We don’t know about you, but the Loop 303 improvement project sure has taught us lot about building a freeway …

So far, we have come to understand more about soffit fills and waste slabs than we ever thought possible. We’ve also learned quite a bit about false work and sand jacks, bridges, temporary bypasses, caissons and even dirt.

With the amount of work that’s been accomplished already, it’s hard to believe this is a project that got its start just eight months ago. Work is already about 30 percent complete and, as Sr. Community Relations Officer Kim Noetzel says in the video above, construction is on schedule to wrap up on time by the fall of 2013.

A little more about the project …

This six-mile phase stretches from US 60 (Grand Avenue) down to Peoria Avenue in the city of Surprise. When work is complete, motorists can expect a six-lane freeway with three general purpose lanes in each direction. This section of the project also includes the construction of three new bridges at Waddell, Cactus and Greenway roads.

ADOT and the contractor have worked to keep traffic flowing as work on the project moves forward … phasing of the project has helped with that, along with the construction of the temporary bypass used by crews to haul dirt.

“We have active construction going on adjacent to the existing travel lanes,” Noetzel said. “So we’ve been able to maintain two lanes of travel on Loop 303 and then, not far away, we’re actually building this new freeway.”

In upcoming months …

Commuters can expect work on the bridge at Waddell Road to finish sometime in June, with the Greenway interchange scheduled for completion sometime in August or September. Crews will begin on that Cactus interchange soon.

As the work progresses, we’ll continue to keep you updated … who knows what we’ll learn about next?

Work on the six-mile phase of the Loop 303 improvement project began just eight months ago and already crews have moved an amazing 1.5 million cubic yards of dirt!

But, they’ve done a lot more than that and next week we’ll show you a video chronicling the progress so far – this portion of the project (between Peoria Avenue and Mountain View Boulevard in Surprise) is about 30 percent complete and on schedule!

We won’t blame you if you see this green slope at the Loop 303 and US 60 (Grand Avenue) and think it's part of a St. Patrick’s Day stunt, but we promise this is no gimmick!

The mound of dirt is green for good reason, albeit one that has nothing to do with tomorrow’s holiday …

ADOT crews just seeded it with a wonderful mix of desert flowers and groundcover plant material.

The seed mixture is actually sprayed on and has an all-natural green dye in it. This dye helps whoever is doing the spraying make sure they get full coverage. In time, the dye will fade, so the slope won’t be green forever!

If we get some nice spring rains, we should see things blooming and growing on the slope in about 45 days.

About now, you might be wondering what this dirt mound is doing ... just sitting there. Maybe you're also asking why ADOT goes to the trouble of seeding slopes like this one.

Well, as part of the Loop 303 Improvement Project, crews had to excavate and haul about 150,000 cubic yards of dirt away from the roadway alignment south of US 60 so bridges could be built at Waddell and Cactus roads.

They hauled the dirt to this location just for the time being.

In the future when it comes time to build the interim traffic interchange at US 60 and Loop 303, this dirt will be used during construction.

But, by seeding it now ADOT is able to control dust. The vegetation that grows will cover the soil and prevent dust (landform graphics work in a similar manner). Seeding also helps prevent erosion.

So, even though there’s no St. Patrick’s Day connection, we’ll take this chance to wish you a little luck of the Irish anyway!

Last week we were asked on Facebook to provide an update on the Loop 303 project – specifically the bridge construction at Waddell Road.

We’re happy to oblige! We also are glad to report that the bridge construction is progressing as planned.

Crews are scheduled to pour the southbound stem walls this week and the northbound stem walls in early April. By the way, stem walls are supporting structures that join the foundation with the vertical walls built on the foundation.

With stem walls in place, crews will move onto deck work.

Interestingly, they’ll be forming “lost decks,” so named because the materials ADOT uses in the formwork will remain inside the bridge structure for the lifespan of the bridge.

Looking ahead, the schedule calls for deck pours in late April and, by May, drivers should see crews excavating the dirt mound that sits out there today.

That dirt mound actually plays a very important role: It’s a dirt soffit that is supporting the bridge structure during the construction process until the bridge can support itself.

