We received a question on our Facebook page last week asking us why, in this time of tight state budgets, ADOT is spending money to swap out what appear to be perfectly good highway signs. We thought it was a great question, so here’s the answer…

The primary reason is simple: Safety!

All highway signs – from green guide signs, to white speed limit signs, to blue service signs - are coated with a special reflective material that helps drivers see them clearly at night. The official term is retroreflectivity: a material’s ability to return (retro) most of the light back to its originating light source, in this case, back to the vehicle.

Signs that are damaged, weathered, or worn, can still appear perfect during the daylight hours, but in reality, the reflective surfaces may have already begun to deteriorate, making it hard to read at night. And while only one-quarter of all travel occurs at night, approximately half of all traffic fatalities occur at this time.

ADOT maintains roughly 500,000 signs around the state, most of which have an average life span of 10-15 years. ADOT swaps out the old signs based on which section of highway needs it the most.
The current sign rehabilitation program, which includes replacing signs along I-8, I-10, I-17, I-40 and State Route 51, is funded primarily through federal funds specifically dedicated for highway signage. Over the next five years, $5 million will be spent on freeway sign replacement efforts.

In addition to replacing aged signs, ADOT will update sign legends and add new city names to meet the needs of Arizona’s changing and growing communities. ADOT crews also will replace sign posts and foundations that do not meet current structural standards for height or placement location.

Signs are also replaced during highway widening projects such as the Loop 101 HOV project in Phoenix.

Between homework, heavy backpacks and pop quizzes, kids face enough challenges … walking to school should be the simplest part of the day.

But that’s not always the case, which is a reason why Safe Routes to School was created. The program takes aim at the growing epidemic of childhood obesity by making it a little easier and a bit safer for kids to ride a bike or walk to school!

ADOT administers the federally funded program in Arizona and annually distributes grant money to schools, districts, tribal communities, municipalities and nonprofit agencies who successfully outline projects that help remove the barriers preventing students from safely and conveniently walking or biking to school.

Something to think about …

According to the Federal Highways Administration’s Safe Routes to School website, in 1969 just about half of all students walked or biked to school. But today, fewer than 15 percent of all school trips are made by walking or bicycling.

That shift has led to more traffic congestion around schools and might be partly to blame for health issues like childhood obesity. According to a CDC report cited on the FHWA website, safety issues are the big concern for parents … traffic danger is often cited as a reason why their kids don’t bike or walk to school.

How SRTS works …

The program provides reimbursement funds for projects that remove obstacles like traffic danger and that encourage children to walk and bike to school.

Those projects can include things like the installation of bike racks, crossing signals, cross walks, sidewalks and bike paths. And, as long as the location is appropriate, traffic calming measures (think traffic circles and speed humps) can be funded, too.

Grants also are awarded for non-infrastructure projects – bike rodeos, “walk to school” days and other events are eligible for funds. Even incentives for students, like bicycle helmets or other prizes, are regularly funded by Safe Routes to School … anything to get students more interested in walking and biking!

This radar speed alert sign is an example of a smaller-scale SRTS project that can play a big role in helping to keep pedestrians safe.

Since the first grant cycle in 2007, ADOT has awarded approximately $10 million in SRTS funding. In just the 2011 cycle alone, funding was awarded for 21 projects!

According to ADOT’s SRTS Coordinator Brian Fellows, this year the SRTS Advisory Committee received grant requests for about three times the amount available.

But, Safe Routes to School doesn’t just fund projects. It also offers guidance to schools through a planning assistance program and a tribal planning assistance program. Fellows explained that schools can apply to get some no-cost assistance from SRTS consultants who will spend time at the school and will work with administrators to figure out what barriers are in place that prevent more students from walking or biking to school.  There are also several grant-writing assistance program workshops offered through ADOT that are designed to help schools and organizations apply for Safe Routes to School grants. 

“One of Safe Routes to School’s big successes and the reason why it has worked in Arizona and all the other states is because there are enough items on the menu, so to speak, and it is flexible enough that it offers options that work in every scenario,” said Fellows, adding whether it is a low-cost option or a project that entails a pretty big construction overhaul, it can be successful if the principles behind SRTS are followed.

The next SRTS $4-million grant cycle begins in September. Applications are due by Dec. 30 and individual grant requests can be made up to $400,000. For more information on the program and the numerous workshops offered, visit the Safe Routes to School website.

Memorial Day weekend is here and if you’re headed out of town you probably have your travel plans all wrapped up by now.

Hopefully those plans already include some safety preparations … if not, here are a few things to think about before hitting the road!

