PHOENIX – The shared goal of enhancing safety in work zones is getting a helping hand from a U.S. Department of Transportation grant recently awarded to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and the Maricopa County Department of Transportation (MCDOT).

ADOT and MCDOT will use the $970,000 Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) Demonstration Grant to strategically procure and deploy next generation freeway and arterial technology to help keep both motorists and workers safe in construction and maintenance work zones. Key outcomes for using this technology include improving highway and arterial roadway efficiency, safety, mobility and reliability through more effective management of work zones.  

“Safety has always been ADOT’s top priority, and new technologies are powerful tools to help us expand our efforts in work zones,” said Greg Byres, ADOT State Engineer and Deputy Director for Transportation. “This grant will help ADOT and MCDOT make work zones even safer for the public and road workers, while also giving drivers real-time information when it’s most needed.”

ADOT and MCDOT have both successfully deployed Smart Work Zone technologies during freeway and arterial roadway construction projects. The proposed technologies to be deployed with this grant are new devices and systems that have not been used in Arizona. This technology also can generate real-time data from devices in the work zone and provide it to transportation agency systems, which can then broadcast it through traveler information tools.

“MCDOT has been a leader in emerging, smart technologies for more than a decade,” said Jesse Gutierrez, MCDOT Director. “These new technologies not only promise the benefit of improved work zone safety, they also can deliver real-time traffic information to keep the public apprised of potential delays and when they should seek an alternate route.” 

Examples of potential smart work zone technology being deployed include: 

• Intelligent cones to transmit work zone data

• Intelligent cones to warn workers if a vehicle enters the construction area

• Emergency light alerts to warn travelers of construction and emergency vehicles

• Impact alert barricades

• Smart arrow boards with real-time traffic information alerts

• Smart rumble strips that are activated based on traffic flow to warn motorists to slow down

ADOT and MCDOT have selected four projects where the technology will deployed starting in 2023:

• ADOT’s project to replace the Interstate 10 Gila River Bridges in Pinal County

• ADOT’s project to rehabilitate pavement on State Route 86 in Pima County, between mileposts 90-105

• MCDOT’s project to improve the intersection of MC 85/91st Avenue

• Various MCDOT maintenance projects

About ADOT:

The Arizona Department of Transportation is a multimodal transportation agency focused on safety and serving the traveling public in one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions. ADOT is responsible for planning, building and operating more than 6,500 miles of state highways, thousands of bridges and the Grand Canyon National Park Airport. The agency also operates the Motor Vehicle Division, providing title, registration and driver-license services throughout the state.

About MCDOT: 

Maricopa County is the fourth-largest county in the nation, as well as one of the fastest-growing counties. The Maricopa County Department of Transportation is responsible for planning, designing, building, maintaining and operating roads in unincorporated Maricopa County. 

PHOENIX ‒ Keys? Check. Wallet? Check. But are you prepared for extreme heat should you encounter delays or if your vehicle breaks down? 

This is why the Arizona Department of Transportation has an Extreme Heat Road Kit available at azdot.gov/Severe-Weather. Even in a vehicle with air conditioning, it pays to consult this resource if you’re planning to travel in the next several days. 

Must-haves include a fully charged cellphone and a cooler with cold water for all passengers, including pets. But don’t stop there: ADOT’s Extreme Heat Road Kit suggests sun protection, such as sunscreen, an umbrella for shade, a wide-brimmed hat and loose-fitting, light-colored cotton clothing, should you have to exit your vehicle.

Keep your tank at at least three-quarters full. Running out of gas, especially in a remote location, is dangerous in extreme heat.

If your vehicle breaks down in extreme heat, call for assistance right away to reduce wait time, and run the AC. If the AC isn’t working, roll down all windows.

Here are other recommendations should you become stranded along the road:

• DRINK WATER. Make sure everyone, including pets, stays hydrated.

• If temperatures inside the vehicle become too hot, everyone, including pets, should exit carefully and seek out or create a shaded area as far away from the travel lanes as possible.

• Be careful walking on the road surface, which can be hot enough to burn skin. Keep your shoes on and try to keep your pets’ paws off the pavement.

• Raise the front hood and turn on hazard lights.

• You can help avoid breakdowns and blowouts by making sure your vehicle is in good operating condition. Check your air conditioner and coolant levels, top off any vital engine fluids and make sure your battery is up to par. Check your tire pressure, as the combination of underinflated tires and hot pavement can lead to a blowout.

So before you travel in extreme heat, make sure you’re ready by visiting azdot.gov/Severe-Weather. And whatever you may be planning, be sure to check out Arizona Department of Health Services heat safety tips at azdhs.gov/Heat tailored for older adults, outdoor workers, schools and more.

PHOENIX – Traffic fatalities in Arizona rose again in 2022, according to the state’s annual report on motor vehicle crashes on all roads, including local streets. 

There were 1,294 traffic fatalities across the state last year, an increase of 8.6% compared to 2021, according to the 2022 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report. Figures show crashes associated with inappropriate speed and speeding accounted for a greater share of deaths and injuries, providing a sobering reminder for Arizonans to avoid such unsafe driving behaviors.

