department of Transportation is becoming more efficient and innovative in operating and sustaining a transportation system that touches the lives of nearly every Arizonan.

In streamlining its overall structure, ADOT is shifting several core functions into the Transportation Systems Management and Operations Division (TSMO). The move allows ADOT to better manage current infrastructure while looking ahead to the use of emerging technologies that can enhance the mobility of people and products.

The TSMO Division includes a variety of traffic safety and operational programs, including roadway-safety improvements, traffic-signal systems, pavement conditions and crash response. It also includes technology used to manage congestion, such as ADOT’s growing network of highway traffic-flow sensors, overhead message boards and closed-circuit cameras operated from the agency’s Traffic Operations Center in Phoenix.

“Governor Ducey has challenged state agencies to adopt practices for daily improvement and this is one of our answers,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “By proactively maximizing the capacity of our entire system, our efforts stretch the investment taxpayers are making in transportation. By focusing on the whole system, rather than individual corridors, movement and safety are optimized along today’s and tomorrow’s highways, especially with emerging technologies that will move us into the future.”

Today’s safety improvements can be relatively simple. An example is adding large freeway-number decals along a travel lane to help guide drivers when they’re approaching another freeway. Synchronized traffic signals are another example. Tomorrow’s technological innovations likely include electronic variable speed limit signs that adjust to traffic conditions.

TSMO Division employees also are involved in coordinating agency resources when ADOT prepares and responds to winter storms like the recent ones that impacted much of the state. ADOT partners with other safety agencies to reopen any closed highways and get traffic moving again as quickly as possible.

The focus on efficiency includes ADOT’s recent move to consolidate the number of its engineering districts around the state from 10 to seven. The agency also has reduced its number of full-time employees from more than 4,500 in 2008 to fewer than 3,900 today. In an age of making the most of limited transportation funding, ADOT has joined the short list of state transportation departments that have made transportation system management and operations part of their organizations.

“We’ve understood for some time that you can’t just build your way out of congestion,” said ADOT Assistant Director Brent Cain, who leads the TSMO Division. “We’re evaluating all of our functions, as well as safety and operational processes, to determine new approaches and efficiencies to maximize the capacity of our existing highways and other infrastructure. We’ll be better prepared for the future, while working even more closely with the Department of Public Safety, local police and fire departments, emergency-response agencies as well as counties, cities and towns. The goal is to bolster the reliability of the current system while we add efficient future improvements.”

One of ADOT’s other divisions also is involved in the agency’s transition. It has taken on a new name. The former Intermodal Transportation Division, which designs, constructs and maintains the state’s highway system, is now the Infrastructure Delivery and Operations Division (IDO).

“Providing system reliability, while developing strategic improvements to our infrastructure is critical to Arizona’s economy,” Assistant Director for Infrastructure Delivery and Operations Steve Boschen said. “This name more accurately describes what our employees do on behalf of our customers. We focus on those who depend on our work to get them where they need to go. It really is about infrastructure delivery and operations.”

PHOENIX ‒ ­ With technology and innovation transforming how the Arizona Department of Transportation operates, the agency has launched an employee showcase highlighting projects and processes that improve safety and customer service ­­‒ and save time and money.

“There are simple things we are already doing that can be repurposed in a completely innovative way,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said.

Presentations featured at ADOT’s first iShare Innovation Showcase, held recently in Phoenix, included:

• Maintenance crews in northwestern Arizona are recycling pavement to make cost-efficient, long-lasting repairs to road surfaces.
• In the Phoenix metro area, ADOT employees have developed a retrofit kit to upgrade overhead digital message boards, improving energy efficiency and greatly extending the life of the signs.

The showcase examined other ways the agency is innovating, ranging from an online index of right-of-way documents for external customers to an anti-icing solution that crews handling winter road treatment and snow removal around Globe and the White Mountains developed as a readily available and cost-efficient alternative to a compound purchased from vendors.

“This showcase has shown the ingenuity of ADOT employees,” said Dr. Jean Nehme, director of performance management and research for ADOT.

Representatives from ADOT’s Northwest District shared how personnel based in Seligman championed the use of a pavement recycler. Experimenting with different types of oil to bind recycled pavement particles, they developed a way to repair large areas of pavement. The result: faster repairs and long-lasting patches that have greatly reduced the number of pavement repairs performed there.

In the Central District, serving the Phoenix metro area, ADOT personnel developed a kit to retrofit overhead message boards, many of them two decades old and having different specifications. In the past year, the kit has allowed maintenance crews to replace key parts of more than 20 message boards with components that are energy-efficient and easier to maintain. That’s extended the useful life of each sign by 15 to 20 years.

Halikowski said innovation is how business is done at ADOT.

“By looking at every process, every challenge, every opportunity, we find new ways to get our work done – saving time and conserving the taxpayers’ dollars,” he said.

PHOENIX – Technology is being implemented to enhance the Arizona Department of Transportation’s weight and equipment safety inspection process for commercial motor vehicles. ADOT Enforcement and Compliance Division enforcement services officers are utilizing Truck Screening Systems Technology to check for weight, permit and registration compliance at three rest areas located along Arizona’s Interstate highways.