• Check out your vehicle’s condition before a trip. Inspect things like tire condition and pressure, oil and other fluid levels and inspect belts and hoses.
• Pay attention while out on the road and expect the unexpected.
• Get plenty of rest before traveling and take regular rest breaks.
• Be patient and alert to changing road conditions … and buckle up!
• If your vehicle breaks down or you need to change a flat tire, pull completely off the roadway. Be cautious in areas with taller grass or brush – hot vehicle components can spark a fire.
• Don’t drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs (even prescription drugs can limit your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle).
• Cell phones or satellite devices help in an emergency – make sure they are fully charged.
• Obey the posted speed limit and check for changing speed limit conditions.
• Signal in advance for lane changes and turning maneuvers.
• Take plenty of food and water.
• Slow down in areas known for high winds and dust storms and be prepared to exit the roadway if extreme weather conditions occur. Weather conditions can change and monsoon storms can arrive suddenly, creating dust-filled winds and cutting visibility along the highway up ahead.

It’s always a good idea to allow some extra travel time, too. Unscheduled closures due to crashes or other incidents, including wildfires, can affect highway travel. Existing work zones for highway improvement projects, even when work is not taking place over holiday weekends, can add time spent on the road.

A couple of existing highway work zones to be aware of – especially at the start and end of the Memorial Day weekend – are located along Interstate 10 at the Hassayampa River bridges 40 miles west of downtown Phoenix and at the Interstate 17 bridges at Munds Park 20 miles south of Flagstaff. The highways are narrowed to one lane in each direction at those locations.

One last thing … before your trip you can call 5-1-1 or log on to ADOT’s Traveler Information site at az511.gov to check on updated highway conditions around the state.

A call to the Arizona Department of Transportation might not be the first you’d make during an emergency ... but in some situations, an ADOT crew could be your best hope for help.

Take for example a call that came in to the Show Low highway maintenance dispatch office back on Dec. 31 at around 10:30 p.m. An Arizona Department of Public Safety officer's vehicle was stuck in the snow on Highway 191 in the far southeastern portion of the state.

ADOT highway operation tech Frank Gidney was on duty, so he and his snowplow headed out in that direction.

Once Gidney reached the scene he learned the DPS officer had actually been called to help a family – stuck in the snow and out of fuel.

Frank’s snowplow started to clear the way again as he and the officer took off toward the family’s reported location. They soon were joined by ADOT highway operation tech Lonnie Baca, who also was driving a snowplow.

At about 3:30 a.m. the three men made it to the stranded family, which included five young children. Weather conditions at that time were very severe ... it was about -24 degrees and the snow was roughly four feet high.

Miraculously, everyone was okay.

“There was ice on the inside of the windows of the (family’s) vehicle,” Gidney said.

“They said they couldn’t thank us enough,” Baca added.

The ADOT crew and DPS officer managed to get fuel for the family’s vehicle and assisted them in making it back to a hotel in nearby Alpine.

This was not an everyday highway maintenance call ... that’s for sure.

“You run into people who are stuck, but not a desperate situation like this,” Gidney said. “Lonnie and I feel there’s nothing we did that anyone else wouldn’t have done.”

Even though they're modest about the life-saving assistance they provided, Baca and Gidney’s co-workers definitely feel they are heroes.

In fact, the two were awarded ADOT Life-Saving Awards on April 28.

ADOT Director John Halikowski, State Engineer Floyd Roehrich, Jr. and Deputy State Engineer Dallas Hammit traveled to Globe to present the awards and offer their thanks.

"It's important work that you do," Director Halikowski told the two, along with their fellow highway operation techs, during the awards presentation. "Thank you."

This content was revised September 2022.

Take an easy step to protect your child in case of an emergency: Get them their an Arizona ID card.

These cards, available through the Motor Vehicle Division, look much like a drivers license. However, they’re used for identification purposes only. All ages are eligible – even babies. The cost is $12. You’ll need your child’s social security number and a few forms of identification to your nearest MVD office.

You can start the application online through your secure AZ MVD Now account, then bring your child to an MVD or MVD authorized third party office with appropriate documentation. (Please visit our website to see the full list of acceptable forms of identification.)

Having an Arizona ID card can help law enforcement agencies to rapidly distribute your child’s information and photograph in case of an Amber Alert. They can also protect your child against identity theft.

And, don’t forget: Update your child’s information and photo as they grow! Photo updates are available at MVD offices – a duplicate card with the new photo is $12.

Arizona dust storms sometimes hit suddenly, without much notice at all.

Drivers can be caught very quickly in a blinding wall of dust and debris that leaves almost no visibility. While these storms typically happen between May and September, motorists should be aware year-round of the potential danger these high-wind storms create.

On average, nearly five people lose their lives in Arizona each year because of accidents related to dust storms. Many more are injured.

If you are driving during dust storm season in Arizona be sure to listen to weather reports and check current road conditions before you leave on your trip.

Here are some guidelines for traveling in dust storms:

• Travel at a speed suitable for limited visibility
• NEVER stop in the travel lane
• If you can’t pull off the road, turn your lights on
• Sound your horn intermittently
• Use the painted lane striping to guide you
• If possible, look for a safe place to pull off the road.

If you are able to safely pull off the road, observe the following safety tips:

• Set your emergency brake
• Take your foot off the brake pedal
• Turn off all vehicle lights
• Wait out the storm

When you return to the road, be aware that it may be slippery and in some cases, pavement markings may be obscured by sand and dust blown on the road. View more on dust storms in Arizona.