Another look at the work being done near Waddell Road.

For this project, ADOT is using the dirt-soffit method – which saves both time and money – during bridge construction instead of the false work method that most people are accustomed to seeing.

The dirt-soffit method can be used because the bridges being built do not need to maintain traffic flow during the construction process.

The Waddell Road Bridge should be complete this summer and Waddell Road will re-open. Then, work will move a mile south to Cactus Road and repeat the process during bridge construction there. Fear not local motorists: We will not close Cactus Road until we have fully re-opened Waddell Road!

Stay tuned to the blog for more on the Loop 303 project ... next week we’ve got a video coming your way that helps explain how crews build a bridge from the ground up!

Remember this awesome time-lapse video showing the construction of a temporary bypass at Greenway Road and the Loop 303?

Well, today we’ve got an even more in-depth look at how crews built the new intersection – complete with temporary barriers, fences and traffic signals – in just about 43 hours! (Take a look at the photos below for an amazing before and after aerial glimpse of the new bypass!)

Having this new intersection/bypass in place is pretty critical for the rest of the work being completed on the Loop 303 (the project is in its second phase and stretches from Mountain View Boulevard to Peoria Avenue).

The temporary intersection not only helps motorists avoid the work zone, but the incorporation of an equipment pass-through will assist crews as they haul an estimated 75,000 loads of dirt away from the site to build the Greenway Road overpass.

“We started back in August working on this knowing that getting Greenway and the 303 relocated on the detour was going to set this project in motion,” Loop 303 Project Supervisor Mark Wheeler said.

Check out the video above and you’ll see that it took some real coordination to complete the work in such a short period of time (bonus points if you also see the lunar eclipse at about the 1:42 mark).

This photo is from December and shows the new bypass.

If you’ve been following our Building a Freeway series, you should be pretty familiar by now with much of the work that’s happening out on the Loop 303.

But we still have a lot to show you! In fact, there’s a significant part of the project we haven’t even touched on yet...

It’s the Loop 303/I-10 interchange and construction is just getting started.

When the project is complete in 2014, drivers can expect many improvements; including a freeway-to-freeway connection between Loop 303 and I-10 (it will look similar to the Loop 101/I-10 interchange in Tolleson and Avondale for those of you familiar with the West Valley).

Right now we’re in the first of four phases and a lot of the preliminary work being done is designed to help ease the commute for drivers once construction begins on the later phases. For example, new ramp interchanges will be built at Sarival Avenue and Citrus Road. Work on those starts in March, but should be finished this summer and the new interchanges will help motorists maneuver around more upcoming construction.

As the project progresses there are a few important sites you’ll want to check in on regularly …

• For updates and all things Loop 303.
• For details on how construction will impact you and your commute, check out the closures and restrictions page.

And, of course, stay tuned to the blog. We’ll continue to share important project information along with explanatory videos and blog posts!

The new year officially is here, but before we dive into 2012 we’re going to take a quick look back.

ADOT’s Public Information/Media Relations team came up with a great list of the state’s major transportation accomplishments from 2011 and we thought we’d share it here on the blog!

From new freeway openings to the approval of ADOT’s Long Range Transportation Plan, here's a look at some of the highlights …

Phoenix Area Freeways:

Loop 303 Opens

ADOT widened major stretches of Phoenix area freeways in 2011 and opened the first new segment of freeway to be built under the Maricopa Association of Government’s 20-year Regional Transportation Plan. Fourteen miles of Loop 303 were opened in May between Interstate 17 and Happy Valley Parkway in Peoria, allowing drivers for the first time to use Loop 303 to make the 39-mile trip between I-17 and I-10.

HOV Lane Additions

Drivers benefited from two accelerated projects to add High Occupancy Vehicle lanes along Loops 101 and 202. The final 30 miles of HOV lanes along Loop 101 between State Route 51 in north Phoenix and I-10 in Tolleson were opened in stages during the year and completed in November. Meanwhile, in the Chandler area, 12 miles of carpool lanes were completed this fall along Loop 202 Santan Freeway between I-10 and Gilbert Road.

