Partnering

Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Awards Announced

Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Awards Announced

I-17 101 traffic interchange

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.

 

ADOT, partners helping reduce risk of catastrophic wildfires

ADOT, partners helping reduce risk of catastrophic wildfires

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ADOT, partners helping reduce risk of catastrophic wildfires

ADOT, partners helping reduce risk of catastrophic wildfires

May 8, 2019

By Tom Herrmann / ADOT Communications

For many, the Wallow Fire of 2011, the largest wildfire in Arizona history, is becoming a distant memory. The fire, which burned from late May until early July, consumed more than 538,000 acres in eastern Arizona and western New Mexico and forced evacuations in a number of communities.

The Arizona Department of Transportation and others concerned about the health of Arizona’s forests and infrastructure have not forgotten, and we’re doing something to reduce the chances of a repeat.

ADOT partnered with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, the Eastern Arizona Counties Organization and others to launch the Healthy Forest Initiative. To help clear small trees and vegetation that can fuel catastrophic wildfires, the initiative allowed timber industry trucks to carry heavier loads – 90,800 pounds, compared with a statewide limit of 80,000 pounds – on designated roads in eastern Arizona.

We shared recently that the Healthy Forest Initiative is taking another step forward, with logging industry trucks allowed as of Jan. 1, 2020, to carry up to 91,000 pounds if they add a sixth axle to their vehicles. That additional axle, usually a third axle located at the rear of the trailer, will spread out the weight and reduce the potential damage to Arizona roads and bridges. The photo atop this post shows the configuration being used in another state.

The larger loads make it possible for timber companies to continue helping to reduce the risk of large fires. In addition, the area covered by the Healthy Forest Initiative, originally the forest between Payson and the New Mexico, has been has been extended west to Camp Verde and north to Winslow and Holbrook.

The Healthy Forest Initiative also boosts eastern Arizona’s economy and helps protect the watershed.

Most of what we do at ADOT involves things you would expect, like building roads and maintaining bridges. But protecting Arizona’s special environment is important to us too.

Four ADOT projects receive Partnering Excellence Awards

Four ADOT projects receive Partnering Excellence Awards

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Four ADOT projects receive Partnering Excellence Awards

Four ADOT projects receive Partnering Excellence Awards

May 1, 2019

PHOENIX – To address pavement damage from many harsh winters, the Arizona Department of Transportation engaged a contractor to rebuild a total of 10 miles of Interstate 40 west of Williams near Devil Dog Road. In addition to the complexity of removing and replacing 5 miles of freeway in each direction, challenges included minimizing impacts on travelers and communities while finishing as soon as possible around a winter hiatus when the weather made work impossible.

ADOT and Fann Contracting Inc. navigated these challenges along with others that weren’t anticipated, such as weather, fire restrictions and unsuitable and unstable soil conditions, to deliver the improvement on time while maintaining two-way traffic throughout. Contributing to this success was a defined process called partnering through which the agency, contractors and stakeholders including area governments and utilities agree to goals, a communication structure and a way to resolve issues that arise.

For its efforts on this $34 million improvement, which was completed last fall, the project team, including ADOT personnel and Fann Contracting, recently received an Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Award. The I-40 Devil Dog award, one of nine given at the Arizona Conference on Roads & Streets in Tucson, was for projects worth more than $25 million.

Each year, the Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Awards recognize teams of contractors and other organizations that have used partnering to foster productive relationships and successfully complete projects through communication, commitment, cooperation and continuous improvement. In addition to ADOT, the awards are sponsored by the Associated General Contractors Arizona Chapter, 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.

The Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Awards for 2018 honored three other ADOT projects:

  • For projects worth more than $25 million: ADOT and Ames Construction Inc., I-19 Ajo Way traffic interchange
  • For projects between $5 million and $25 million: ADOT and Nesbitt Contracting Co. Inc., State Route 88 improvements between Apache Junction and Tortilla Flat
  • For projects under $5 million: ADOT and Fann Contracting, I-40 Twin Arrows traffic interchange

“Successful partnerships reduce delays, develop positive and effective relationships and help partners identify and solve problems as quickly as possible,” said Michael Carter, ADOT partnering administrator. “Partnering allows ADOT to deliver projects on time and cultivate better working relationships with contractors and stakeholders.”

In 1991, before its partnering program began, ADOT faced 60 legal actions resolved through mediation, arbitration or litigation at a cost of $39.8 million. Today, almost no disagreements over projects give rise to legal actions involving stakeholders, and an ADOT legal team that once handled those actions no longer exists.

To learn more about partnering at ADOT, please visit azdot.gov/Partnering.

