PHOENIX – Governor Doug Ducey has appointed Arlando Teller, a veteran transportation official from the Navajo Nation, and Steve Stratton, a longtime city and county leader from Globe, to serve on the State Transportation Board.

Teller will represent Apache, Navajo and Coconino counties, while Stratton will represent Pinal, Gila and Graham counties.

The State Transportation Board’s seven members serve six-year terms, prioritizing transportation needs, projects and funding on behalf of communities throughout Arizona.

Teller, born and raised in Chinle, is the airport program manager for the Navajo Division of Transportation in Window Rock. During his six years there, he has also worked as a senior transportation planner.

One of his accomplishments with Navajo DOT was working with Arizona legislators on a law allowing tribal airports to get state and federal aid for improvement projects. His diverse transportation background includes work at the California Department of Transportation, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Falcon Field in Mesa.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to serve on the State Transportation Board in order to support not only Navajo Nation projects, but to fully advocate for projects within all of northern Arizona and its rural communities,” Teller said.

Stratton has been engaged in transportation issues and with the State Transportation Board through long service in public works and city management. Born and raised in Globe, he served as that city’s public works director and city manager. He then was public works director and acting manager for Gila County. Now retired from public service, Stratton works for WestLand Resources, an environmental and engineering company.

“I am extremely appreciative of the appointment,” Stratton said. “I am concerned about the transportation needs of the state as a whole and the available funding associated with meeting those needs. I want to make a positive contribution as a new board member.”

About the State Transportation Board

The seven-member State Transportation Board has policy powers and duties, in addition to advising the director of the Arizona Department of Transportation. Members of the board are appointed by the governor and serve six-year terms. The board has broad authority to plan and develop Arizona’s highways, airports and other state transportation facilities. In addition to these general policy duties, the board is responsible for development and oversight of the state’s Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program. More information on the State Transportation Board is available at aztransportationboard.gov.

PHOENIX – Governor Doug Ducey has appointed Pliny Draper to the State Transportation Board, representing the Northern Arizona region in the planning and development of Arizona’s transportation network. 

The seven members of the State Transportation Board serve six-year terms while representing local communities throughout Arizona to prioritize transportation needs, projects and funding. Draper will represent Apache, Navajo and Coconino counties during his board tenure.

Draper is a member of the Navajo Nation and lives in Apache County on the Navajo Reservation near Chinle and the Canyon de Chelly National Monument. He is also half Hopi.

“One of our main areas of focus in Arizona is economic development and how transportation projects will improve our economy,” said Draper. “As we work to enhance job growth and economic development, we also need to work with the tribes and work together to develop a better statewide transportation system. We need to be brave and step forward as we compete with European, Asian and other international markets. We need to think big.”

His appointment requires confirmation by the Arizona State Senate. Draper attended his first board meeting by phone on May 15. The board met in Chino Valley.

Draper spent his career in architecture and construction administration, working on and overseeing large projects in several major cities, including Boston, Santa Fe, Phoenix, Palm Springs, Pasadena and Honolulu. Projects included schools, hospitals and hotel resorts. Draper’s projects in Honolulu included two 40-floor high-rises, an airport terminal, an automated people mover system and light rail stations.

Now retired, Draper focuses on ranching and his work as an historian. He is also a member of the Arizona Commission of Indian Affairs and is a graduate of Arizona State University.

About the State Transportation Board

The seven-member State Transportation Board has policy powers and duties, in addition to serving in an advisory capacity to the director of the Arizona Department of Transportation. Members of the board are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Arizona State Senate to six-year terms. The board has broad authority to plan and develop Arizona’s highways, airports and other state transportation facilities. In addition to these general policy duties, the board is responsible for development and oversight of the state’s Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program. More information on the State Transportation Board is available at aztransportationboard.gov. 

PHOENIX – Governor Doug Ducey has appointed Michael S. Hammond to the State Transportation Board, representing the Pima County region in the planning and development of Arizona’s transportation network.

The seven members of the State Transportation Board serve six-year terms while representing local communities throughout Arizona to prioritize transportation needs, projects and funding.

“As someone who has lived in Southern Arizona for 39 years and traveled extensively throughout our state and the state of Sonora, Mexico, both for pleasure and business, I have a keen appreciation of our transportation infrastructure and its importance in adding to our quality of life, not to mention driving economic development and job growth,” Hammond said. “It is a privilege and an honor to have a voice in the future infrastructure investments made by the state of Arizona.”

His appointment requires confirmation by the Arizona State Senate. Hammond is expected to attend his first board meeting April 17 in Phoenix.

Hammond has been in commercial real estate since 1978 and is president, founder and managing shareholder of Cushman & Wakefield|PICOR, an independent commercial real estate brokerage and management firm based in Southern Arizona. In 2002, with his background in industrial real estate and interest in regional economic development, he began focusing on the border region and, more specifically, the state of Sonora, Mexico.

Hammond received “Tucson Man of the Year” honors from Greater Tucson Leadership in 2013. He is a member of various local, regional and national organizations, including the Arizona District Export Council, the Business Development Finance Corporation, Southern Arizona Leadership Council and Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities. He is a full member of the Urban Land Institute, and serves on the Urban Land Institute State of Arizona Steering Committee.