I-10 Widening in West Valley

Another significant milestone was marked in August with the completion of ADOT’s three-year initiative to reconstruct and widen I-10 between Loop 101 and Verrado Way. Those projects modernized I-10, transforming what had been a limited highway with two lanes in each direction into a modern freeway that now provides as many as five lanes in each direction – including carpool lanes.

State Highway System:

Mescal Road/J-Six Ranch Road Bridge

Just over six months after a fiery crash damaged the Mescal Road/J-Six Ranch Road bridge, ADOT swiftly rebuilt the bridge to reconnect the Cochise County communities of Mescal and J-Six Ranch, which were separated by I-10 and depend on the overpass for convenient access to goods, services and neighbors. While the bridge was out of service, residents and workers in the Benson-area communities were required to take lengthy detours around I-10 to reach the other side of the highway. Federal Highway Administration emergency relief funds, a shortened time frame for designing the replacement bridge and a quick construction bid process all helped put the project on the fast track. A typical bridge construction project can take up to two years.

State Route 260 Widening

Continuing a decade-long commitment to expand the capacity of SR 260, ADOT completed a project to widen the highway starting 15 miles east of Payson from Little Green Valley to Thompson Draw. The $20 million project is the fourth of six projects to construct a four-lane divided highway from Star Valley to the top of the Mogollon Rim.

State Route 87 Improvements

ADOT fulfilled its commitment to complete SR 87 improvements before the Memorial Day weekend and in time for the busy tourism season in the Rim Country. The $11.8 million reconstruction and widening project included the addition of a third southbound lane to enhance safety and traffic flow along the uphill stretch during drives between Payson and the Phoenix area. The improvements were the latest in a series of projects during the last two decades to enhance travel on SR 87, which is now a divided four-lane highway between Mesa and Payson.

US 93 Widening Project

Shortly after ADOT completed a $71.3 million widening project on the US 93 approach to the new Hoover Dam bypass bridge in 2010, the first Desert Bighorn Sheep were spotted in February using one of the three wildlife crossings that were constructed to protect motorists and provide a safe crossing for the native animals. The project earned ADOT several honors this year, including the Arizona Chapter American Public Works Association Award, 2011 Public Works Project of the Year and FHWA’s 2011 Exemplary Ecosystem Initiative Award for the agency’s creative and innovative solution to balance motorists’ safety, while protecting wildlife and connecting ecosystems.

Hassayampa River Bridge Project

Just in time for the Fourth of July weekend, ADOT completed a $3.9 million bridge project over the Hassayampa River on I-10, approximately 40 miles west of downtown Phoenix. This area is a major route for travelers heading to and from California along I-10.

Overnight Bridge Demolition

On a late April night in southern Arizona, ADOT tore down two bridges in 10 hours – no small task. ADOT had already planned to remove the old Marsh Station bridge, which required a 67-mile overnight detour for motorists on I-10 east of Tucson. About three weeks before the demolition was set to occur, two semi trucks collided under the overpass at the Mescal Road/J-Six Ranch Road bridge. The bridge was badly damaged from the resulting fire and would have to be replaced.

Planning and Programming:

Long Range Transportation Plan

For more than two years, ADOT worked toward developing the state’s Long-Range Transportation Plan, a blueprint that looks 25 years into the future to determine how to plan for and fund transportation projects that keep up with Arizona’s needs. The State Transportation Board formally approved the Long Range Transportation Plan, also known as What Moves You Arizona, in November, allowing ADOT planners to move ahead with their work to develop a transportation system that will carry Arizona into the future. The award-winning program was nationally recognized for planning and involving the public.

Intercity Rail Study

In October, ADOT kicked off the public outreach phase of its intercity rail study. The study’s goal is to identify if there is a need for intercity rail along I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson. Over the course of a month, ADOT gathered information, data and comments. The agency will provide its findings to the public and to policymakers, so they can make an informed decision about how to move forward. ADOT is looking at all options, which include rail, transit—and the option to build nothing at all. The study will be complete in 2013.