ADOT among Flagstaff-area agencies honored for smoothing snow-play traffic

ADOT among Flagstaff-area agencies honored for smoothing snow-play traffic

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ADOT among Flagstaff-area agencies honored for smoothing snow-play traffic

ADOT among Flagstaff-area agencies honored for smoothing snow-play traffic

April 20, 2019

By Ryan Harding / ADOT Communications

This past winter, those who headed to play in the snow along US 180 had less congestion to worry about thanks to a now-award-winning partnership several northern Arizona agencies including ADOT.

This partnership, consisting of the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (NAIPTA), Coconino County, Arizona Snowbowl, city of Flagstaff, U.S. Forest Service and ADOT, received the Partnership of the Year award at the 2019 Arizona Transit Association and ADOT Excellence Awards for their efforts to address heavy congestion US 180 has seen after winter storms.

ADOT issued a grant to the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority to look for solutions for the US 180 backups northwest of Flagstaff. At the same time, Coconino County formed a task force between the agencies and another made up of area residents to brainstorm ideas.

Working with both task forces and gathering data to discover the actual impact of the congestion, NAIPTA formulated a plan to provide free bus rides for people from Flagstaff to Snowbowl with Mountain Express bus service and using Flagstaff High School’s parking lot as a park-and-ride location.

The result: fewer vehicles on US 180 heading toward Snowbowl and other snow-play areas.

“This was a great example of different agencies coming together to pool their resources to solve a problem,” said Jill Dusenberry, ADOT transit manager (at far left in the photo above). “Our partnership resulted in a more enjoyable trip for those coming to play in the snow.”

The award ceremony took place earlier this month during the Arizona Transit Association/ADOT Annual Transit Conference held in Mesa.

No "I" in team or in ADOT Partnering

No "I" in team or in ADOT Partnering

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No "I" in team or in ADOT Partnering

No "I" in team or in ADOT Partnering

April 12, 2017

Partnering Award

By Caroline Carpenter / ADOT Communications

They say there’s no “I” in team. ADOT takes this saying to heart when it comes to construction projects.

Twenty-five years ago, ADOT came up with a structured partnering program for the many groups involved in projects – contractors, ADOT engineers, consultants and local officials. Partnering is a formal communication program that creates team goals so everyone involved can work together successfully.

In 1991, conflicts during the construction process cost ADOT nearly $40 million. Since then, the ADOT partnering program has nearly eliminated legal action, saving taxpayers many millions of dollars in legal fees.

“Partnering provides tools to help resolve issues in a more productive way,” ADOT Partnering Administrator Bonnie Opie says. “The techniques used in partnering can also improve communication in your personal relationships and when working with groups outside of work.”

Each year outstanding partnering teams are recognized with the Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Award. Twelve teams showing a high degree of achievement through their use of partnering principles and processes were presented with the award.

Roadway (Under $5 Million)

  • ADOT I-10 Deck Park Tunnel Drainage Improvements - J. Banicki Construction Inc., Arizona Department of Transportation, City of Phoenix, Technicoat Management, Insituform, Metro Traffic Control, Recon Inc., Civiltec Engineering Inc.
  • ADOT I-17 McGuireville Rockfall Containment Project - Fann Contracting Inc., Arizona Department of Transportation, Gannet Fleming, The Ground Level Co., Adams Contracting Inc., RGG United Contractors Inc.
  • ADOT I-40 Kingman - Ash Fork Hwy US 93 - Silver Springs Road - Fann Contracting Inc., Arizona Department of Transportation,
  • ADOT Williams - Grand Canyon Cameron SR 64 - Grand Canyon Airport Road to FS Road 328 - Fann Contracting Inc., Arizona Department of Transportation Parsons Brinckerhoff, Town of Tusayan, U.S. Forest Service, Grand Canyon National Park – South Rim

Roadway ($5 Million to $25 Million)

  • Pima County DOT Valencia Road (Mark Road to Wade Road) - Achen-Gardner Construction LLC, Pima County Department of Transportation
  • ADOT San Luis - Yuma - Quartzsite Highway (US 95) International Border to Juan Sanchez Blvd Haydon Building Corp., Arizona Department of Transportation Southwest District, City of San Luis, Yuma County, Huitt-Zollars, Core Engineering Group
  • ADOT SR 264 Cross Canyon to Summit Sunland Inc., Asphalt & Seal Coating, Arizona Department of Transportation, Consultant Engineering Inc. (CEI)
  • ADOT I 15 Virgin River Bridge No. 6 Pulice Construction Inc., Wadsworth Brothers Construction (Pulice-Wadsworth JV), Jacobs Engineering Group, Arizona Department of Transportation Bridge Group, Arizona Department of Transportation North Central District

Roadway (Over $25 Million)

