Public Comment

ADOT and FHWA renew environmental review agreement

ADOT and FHWA renew environmental review agreement

I-17 101 traffic interchange

ADOT and FHWA renew environmental review agreement

ADOT and FHWA renew environmental review agreement

December 20, 2023

Involves projects without significant environmental impacts

PHOENIX – The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Arizona Department of Transportation have renewed an agreement through which ADOT assumes FHWA’s authority for environmental reviews and determinations for certain types of projects.

Final approval of this Memorandum of Understanding, which follows a public comment period that began in October, continues an agreement known as Responsibility for Categorical Exclusions. Congress established the program to help streamline environmental reviews for federal-aid highway projects. 

The agreement, established in 2018 and renewed in 2021, involves federal-aid projects found to have no significant environmental impacts. It allows ADOT to determine, as defined under the National Environmental Policy Act, whether a project is categorically excluded from preparation of a more extensive environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement based on anticipated environmental impacts. Arizona is among eight states, including California and Utah, that currently have this authority.  

States must still comply with all requirements of the National Environmental Protection Act of 1969 (NEPA) and other federal environmental laws, regulations, executive orders and policies on all federal-aid highway projects their transportation departments administer.

Please visit azdot.gov/CE-Assignment to learn more about this agreement and review the final Memorandum of Understanding.

 

ADOT Communications and Public Involvement wins national awards

ADOT Communications and Public Involvement wins national awards

I-17 101 traffic interchange

ADOT Communications and Public Involvement wins national awards

ADOT Communications and Public Involvement wins national awards

November 3, 2023

Recognition among transportation agencies includes PR Professional of the Year

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation Office of Communications and Public Involvement has won four top awards from an organization representing state transportation agencies across the country. 

ADOT took home the honors during the recent annual meeting of TransComm, the communications committee for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), a national nonprofit group that represents and supports state departments of transportation. 

The winners were: 

TransComm PR Professional of the Year: Doug Pacey
As a public information officer and now Assistant Communications Director for Digital Communications, with responsibilities that include oversight of ADOT’s social media accounts, Pacey leads development of safety campaigns including the attention-grabbing messages that appear on digital message boards. He has spoken to TransComm and other regional and national groups about the effective use of humor in transportation communications.

Virtual Public Involvement: 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan
A broad cross-section of Arizonans, nearly 10,000 in all, provided input for this recently adopted blueprint and vision for ADOT’s priorities over the next 25 years. Virtual outreach included an interactive online survey; public meetings held via Zoom, telephone and a self-guided online meeting room that simulated a public meeting; a comprehensive website; online options that supplemented traditional methods for submitting feedback; and extensive notification of engagement opportunities, including digital ads, social media posts and email alerts.

Video Production-External: Sliding a Bridge – SR 79 at the Gila River
This narrated video showed how ADOT used an innovative approach to replace this key bridge in Florence by assembling the new structure next to the existing bridge and then sliding it into place. 

Transportation Event: I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project – Ready to Rubble 
A comprehensive communication plan, stakeholder tours and media event presented removing three Interstate 10 bridges, requiring a weekend closure, as “Ready to Rubble: The Ultimate Bridge Takedown.” In addition to information, photos and video shared through ADOT’s distribution channels, including this YouTube video, several media outlets provided live shots and other behind-the-scenes coverage.

ADOT Communications and Public Involvement supports projects and agency priorities through public involvement outreach, news media relations, safety communications, social media engagement, graphics and video production, website design and operations, internal communications, constituent services and more.

 

ADOT adopts 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan

ADOT adopts 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan

I-17 101 traffic interchange

ADOT adopts 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan

ADOT adopts 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan

October 20, 2023

Emphasizes repairing and preserving existing highway infrastructure

PHOENIX – Following approval by the State Transportation Board, the Arizona Department of Transportation has adopted the 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan providing a blueprint and vision for ADOT’s priorities over the next 25 years. 

The plan, which is not project-specific, sets transportation investment priorities for ADOT based on anticipated future revenues and system needs.

The State Transportation Board approved the update at its Friday, Oct. 20, meeting in Yuma.

A broad cross-section of Arizonans, nearly 10,000 in all, provided input on the plan. Their input made it clear that ADOT’s top priorities should be fixing roads and preserving and maintaining existing infrastructure, along with highway projects that address growth and improve highways in rural areas. 

The plan, which is updated every five years, is available for review at ADOT2050plan.com

 

ADOT recommends improvements needed to reopen 5 miles of SR 88

ADOT recommends improvements needed to reopen 5 miles of SR 88

I-17 101 traffic interchange

ADOT recommends improvements needed to reopen 5 miles of SR 88

ADOT recommends improvements needed to reopen 5 miles of SR 88

October 6, 2023

Plan is subject to funding availability, emphasizes safety and sustainability

PHOENIX – After extensive study and public input on the feasibility of reopening 5 miles of State Route 88 (Apache Trail) severely damaged by flooding and erosion, the Arizona Department of Transportation is recommending improvements estimated to cost $33.7 million that would be needed to restore access safely and sustainably. 