Bicycle Safety Action Plan

As part of our public safety plan, ADOT is developing a Bicycle Safety Action Plan to help keep cyclists safe on Arizona’s highways. The goal is to reduce the number of bicycle crashes with motor vehicles and improve safety for both cyclists and drivers.  The goal of the Bicycle Safety Action Plan is to reduce the total number of bicycle crashes on Arizona highways by 12 percent by 2018.

Safe Routes to School

This year, nearly $3.5 million in grant funding was distributed by ADOT for 21 Safe Routes to School projects for schools and communities statewide. Eight of these projects, totaling $2.8 million, were designated for infrastructure improvements, such as the construction of sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes, signage and striping. An additional 13 projects, totaling $720,000, went toward non-infrastructure elements, such as providing bike helmets to students, safety education and law enforcement. All Safe Routes to School projects are designed to get kids walking or biking and adopt healthy habits.

Motor Vehicle Division and Enforcement and Compliance Division:

Motor Vehicle Division

MVD continued to improve the quality of customer service at MVD offices by shortening the wait times for the more common motor vehicle and driver license transactions, while serving over 3.5 million customers at MVD’s 54 offices or satellite/specialized offices in 2011 The average wait time per transaction was approximately 19 minutes, compared to over 45 minutes just five years ago. Throughout the year, MVD also provided transaction assistance to returning soldiers with the U.S. Army Intelligence Command at Fort Huachuca in southern Arizona. ADOT also launched several new specialty license plates, including the long-awaited Arizona Centennial plate.

Enforcement and Compliance Division

ADOT officers conducted Operation Bullhead, joint-agency commercial vehicle enforcement operation in Mohave County at the request of Bullhead City officials. ADOT officers recovered stolen vehicles identified during inspections. The enforcement division also created a Single Trip Overweight International Border Permit program for produce transporters out of Mexico and assisted local law enforcement with scrap metal yard investigations.

Other Accomplishments:

Grand Canyon National Park Airport

In June, the Grand Canyon National Park Airport, owned and operated by ADOT, began daily 737 airline service from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. Travelers can now book a flight on Vision Airlines out of Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon. The new service is the first step in a larger vision to make it easier for all tourists to visit the canyon. The Transportation Security Administration was also stationed at the airport this year, making it easier for airline companies to fly into the airport, since they no longer have to provide their own passenger screening.

Accommodating existing traffic is a key priority when ADOT builds a freeway …

Depending on the project, that can mean working out a construction schedule that takes rush hours into account or hiring extra crews to flag and direct traffic through the site.

But, on the Loop 303 project in the West Valley drivers will notice a new construction bypass that (amazingly) was built in around 43 hours this past weekend. The bypass will be in place for the next 10 months and not only will it allow for a more efficient way to haul dirt, but it’s also going to help drivers avoid the construction zone!

Building the bypass

Crews shut down the intersection at Greenway Road and the Loop 303 at 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9.

Roughly 8,000 cubic yards of dirt was hauled in from other parts of the project site to build up the road. That dirt was placed Friday night in eight-inch layers and was compacted until it was the right height for the bypass (see video above!). After that, the road was paved and striped on Saturday.

Prior to the weekend work, crews had built everything they could up until the point where the bypass would cross “live” traffic and require the closure. That required even more dirt – about 40,000 cubic yards.

Crews not only had to build the bypass, but also installed temporary concrete barriers, fencing, sidewalk and a traffic signal.

The traffic signal went in Saturday morning after the power was shut off to the “old” signal. The signal pole’s electric meter and pedestal were set to the new location and power was turned on. ADOT wired the signal Sunday morning and installed a common video detection device that will help with signal timing.

After some finishing touches, the bypass was ready and opened to traffic by about 5:15 Sunday evening – 12 hours ahead of schedule!

Before you can build a freeway, you’ve got to move a little dirt...

Make that a LOT of dirt, especially in the case of the Loop 303 project under construction right now in the West Valley.

Crews are working to construct additional lanes and plan to move about 3 million cubic yards of dirt by the time the project is finished. (By the way, a lot of work is planned for the Loop 303. The portion of the project we’re talking about runs from Mountain View Boulevard, south to Peoria Avenue.)