  • ADOT US 60, Grand Avenue / SR 303Traffic Interchange - Haydon Building Corp., Arizona Department of Transportation, Stanley Consultants, Federal Highway Administration
  • ADOT US 89 – SR 64 to Little Colorado River - Vastco Inc., Arizona Department of Transportation
  • ADOT SR 202L (Red Mountain Freeway), SR 101L (Pima Freeway) to Broadway Road - Pulice-Granite Red Mtn JV, Arizona Department of Transportation, AZTEC Engineering Group Inc., Stanley Consultants Inc., WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff

Other Transportation Infrastructure (Over $25 Million)

  • City of Phoenix Sundt/Stacy & Witbeck Joint Venture, Northwest Light Rail Extension - Sundt/Stacy & Witbeck Joint Venture, AECOM, City of Phoenix, Valley Metro

Visit ADOT Programs and Partnerships to learn more about the process.

Partnership between ADOT, tribe will improve safety along SR 260

Partnership between ADOT, tribe will improve safety along SR 260

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Partnership between ADOT, tribe will improve safety along SR 260

Partnership between ADOT, tribe will improve safety along SR 260

September 16, 2016

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation, White Mountain Apache Tribe and U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs are working together to remove trees considered hazards along the State Route 260 right of way through the eastern Arizona reservation.

In addition to reducing the risk of trees falling on the roadway between McNary (milepost 361) and State Route 273 (milepost 378), the project will reduce the accumulation of snow and ice during the winter by allowing more sunlight to reach the pavement. It also will make it less likely that vehicles leaving the highway will hit trees.

The work, which is currently underway and scheduled to last through Oct. 8, requires lane closures and the use of a pilot car between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down, and watch out for equipment and workers.

White Mountain Apache Timber Co. arranged for a contractor to cut the trees within 30 feet of the roadway, as called for by Federal Highway Administration guidelines. ADOT is providing traffic control, and the tribe will be able to use the trees for lumber and firewood.

ADOT program helps construction projects finish on time and on budget

ADOT program helps construction projects finish on time and on budget

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ADOT program helps construction projects finish on time and on budget

ADOT program helps construction projects finish on time and on budget

August 30, 2016

Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Award Winners

By Caroline Carpenter / ADOT Communications

In business, competing interests and a lack of communication can spell disaster for partnerships. Twenty-five years ago, ADOT found that these kinds of problems were leading to costly litigation and delays involving construction projects. In response, ADOT adopted a process called partnering.

We shared today how ADOT's partnering program has helped deliver projects on time and on budget with far fewer conflicts that can lead to mediation, arbitration or litigation.

Partnering provides a structured way for everyone involved in the project, from local officials to contractors to consultants to ADOT engineers, to communicate and work through issues. The stakeholders develop a communication structure and create team goals and a process for resolving issues.

In 1991, before the partnering program began, ADOT faced 60 legal actions resolved through mediation, arbitration or litigation at a cost of $39.8 million. Today, almost no disagreements over projects give rise to legal action.

Each year, teams of contractors and other organizations that have utilized partnering to foster successful relationships are recognized at the Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Awards. See today's news release for a list of 2015 winners.

There is a common theme we hear when talking to organizations involved in this process: Projects are more successful when partnering is used.

ADOT partnering program for stakeholders marks 25 years

ADOT partnering program for stakeholders marks 25 years

I-17 101 traffic interchange

ADOT partnering program for stakeholders marks 25 years

ADOT partnering program for stakeholders marks 25 years

August 30, 2016

PHOENIX – Since 1991, the Arizona Department of Transportation has launched projects by engaging partners from contractors to municipalities to other agencies in a process of agreeing to what they want to accomplish, how they will communicate and how they will resolve disputes.

Known as partnering, this process helps deliver projects on time and with far fewer conflicts that can lead to mediation, arbitration or litigation costing both parties as well as taxpayers.

“Partnering is another way ADOT shows its commitment to continuous improvement,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “Through partnering, we constantly get and give feedback. This helps us improve on the next project, resulting in construction being on time and on budget, with the least amount of inconvenience for drivers.”

Partnering is a formal, defined process that begins with a workshop involving construction stakeholders including city and county officials, utility companies, contractors and ADOT employees. The stakeholders work on a communication structure and create team goals. This group also agrees on a process for resolving issues.

Once the project is underway, the stakeholders hold regular meetings to identify issues and develop action plans. They also participate in team-building exercises. As the project wraps up, the stakeholders will look at what went smoothly and what areas could be improved.

In 1991, before the partnering program began, ADOT faced 60 legal actions resolved through mediation, arbitration or litigation at a cost of $39.8 million. Today, almost no disagreements over projects give rise to legal actions involving stakeholders, and an ADOT legal team that once handled those actions no longer exists.