There currently is no funding identified for a project on this unpaved stretch east of the Phoenix area, though ADOT is seeking federal funding. The recommendation contained in ADOT’s Final Design Concept Report would be the basis for design and construction when future funding is identified.

“Subject to funds becoming available, we are proposing improvements that would reduce the chances of future damage from storms and enhance safety for motorists,” said Paul Patane, ADOT Multimodal Planning Division Director. “We understand State Route 88’s place in the hearts of many Arizonans and have a recommendation that prioritizes safety and responsible use of taxpayer dollars.”

SR 88 closed in 2019 between Fish Creek Hill Overlook and Apache Lake Marina Road (mileposts 222-229) when torrential rain onto the adjacent Woodbury Fire scar extensively damaged the gravel roadway and left a section blocked by boulders. The storm also damaged the drainage system, guardrail and bridge approaches and left unstable rock faces, creating safety issues and making the road vulnerable to additional damage and closures.

Funded by a legislative appropriation, the State Route 88 (Apache Trail) Study received comments from nearly 1,700 Arizonans, the majority of whom supported ADOT’s preferred alternative for reopening the roadway. ADOT’s recommendation was based on public input, as well as evaluation criteria including resilience, cost, feasibility, safety and potential environmental impacts of the improvements that include: 

  • chip sealing the road surface throughout the 5 miles;

  • widening the roadway to 15 feet in steeper areas;

  • adding rock bolts to potentially unstable rock faces and scaling to remove loose and overhanging rock;

  • increasing drainage capacity to accommodate accommodate 2.25 inches of rain in an hour; 

  • rehabilitating or repairing existing bridges; 

  • placing new concrete barrier for safety on steep sections; and 

  • adding pullouts, signs and other safety enhancements. 

Traveling between the East Valley and Roosevelt Lake, Apache Trail was built for construction of Theodore Roosevelt Dam, which was completed in 1911. Prior to closing in 2019, the stretch between Tortilla Flat and Apache Lake was used by an average of 232 vehicles daily.

ADOT has performed extensive work to restore access to and improve other damaged sections of SR 88 and made regular repairs when flooding has damaged areas that are open to traffic. Last year, ADOT reopened 1.7 miles west from Apache Lake to restore access to the Reavis Trailhead at milepost 227. An $18 million project is chip-sealing 11 miles between Apache Lake and SR 188 near Theodore Roosevelt Dam. Motorists can safely access Apache Lake and other points on the east side of the closure via SR 188. From the west, SR 88 is open to Fish Creek Vista facilities 9 miles east of Tortilla Flat, which has been accessible throughout via Canyon Lake. 

The next step in advancing a project in the stretch that remains closed would include conducting final design and an extensive environmental study. This would be required because this stretch is on an easement through U.S. Forest Service land. That process can be expected to take up to two years. 

ADOT has begun seeking federal funding to advance a project. This includes a pending application through the Federal Highway Administration’s Promoting Reliant Operations for Transformative, Efficient and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Discretionary Grant Program, seeking $3.6 million to be used for design and environmental study.

For more information on the study and SR 88, please visit azdot.gov/SR88Study.

Public invited to comment on renewing ADOT-FHWA environmental review agreement

Public invited to comment on renewing ADOT-FHWA environmental review agreement

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Public invited to comment on renewing ADOT-FHWA environmental review agreement

Public invited to comment on renewing ADOT-FHWA environmental review agreement

September 28, 2023

Input welcome through Oct. 30 on draft Memorandum of Understanding

PHOENIX – The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Arizona Department of Transportation are proposing to renew an agreement through which ADOT assumes FHWA’s authority for environmental reviews and determinations for certain types of projects.

A draft Memorandum of Understanding that would continue this agreement, known as Categorical Exclusion assignment, has been posted to the Federal Register and is available for comment until Oct. 30.

The agreement, established in 2018 and renewed in 2021, involves federal-aid projects found to have no significant environmental impacts. It allows ADOT to determine whether a project is categorically excluded from preparation of a more extensive environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement based on anticipated environmental impacts. Arizona is among eight states, including California and Utah, that currently have this authority.  

Congress established the program to help streamline environmental reviews for federal-aid highway projects. States must still comply with all requirements of the National Environmental Protection Act of 1969 (NEPA) and other federal environmental laws, regulations, executive orders and policies on all federal-aid highway projects their transportation departments administer.

You can learn more about Categorical Exclusion assignment, review the draft Memorandum of Understanding, and find out how to submit comments to FHWA at azdot.gov/CE-Assignment.