That much dirt translates to roughly 200,000 truck loads – and these are some big trucks (take a look at them in action in the video above).

Other projects may, or may not require this much earthwork. It depends on the road design and the original shape of the terrain.

Take the Loop 303 project for example...

Part of the freeway (starting slightly south of Greenway Road headed north) is going to be depressed ... in other words, freeway traffic will pass underneath the nearby local streets. The rest of the freeway (heading south of Greenway down to Cactus Road) is going to be elevated and will pass over local traffic.

So, parts of this project need to be dug out and other portions need to be lifted up. The dirt that crews dig out in some areas helps to build the overpasses in other spots.

If you’re lucky, it all balances out. Otherwise, purchasing additional dirt is an option. Or, if there is a surplus, the extra dirt often can be utilized in landscaping and to build berms.

Moving the dirt...

Before any digging can start, the dirt is pre-wet to make it easier to move and help with compaction and dust control.

After that, there’s some heavy-duty equipment that comes into play.

Typically, an excavator is used to dig up the dirt. The excavators being used on the 303 project have buckets that hold about seven cubic yards worth of material at a time. Those load onto something called a belly dump truck (see photo below).

Scrapers also are used to dig up the dirt. Depending on their size, scrapers can hold and transport about 14-18 cubic yards at a time.

Contractors have geotechnical reports that tell them the type of soil they’re going to be dealing with. Crews sometimes will run into rocky terrain on projects, which requires blasting.

Whether they need to blast or just dig, crews have to put the dirt somewhere...

If it’s being used on the project (as is the case with the Loop 303), the dirt is hauled to where it is needed.

It is dumped in 8-inch lifts (or layers) and is knocked down with a compactor and roller until it reaches the necessary compaction rate – again, this is where pre-wetting the dirt comes in handy.

Last month, as part of our Building a Freeway series, we told you about the massive underground support substructures that help give bridges strength.

Next up in the series is an important -- but temporary -- structure that’s used as crews build a bridge, tunnel or even a box culvert.

It’s called false work, and it is used to support the structure until the concrete gets its desired strength and the bridge can carry its own weight.

Imagine that you’re building a bridge out of popsicle sticks. Those sticks can’t support their own weight at first, so you might use some blocks to give it some support until your glue dries.

Those blocks are the basic equivalent to false work…

But now what happens when your bridge is complete and it’s time to take the false work out so you have a fully functioning bridge?

With the popsicle-stick scenario, pulling the blocks out might be pretty easy once your glue is dry. But with a large bridge or tunnel, it’s not so simple.

Because the false work is so tightly jammed up against the structure that it has been supporting, taking it down safely requires something called a sand-jack.

A sand-jack is a simple concept, but really is genius when you think about it …

Basically, it is a metal, square “box” (see photo below). It gets lined with plastic (to keep moisture out) and filled with sand. A ¾-inch piece of plywood goes on top of that sand and the false work is built on top.

Because the sand is contained, none of the weight is going to settle -- there’s nowhere for the sand to go.

Now, when it’s time to take the false work down, all crews have to do is unbolt the sand jack “box” and blow the sand out of it. That gives crews a few inches of “wiggle room” to pull out the false work.

To do that safely, they’ll first secure the false work with a forklift. Next they’ll carefully remove the false work structure, except for the “lid” (not a technical term, but the best word to describe this part of the false work).

The “lid” is the top, flat part of the false work over which the deck of the bridge or culvert is built. Just pulling out its support would be dangerous … so crews hold the lid up with the use of hydraulic jacks. The jacks will set on top of the concrete structure with long rods that run through the jack, through the concrete deck, and finally connecting to the false work lid. After the false work legs have been removed, the crews will slowly lower the false work lid to the ground (imagine a mechanic jacking up a car, but in reverse).

When the false work (including the lid) is all out, the bridge, tunnel or box culvert is ready to go! Check out the video above for a look at false work and sand jacks in action. The structure being built is a box culvert that will be used as an equipment pass through during construction of the Loop 303. We'll explain more about that one soon. Stay tuned...