Hammond is a graduate of the University of Washington in Seattle.

About the State Transportation Board
The seven-member State Transportation Board has policy powers and duties, in addition to serving in an advisory capacity to the director of the Arizona Department of Transportation. Members of the board are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Arizona Senate to six-year terms. The board has broad authority to plan and develop Arizona’s highways, airports and other state transportation facilities. In addition to these general policy duties, the board is responsible for development and oversight of the state’s Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program. More information on the State Transportation Board is available at aztransportationboard.gov. 

PHOENIX – Projects to preserve, modernize and expand Arizona’s highway system have now been formally approved to move forward over the next five years.

Today the State Transportation Board voted to adopt the 2015-2019 Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program. The board’s action determines which projects are now programmed in Greater Arizona while allocating dedicated funding to the preservation of Arizona’s existing highway system over the next five years. In addition, six major projects will move forward in the Pima County region and four major projects will advance in the Maricopa County region using, in part, funding generated by those regions.

“ADOT continues to focus on preservation and protecting our investment of more than $19 billion in the state highway system,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “We have also worked closely with the board over the last few months and followed their guidance to move improvement projects forward that are important to the communities we serve and that fit into ADOT’s long-range transportation plan.”

Much like the current Five-Year Program, the 2015-2019 Five-Year Program reflects a major focus on preserving the existing state highway system while moving some programmed projects forward. ADOT must prioritize projects due to stagnant revenue from the gas and vehicle license taxes and from decreased federal funding — all of which support the Five-Year Program. The 2015-2019 Five-Year Program includes a three-percent increase in preservation spending over the current program, with a steady increase in preservation funding over the next 10 years.

The following is the list of projects for Greater Arizona during the 2015-2019 Five-Year Program. The list includes three projects that were added to the program during this spring’s public comment period, as the board provided input to ADOT planners.

• State Route 347 Railroad Overpass: Total project cost is $55 million.
  FY 2015: $5.5 million allocated for design and $500,000 allocated for right of way.
  FY 2016: $5.5 million allocated for right of way.
  FY 2017: $7.3 million allocated for right of way.
  FY 2020: $36.2 million for construction (note that this portion of the project is in the 2020-2024 Development Program).

• State Route 189, Nogales to Interstate 19: Total project cost is $69 million.
  FY 2016: $2 million allocated for environmental work.
  FY 2018: $4 million allocated for design.
  FY 2022: $63 million for construction (note that this portion of the project is in the 2020-2024 Development Program).

• US 60, Show Low to Little Mormon Lake: $6 million allocated in FY 2018 for this project, which will add turn lanes, widen the roadway and construct intersection improvements.

• US 60, Silver King Section and Superior Streets: $45 million allocated in FY 2015 for this widening project (reconstruct to a four-lane roadway with a center turn lane).

• US 95, Fortuna Wash Bridge Construction: $13.5 million allocated in FY 2015 for construction of a new bridge.

• State Route 260, Interstate 17 to Thousand Trails: $62 million allocated in FY 2016 for construction of this widening project.

• State Route 89, State Route 89A to Deep Well Ranch Road: $15 million allocated in FY 2017 for a corridor widening project that will improve capacity, operations and safety.

• State Route 260, Lion Springs Section: $5 million allocated in FY 2019 for design work on this widening project.

• Interstate 15, Bridge No. 1: $2.5 million allocated in FY 2017 for design and $33 million allocated in FY 2019 for bridge replacement.

The public comment period for the 2015-2019 Five-Year Program began on March 7 and ended on May 20. During this time, public hearings were held in Phoenix, Marana and Flagstaff. Comments were also submitted online.

The Five-Year Program serves as a blueprint for future projects and designates how much local, state and federal funding is allocated for those projects. It is divided into three sections: the Maricopa County region, the Pima County region and the 13 counties that make up Greater Arizona.

The Five-Year Program is updated annually. Each program begins with a long-range visioning process, moves into a more realistic 20-year plan and finally yields each Five-Year Program. The program is developed by working closely with local planning organizations and community leaders to identify ready-to-construct or design projects.

Funding for the Five-Year Program is generated by the users of transportation services, primarily through the gasoline tax and the vehicle license tax.

PHOENIX – The new Arizona State Transportation Board website was launched today, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The website provides information on the board including their powers and duties, as well as information on board meetings and meeting agendas for the year.

“This website will be a one-stop shop for all information on the State Transportation Board,” said Floyd Roehrich, ADOT deputy director for policy. “People will be able to find information on board meetings and transportation projects that have been awarded.”

The new State Transportation Board website also features short biographies on the board members and provides ways to contact the board.

For more information, visit aztransportationboard.gov.

About the State Transportation Board

The seven-member State Transportation Board has policy powers and duties, in addition to serving in an advisory capacity to the director of the Arizona Department of Transportation. Members of the board are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Arizona Senate to six-year terms. The board has broad authority to plan and develop Arizona’s highways, airports and other state transportation facilities. In addition to these general policy duties, the board is responsible for development and oversight of the state’s Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program.