ADOT releases final Long Range Transportation Plan

ADOT releases final Long Range Transportation Plan

I-17 101 traffic interchange

ADOT releases final Long Range Transportation Plan

ADOT releases final Long Range Transportation Plan

September 20, 2023

State Transportation Board will review at its October meeting

 

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has released the Final 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan that provides a blueprint and vision for the state’s transportation system over the next 25 years. 

The plan, which is not project-specific, sets transportation investment priorities for ADOT and partner agencies based on anticipated future revenues and costs for improvements.

ADOT will present the final plan for consideration and action at the State Transportation Board’s Oct. 20 meeting in Yuma.

A broad cross-section of Arizonans, nearly 10,000 in all, took surveys, attended public meetings and shared comments through the public involvement process. Their input made it clear that ADOT’s top priority should be fixing roads and preserving and maintaining existing infrastructure, along with prioritizing highway projects that address growth and improve highways in rural areas. 

The final plan includes a projection of $69 billion in transportation revenues, including state, federal and regional funds, between 2026 and 2050, including funding from the new federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. It also points to anticipated transportation needs totaling $231 billion over that same 25-year period.

The plan, which is updated every five years with input from the public, is available for review at ADOT2050plan.com

 

ADOT to hold open house on port of entry road study in Douglas

ADOT to hold open house on port of entry road study in Douglas

I-17 101 traffic interchange

ADOT to hold open house on port of entry road study in Douglas

ADOT to hold open house on port of entry road study in Douglas

April 25, 2023

In-person meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 27

DOUGLAS  – The Arizona Department of Transportation is holding an in-person open house Thursday, April 27, to share information on a study evaluating alternatives for a connector road from the new Douglas International Port of Entry to State Route 80.

ADOT is conducting the study to recommend a preferred future roadway location and design that can safely accommodate commercial traffic, as there is no current paved roadway in place. 

The study area is about 4.5 miles west of Douglas and the existing Raul Hector Castro Port of Entry in Douglas. The area is in unincorporated Cochise County and bounded by SR 80 to the north, the international border with Mexico to the south, Brooks Road to the west and James Ranch Road to the east. Current land uses in the area include commercial, residential and vacant land.

The open house will provide an overview of the study and an opportunity for residents, businesses and other stakeholders to ask questions and provide comments.

The open house is scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 27, at the Douglas Visitor Center, 345 16th St. in Douglas. A brief presentation is scheduled from 5:15 to 5:30 p.m. 

The open house materials will be posted online for those who cannot attend the meeting. For more information, as well as to submit questions or comments, please visit AZDOT.gov/DouglasIPOERoadStudy.

You can be part of Feb. 10 online meeting about future of L-101/75th Avenue interchange

You can be part of Feb. 10 online meeting about future of L-101/75th Avenue interchange

SR24-1

You can be part of Feb. 10 online meeting about future of L-101/75th Avenue interchange

You can be part of Feb. 10 online meeting about future of L-101/75th Avenue interchange

By Doug Nintzel / ADOT Communications
February 8, 2021

I’m familiar with the 75th Avenue interchange along Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) in the northwest Valley. No, not because I live in the area. I have a friend who did and he always roped me into hauling off junk because I owned a pickup truck. He doesn’t do that anymore, but that’s another story.

It does let me set the stage for telling those of you with an interest in the Loop 101/75th Avenue interchange that on Wednesday, Feb. 10, ADOT will be hosting an online virtual public meeting about future changes at that location.

If you have interest and want to participate, the information is below. 

Changes won’t happen overnight. ADOT is in the study phase of preparing for a Loop 101 widening project between 75th Avenue and I-17, which currently is anticipated to start in 2025 when funding is available through the Phoenix area’s Regional Transportation Plan.

ADOT’s work to study three alternatives for changes to improve traffic movement at Loop 101 and 75th Avenue is related to the future freeway widening project. Options include creating a third southbound 75th Avenue left-turn lane for entering the eastbound Loop 101 on-ramp. The added traffic capacity would be designed to improve traffic flow.

Here’s how you can take part in the virtual Loop 101/75th Avenue public meeting on Feb. 10:

  • Wednesday, Feb. 10 from 6 to 7 p.m.
  • Join via a computer or smartphone with the link https://tinyurl.com/ADOT75AveTI. The meeting number/access code is 146 217 7610. The password is: ADOT2021
  • Join via telephone by calling 602.666.0783 and using meeting number/access code 146 217 7610

ADOT’s project team will present an overview of the project followed by an opportunity for participants to ask questions or provide comments. 