The ADOT Truck Screening Systems technology starts with a standard advisory sign along the roadway placed about a mile and a half before the rest area entrance. That sign directs commercial motor vehicles to move into the right lane of travel. As the truck travels closer to the rest area, it drives over weigh-in-motion sensor technology embedded in the roadway, which determines the approximate vehicle weight. Simultaneously, camera images of the vehicle are captured to check the status of the vehicle registration, U.S. Department of Transportation number, fuel tax assessment and carrier safety records.

The camera technology does not measure or record vehicle speed and is not connected with any traffic enforcement for violations of the posted speed limit.

Through the use of the new technology, if a commercial motor vehicle is determined to be in violation of weight requirements according to federal or state regulations, it is directed by roadside digital message signs to pull into the rest area. Inside a section of the rest area, ADOT Enforcement and Compliance Division enforcement services officers will operate a temporary commercial vehicle inspection station where weight scale equipment is present in order to conduct a more in-depth inspection of the commercial vehicle.

This screening process directs the focus to noncompliant commercial motor vehicles. When the technology identifies commercial motor vehicles that are compliant with laws and regulations, those trucks are directed by the digital message signs to bypass the rest area, thereby saving time and money for motor carrier companies. The majority of commercial motor vehicles do operate in compliance and will not be required to stop at the rest area. That will result in more efficient weight and truck screening operations, increased safety and less traffic congestion in the rest areas during truck inspection projects.

The Truck Screening Systems Technology is installed at the McGuireville Rest Area along Interstate 17 between Flagstaff and Camp Verde, the Canoa Ranch Road Rest Area along Interstate 19 between Tucson and Nogales, and the Sacaton Rest Area along Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Casa Grande. The technology is fully operational only when a temporary Mobile Port Detail is being conducted at each rest area.

Even when a Mobile Port Detail is being conducted, the rest area facilities will be open and available to motorists.

ADOT’s primary goal is to provide a safe, efficient, cost-effective transportation system and to ensure commercial motor vehicles are operating in compliance for weight, permit and registration regulations. The ADOT Enforcement and Compliance Division enforcement services officers are all certified to conduct truck safety inspections according to the national standards established by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

PHOENIX – Steel rebar that strengthens concrete used in bridge construction can weaken from exposure to winter weather, requiring early replacement of bridge components. But using innovative materials can make bridges last longer and save money in the long term.

That was the message at an international presentation on innovative construction materials hosted by the Arizona Department of Transportation on June 22.

>Nabil Grace, dean and university distinguished professor at Lawrence Technical University, and Yoshiaki Yamamoto, deputy general manager of Japan-based Tokyo Rope, made the presentation to more than 50 engineers and state officials.

“Transportation departments have a responsibility to promote research and innovation to bring new technologies to the forefront,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “This is good for our economy and the taxpayers.”

The presentation encouraged engineers to consider using innovative materials that can make projects – and the government funds that often pay for them – go further, said Dr. Jean Nehme, director of Performance, Management and Research for ADOT.

“If we can be flexible and adopt new ideas, that can save taxpayer money in the long run by prolonging the useful life of the transportation infrastructure,” Nehme said.

Grace explained that rebar currently used to strengthen concrete can corrode when weather and de-icing materials create cracks in the concrete. Innovative carbon-fiber wires will not corrode and will therefore last longer, making them a better long-term investment despite a higher initial cost, he said.

Tokyo Rope was the first rope manufacturer in Japan when it opened in 1887. Since beginning to produce Kevlar rope in 1981, the company has developed rope using new fibers such as Technora, Vectran and Techmiron.

The Enforcement and Compliance Division of the Arizona Department of Transportation is more visibly known for its Enforcement Services, the unit that helps to ensure that commercial vehicles adhere to federal and state regulations. One of the primary goals is to improve Arizona’s ability to move people, goods and services in a safe, efficient manner through the use of education, enforcement and technology.

Enforcement Services is looking to implement virtual inspection stations at key rest areas. The state of the art technology will contain the ability to capture the axle and gross vehicle weight of the commercial vehicle in addition to the federal DOT number and license plate information. Immediately as the vehicle travels over the sensors, the system – which can be operated remotely or on-site – transmits the captured information to a central monitoring site in order to further the compliance of commercial vehicle weight, registration and permit requirements.

The unit implemented an Electronic Permit and Routing Operation system through a partnership with the motor carrier industry and the Arizona Trucking Association. The new tool, known as ePRO, provides an easier process for trucking companies and drivers to obtain more than 70 categories of permits 24/7 through the Internet. The online system provides immediate routing and roadway information along with eliminating the previous confusion of having multiple processes to submit applications, pay and receive permits.

The improvement of services will be furthered with the planned implementation of a Computer Aided Dispatch system. The system will improve the management of activity data, and facilitate timely retrieval of information to prepare detailed records. The program will increase safety of the ADOT officers by providing instant response to criminal justice inquiries, allow for the monitoring of the officer’s activity and location.