Pedestrian, bicyclist and motorcyclist deaths all increased last year. Overall, the 2022 traffic fatality total is the second-highest ever recorded in Arizona and only slightly behind the 1,301 deaths recorded in 2006. The number of traffic fatalities in the state has gone up every year since 2019. Injuries from crashes totaled 52,411 during 2022, a slight increase from 2021. 

The Arizona Department of Transportation produces the annual Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report, which is a compilation of traffic crash reports provided by law enforcement agencies around the state. The document reflects reported crash data for all Arizona roadways, including city streets, county roads, reservation roads and state highways.

Fatalities are driven mostly by driver behavior, primarily involving speed, failure to use safety devices such as seat belts and motorcycle helmets, and impairment. 

“Every single traffic fatality is an unspeakable loss for families and for this state,” ADOT Director Jennifer Toth said. “ADOT and our law enforcement partners need every driver, pedestrian, bicyclist and motorcyclist working together to prevent crashes, injuries and deaths.”

More traffic fatalities, 821 in 2022 versus 723 in 2021, occurred on local roads or non-state highways. There were roughly the same number of fatalities on state highways in 2022: 473 versus 469 in 2021.

Among factors cited, speed – determined by law enforcement to be unlawful or too fast for conditions – was reported in serious crashes resulting in 426 fatalities and 20,069 injuries during 2022. This accounted for 32.9% and 38.3% of the totals, respectively. During 2021, speed was a factor in 371 fatalities and 19,571 injuries, accounting for 31.1% and 37.8% of the totals, respectively. 

“We are seeing an increase in both traffic and fatal collisions," said Major Jason Leonard, Chief of Staff of the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s Highway Patrol Division. “Most of these collisions are preventable if drivers do two things. First, avoid distractions and remain focused on the task of driving. Second, be patient and drive within the law, especially relating to speed, passing and distracted driving. It is imperative that everyone in your vehicle properly utilizes seatbelts and/or car seats to reduce injury in the event of a collision. Your safety is far more important than the time you arrive, or anything on your mobile device.”

• There were 302 pedestrian fatalities during 2022, a 16.2% increase from 260 in 2021. Forty-eight bicyclists died in crashes during 2022 compared to 45 in 2021. Bicycle-related fatalities have risen each year since 2018.

• There were 228 motorcyclist fatalities in crashes during 2022, a 36.5% increase from 167 during 2021. Nearly three times as many motorcycle crashes involved riders and passengers wearing helmets, yet 42% of the fatalities in which authorities could determine helmet use involved riders and passengers who weren’t wearing helmets.

• Overall, failure to use a safety device, such as a seat belt or helmet, declined slightly in 2022 as a factor in traffic fatalities. The 364 fatalities and 944 injuries from not using a safety device, accounting for 38.6% and 6.6% of the totals, respectively. In 2021, there were 379 fatalities and 3,224 injuries in which individuals didn’t use safety devices, accounting for 42.7% and 6.6% of the totals, respectively.

• Alcohol-related crashes resulting in fatalities also saw a slight decline during 2022. There were 223 fatalities and 3,538 injuries in crashes related to alcohol, accounting for 17.2% and 6.8% of the totals, respectively. During 2021, there were 253 fatalities and 3,617 injuries in alcohol-related crashes, accounting for 21.2% and 7% of the totals, respectively. 

The 2022 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report and reports for previous years are available at azdot.gov/CrashFacts.

PHOENIX – May is National Bike Month, and the Arizona Department of Transportation has tips to help riders and motorists make bicycling a safe and enjoyable way to get around. 

Be sure to check out Share the Road, ADOT’s pocket guide explaining how bicyclists and motorists can coexist legally and safely in Arizona. The more bicyclists and motorists understand each other’s needs, the better we all can respect and cooperate on state highways and local streets. 

Bicyclists may be surprised to learn that they have the same rules, rights and responsibilities as others on the road. They must follow traffic laws in school zones by slowing down and not passing any other vehicle. In modern roundabouts, bicyclists must yield to traffic – including other bicyclists – already in the roundabout, just as motorists are required to do. Another option at a modern roundabout is dismounting and walking a bike like a pedestrian.

Meanwhile, bicyclists have additional responsibilities when it comes to protecting themselves, including a requirement under state law to use, at a minimum, a rear red reflector and white front headlight. State law requires bicyclists to use hand signals to show their intentions. Some Arizona cities and counties require bicyclists under age 18 to wear a helmet, but helmets and mirrors are essential to your safety regardless of whether they are required.

Most of all, ride defensively. Be aware of your surroundings, including the possibility that vehicles will turn, doors of parked cars will open and side traffic will enter the roadway without seeing you. Make eye contact with drivers to confirm you’re on their radar. 

Motorists, you aren’t off the hook when it comes to bicycle safety. When changing lanes, turning left or right, opening your car door or pulling out from driveways, be aware that cyclists could be in the vicinity and may be traveling faster than you’d expect. State law requires you to give at least 3 feet of clearance when you pass a bicyclist, but allow 5 feet when possible. 

Both bicyclists and motorists can help keep themselves and each other safer by resisting the temptation to look at their smartphones rather than the road. Conditions can change in an instant regardless of whether you are pedaling or pressing an accelerator. 

All of this is just a starting point. Please check out Share the Road to learn not just about safety but ways to make bike commuting easier and what other state laws bicyclists should keep in mind.