Information about the three alternatives being considered can be found online at the project website at azdot.gov/75thAveInterchange. Design options include changes affecting 75th Avenue, the eastbound Loop 101 off- and on-ramps at 75th Avenue, eastbound off-ramp at 67th Avenue and possibly the eastbound frontage road east of 75th Avenue.

If you can’t attend, the Feb. 10 meeting will be recorded and posted on the project website, which includes information about how to provide additional comments through Wednesday, Feb. 24. An online survey of the interchange options is also available at surveymonkey.com/r/75thAveInterchange.  

The project is being done in partnership with the Maricopa Association of Governments, the cities of Glendale and Peoria as well as the Federal Highway Administration.

And please, don’t ask me to haul stuff to the landfill. Thanks.

Virtual technology helping ADOT boldly go forward

Virtual technology helping ADOT boldly go forward

SR24-1

Virtual technology helping ADOT boldly go forward

Virtual technology helping ADOT boldly go forward

By David Rookhuyzen / ADOT Communications
June 23, 2020

If 50 years of "Star Trek" has taught us anything, it's that virtual communication is the wave of the future. Kirk, Spock, Picard, Janeway and all the rest are constantly using viewscreens, communicators and holograms to connect with people who might be worlds away. 

While we may still be a long ways away from teleporters and starships, during the current public health situation we are looking toward technology to continue offering training and services.

Road projects have continued to move forward during this time, which means ADOT had make sure the public could have plenty of input. As we told you about recently, with traditional public meetings a non-starter we used a virtual town hall format for some projects, such as the future improvements to the Interstate 40 and US 93 interchange. People were able to use their communicators – known in this century as cellphones – to call in and listen to the presentation. The meeting was also broadcast via two radio stations. The number of comments we received from this meeting rivaled those of a tradition in-person open house.

When it came to continuing our offerings to help small or economically disadvantaged businesses seeking federally assisted contracts, those too are now being done virtually. These businesses can now receive counseling or take advantage of other tools, such as our 21-week Business Development Program, completely online.

Back in April, ADOT's Border Liaison Unit launched a webinar for Mexican truckers to discuss emergency restrictions and exemptions for commercial vehicles using the state's ports of entry. This proved so successful that future webinars are planned that will incorporate material from the in-person safety training the unit has been doing since 2016.

This month we also held another session of our popular Construction Academy to help women, veterans, minorities and other disadvantage groups get the necessary training to get into a career in construction. The majority of particpants were able to receive the necessary classroom training through video conferencing and online construction

And the best part is that these virtual tools have proven popular and useful enough to help our communication and training efforts live long and prosper even after the need to socially distance ends.

The technology we are using may not be as cool as what you'd find on the bridge of the Enterprise, but it's still allowing us to boldy go forward in our continuing mission to better communicate and serve the drivers of Arizona.

Virtual technology moving ADOT forward on public engagement

Virtual technology moving ADOT forward on public engagement

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Virtual technology moving ADOT forward on public engagement

Virtual technology moving ADOT forward on public engagement

June 8, 2020

PHOENIX – With social distancing essential during the current public health situation, the Arizona Department of Transportation has turned to virtual gatherings to engage members of the public on highway projects and studies that affect them.

These virtual tools that have been so useful of late will provide new ways for ADOT to conduct public engagement into the future. 

One example of this approach is a recent virtual public hearing on the future I-40/US 93 traffic interchange in west Kingman. Seventy people called in to listen and provide their input on the project, while many others were able to listen with the meeting simultaneously broadcast on local radio stations.To date, 50 people have provided comments about the proposed interchange. These attendance and public comment numbers rival those of traditional, in-person public hearings.

“Perhaps the most important lesson we learned through this process is that virtual public involvement is possible,” said Tim Tait, ADOT communication director. “The public craves new and innovative ways to provide input on critical transportation projects.”

When the current public health situation has passed, ADOT will resume in-person public meetings and hearings, but virtual components will be used to involve even more people, such as those who live far away from meeting places and those who speak languages other than English.

“The virtual tools, like using telephone town halls, allow more people to participate and to engage in different ways,” Tait said. “That will only improve the quality and level of input we receive on projects, which will make our projects better for communities and the state.”

Public involvement, an essential part of planning for transportation improvements, is required in some cases under the National Environmental Policy Act. Different types of improvements call for different activities and actions to solicit input, but at its core this process seeks diverse viewpoints from stakeholders and uses them to inform decisions.

In addition to public meetings and hearings, ADOT is using virtual technology for its Construction Academy pre-apprenticeship training program, meetings delivering information on truck safety inspections to companies in Mexico and sessions helping disadvantaged business enterprises learn how to compete for federally assisted contracts. 

“At ADOT, we have always placed a premium on meeting the community 'where they are' to get the best, most diverse perspectives on proposed and upcoming projects,” Tait said. “In the end, we all benefit through greater participation and increased access to engagement opportunities.”