The success of ADOT’s partnering program has led many contractors to adopt ADOT’s model.

Each year, the Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Awards recognize teams of contractors and other organizations that have used partnering to foster successful relationships. These organizations are honored for using communication, commitment, cooperation and continuous improvement to successfully complete projects.

“When using the ADOT partnering model, quality, safety, productivity, issue resolution and teamwork naturally operate at a very high level because everyone is working together to achieve the most successful outcome for the project,” said Jason Fann, co-owner of Fann Contracting Inc., a 2015 winner for its role in a project to improve 4.7 miles of State Route 89 in Chino Valley. “I applaud ADOT for setting the bar high for other projects in Arizona to follow a similar process that makes building projects more enjoyable and with a better overall outcome.”

Joining Fann Contracting as honorees for that project were Prescott, Chino Valley, Yavapai County and Stanley Consultants Inc.

Among other 2015 honorees, Vastco Inc., the Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Forest Service and Gila County were recognized for a project that improved the roadway and bridges along Forest Highway 52.

“We have found that when everyone is mutually committed to accomplishing project goals, these goals are more likely to be achieved,” said Terrin Lane, a Tonto National Forest civil engineer.

2015 Partnering Excellence Award Winners

Roadway project under $5 million

  • Control Road, Houston Mesa Road and Reynolds Creek Bridges

Vastco Inc., the Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Forest Service and Gila County were recognized for providing safe travel on Forest Highway 52, which serves both forest and non-forest users throughout the year.

Roadway project $5 million-$25 million

  • US 89 landslide repair, MP 526-527 CMAR

    ADOT, FNF Construction, the Navajo Division of Transportation, AECOM, Kleinfelder, Rummel and Terracon were recognized for providing preconstruction and construction services to repair the roadway within the Navajo Nation in Coconino County.

  • Houghton Road, Irvington to Valencia roadway improvements

    Tucson, Hunter Contracting Co. and Psomas were recognized for widening the roadway from two lanes to six lanes and adding bike, pedestrian and drainage improvements.

  • SR 89 Deep Well Ranch Road – South Chino Valley limit

ADOT, Fann Contracting Inc., Prescott, Chino Valley, Yavapai County and Stanley Consultants Inc. were recognized for reconstructing 4.66 miles of two-lane highway into four-lane divided highway with roundabout intersections at both ends.

Other transportation infrastructure over $25 million

  • Terminal 4 south apron ASR reconstruction

Banicki, CH2M Hill and Phoenix were recognized for this design-bid-build project to replace a significant section of alkali-silica reaction-affected concrete at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

ADOT partnerships at work on I-15 Virgin River Bridge No. 6

ADOT partnerships at work on I-15 Virgin River Bridge No. 6

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ADOT partnerships at work on I-15 Virgin River Bridge No. 6

ADOT partnerships at work on I-15 Virgin River Bridge No. 6

January 12, 2016

Cooperation and partnerships are important on any big project, but maybe even more so on one like the I-15 Virgin River Bridge No. 6 rehabilitation.

The site’s remote location and the fact that there are limited alternative routes make collaboration crucial.

“ADOT tries to meet with local government and emergency responders on every project and talk about emergency access plans,” says ADOT engineer Adam Carreon. “Everybody knows what’s happening, everybody knows what our options are. We plan for any event and when something happens we all know what we’re doing.”

That planning paid off recently...

As you can see in the video above, the driver of a truck pulling a set of triple trailers through the work zone lost control of the third trailer – it tipped and fell against the median wall. After the driver pulled over, two of the trailers were still blocking the highway.

The ensuing coordination between the Department of Public Safety, ADOT and the contractor got traffic moving quickly and ultimately saved drivers from delays of about three hours.

Learn more on why partnering is valuable by checking out these previous posts. You can also find project details on our blog.

Partnering on the I-15 Bridge No. 6 Project

Partnering on the I-15 Bridge No. 6 Project

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Partnering on the I-15 Bridge No. 6 Project

Partnering on the I-15 Bridge No. 6 Project

January 30, 2015
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Partnering is a valuable concept for ADOT and, as you can see in the video above, it’s something that contributes to a successful project...

It gives everyone involved a chance to get together and determine goals, which not only sets a good course, but as a project moves forward, the partnering process leads the way through any conflict and helps the team evaluate progress.

“Partnering allows us to build relationships with our industry partners, our prime contractors, our subcontractors – making sure that everybody has the opportunity to give open and honest feedback and communicate with one another so we can resolve issues at the lowest level,” says Senior Deputy State Engineer Rob Samour in the video above.

After you finish watching the video, please revisit our previous partnering posts to learn more about the subject.