ADOT Enforcement and Compliance Division also includes the functions of the Office of the Inspector General. For 2015, there will be several improvements to how service is delivered by the division in the performance of state mandates.

The Office of the Inspector General conducts criminal and administrative investigations relating to agency operations, crimes involving fraudulent transactions with an Arizona title, registration or driver license along with violations involving licensed and unlicensed vehicle dealer operations.

OIG continuously works in partnership with numerous federal other state law enforcement agencies to investigate the problem of counterfeit identification created in foreign countries and made available online.

The Fraud Unit targets the illegal activities of criminal enterprises who steal the identities of victims, and manufacture fraudulent government documents and credentials. ADOT OIG and joint agency investigations into these criminal organizations have resulted in numerous arrests and charges ranging from computer tampering, forgery, fraudulent schemes, participating in a criminal syndicate, trafficking in stolen property, theft of means of transportation and illegal enterprise. These investigations have resulted in numerous criminal charges filed and arrests of those involved in the illegal activities.

The ADOT Enforcement and Compliance Division will continue its role for providing for a safer Arizona through enforcement of federal and state laws governing commercial vehicle operation, conducting administrative hearings on behalf of petitioners and performing criminal and administrative investigations.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation has pioneered the use of rubberized asphalt as an innovative method of using recycled tires to increase pavement durability and create smoother highways for motorists. Now ADOT will test a new method in roadway construction, called “intelligent compaction,” to improve efficiency and provide longer-lasting pavement that could potentially extend the life of roadways – saving the state time and money.

Compaction is one of the most important processes in roadway construction to achieve quality and uniformity of pavement materials, which in turn ensures long-term support, stability and strength. Conventional compaction equipment and processes can result in inconsistent pavement density, which can shorten the pavement life, leading to additional maintenance costs and subsequent repair projects that can be inconvenient to motorists.

On the other hand, intelligent compaction takes a modern approach through the use of special vibrating rollers – a piece of heavy equipment commonly used to pave roadways – equipped with an integrated measurement system, a map-based GPS, and an onboard display and computer reporting system. The intelligent compaction rollers allow crews to collect real-time information and create a more accurate picture of the project. If there are any compaction issues with the new pavement, they can be addressed immediately during construction.

This winter, ADOT crews will test this technology while making spot repairs along Interstate 40 east of Flagstaff. The data collected from the intelligent compaction components installed on a retrofitted roller will be used on a future pavement improvement project beginning next spring along a 14-mile stretch of Interstate 40 from Walnut Canyon to Twin Arrows (mileposts 204-218).

Potential benefits of using intelligent compaction, which ADOT will be investigating, include better quality control, increased productivity, reduced highway repair costs, fewer roller passes, fuel savings and improved long-term durability of the roadway. 

“Intelligent compaction is just one way ADOT is incorporating the latest technologies to protect Arizona’s $19 billion transportation system,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “Continued use and improvement of intelligent compaction technology will help keep drivers safe, improve the efficiency of the highway system and allow ADOT to be a high-performing organization at a time when funding for transportation is limited.”

Intelligent compaction is relatively new to the United States after it originated and proved successful in Europe and Asia. Recently, 12 U.S. states (not including Arizona) participated in a study on intelligent compaction in an effort to better understand this new process. The new equipment is now readily available for use across the country.

The federal transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), encourages the widespread use of innovative technologies and practices, including intelligent compaction. This allows state departments of transportation to increase the amount of federal dollars that can be used for the project, saving state funds for other projects.

In other words, ADOT will be able to use those state funds on other critical projects. For instance, on a $15 million project, such as the I-40 Walnut Canyon to Twin Arrows project, ADOT could save up to $750,000 to apply to other projects. 

This increase in federal funding is intended to offset a state’s costs for implementing the intelligent compaction technology. It costs construction contractors an additional $25,000 to $50,000 to add the new technology to each roller.

ADOT is responsible for maintaining a transportation system of approximately 7,000 miles of state highways.

PHOENIX – America's Transportation Awards presented a Best Use of Innovation award to the Arizona Department of Transportation for the Nogales Mariposa Port of Entry project completed in summer 2012. ADOT received the award during a presentation at the Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials annual meeting on Aug. 5 in San Francisco.

The Best Use of Innovation award recognizes innovative management techniques and use of technology.

The Nogales Mariposa Port of Entry received new technology to allow faster processing of trucks crossing the border, thereby improving overall traffic flow and processing capability at one of the busiest ports of entry in the United States. The project involved collaboration between ADOT, the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the U.S. General Services Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Arizona-Mexico Commission.

Upgrades included seven Slow Speed Weigh in Motion (SSWIM) scales, seven credential processing booths, and a larger building to accommodate more staff to process commercial truck permitting and issuance of citations.

The project cost $8.5 million and took a little more than six months to complete.

In addition to improvements at the port of entry, ADOT realigned and widened a portion of State Route 189 that runs adjacent to the port, further improving traffic flow in the area.

The America's Transportation Awards competition, co-sponsored by AAA, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), was launched in 2008 to recognize projects accomplished each year by state departments of transportation. The awards highlight the value that departments of transportation add to their communities.