PHOENIX – Governor Jan Brewer has announced the appointment and successful confirmation of Jack Sellers as the newest member of the Arizona State Transportation Board. Mr. Sellers will represent the Maricopa County region in the planning and development of Arizona’s transportation network. His appointment was confirmed Tuesday by the Arizona State Senate.

“Mr. Sellers possesses a keen familiarity with the infrastructure challenges and opportunities facing our state,” said Governor Brewer. “With an understanding and respect for transportation’s crucial role in trade, job growth and global competitiveness, he is a welcome addition to the Board of Transportation.”

Mr. Sellers lives in Chandler and has been a member of the Chandler City Council since 2009. He is the former facilities manager for the General Motors Desert Proving Ground in Mesa.

Mr. Sellers has long been involved in his community, particularly in economic development and transportation issues. He represents Chandler on the Maricopa Association of Governments Economic Development Committee; is Vice Chair of the MAG Transportation Policy Committee; and is a member of the Arizona-Mexico Commission’s Transportation Committee. He previously chaired the Chandler Transportation Commission and Chandler Transportation Bond Committee, and has served on the Airport Noise Compatibility Study Advisory Committee.

Additionally, Mr. Sellers has been active with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, serving on the International Leadership Committee as a board member and executive committee member. He also serves on the East Valley Partnership’s Economic Development and Government Relations Committees and chairs the Transportation Committee. Mr. Sellers also is a member of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce and participates on its Public Policy Committee. He previously served as a board member and chair of the Mesa Chamber of Commerce, where he was named Business Leader of the Year in 2004. He has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from New Mexico State University.

Mr. Sellers replaces outgoing Board Member and Chairman Victor Flores, also of Maricopa County.

About the State Transportation Board:

The seven-member State Transportation Board has policy powers and duties, in addition to serving in an advisory capacity to the director of the Arizona Department of Transportation. Members of the board are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Arizona Senate to six-year terms. The board has broad authority to plan and develop Arizona’s highways, airports and other state transportation facilities. In addition to these general policy duties, the board is responsible for development and oversight of the state’s Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program. More information on the State Transportation Board is available at aztransportationboard.gov.

PHOENIX — While the Arizona Department of Transportation forges ahead with its geotechnical investigation on the US 89 landslide and works on the long-term solution to restore the damaged highway, the agency is committed to restoring connectivity to the Page and Lake Powell region as quickly as possible.

With that in mind, the State Transportation Board approved funding to pave Navajo Route 20, a Navajo Nation tribal road that runs parallel to US 89, at its monthly meeting April 12 in Tucson.

While the primary detour to and from Page and the Lake Powell area has been established by using US 160 and State Route 98, ADOT acknowledges the 115-mile-long detour, which is 45 miles longer than the direct route, can be a burden on drivers who have to use it every day. By paving N20, the detour route would be cut nearly in half and similar in length to the closed US 89 route.

The $28 million N20 paving project is scheduled to start next month — as long as all right-of-way and environmental agreements can be obtained through the Navajo Nation, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Navajo Division of Transportation.

“After numerous face-to-face meetings, roundtable discussions and several presentations from Window Rock to Flagstaff, ADOT and its many partners, including Navajo Nation, Navajo Division of Transportation, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Federal Highway Administration, have demonstrated great teamwork to put us in position to begin paving Navajo Route 20 next month if all agreements can get signed, sealed and delivered,” said Dallas Hammit, ADOT deputy state engineer of development. “ADOT is anxious to move forward to pave this road and create a more direct temporary detour route.”

The project would improve the existing 44-mile-long tribal route and upgrade so it could accommodate the anticipated traffic volumes, including commercial truck traffic. The major work is paving 27 miles of dirt road stretching from Bodaway-Gap to LeChee.

Construction could begin next month. ADOT’s goal would be to complete the work by early summer.

The project is eligible for reimbursement through the Federal Highway Administration’s emergency relief program, which provides funding to state and local agencies for the repair or reconstruction of highways, roads and bridges that are damaged in natural disasters and catastrophic failures. ADOT has already received $2 million in quick release funds to assess the damage and the stability of the mountain slope, and conduct emergency operations.

Once the paving of N20 is completed, ADOT would designate the tribal road as Temporary US 89 (US 89T). After the reconstruction of US 89 is complete, US 89T will be relinquished to the Navajo Nation. There is no timetable for reopening the highway, but ADOT is committed to restoring this important travel route as soon as safely possible.

US 89 has been closed north of Bitter Springs and south of Page since Feb. 20 due to a landslide that buckled pavement on the mountain slope.

ADOT is currently conducting a geotechnical investigation, which is the first phase of the solution. Crews are monitoring the stability of the slope and the ultimate repair of US 89 will be based on the results of the geotechnical work.

ADOT has launched a range of communication tools, including a Web page dedicated to keeping the public informed about the status of the closure and alternate travel routes, complemented by up-to-date video and photos of the roadway damage on US 89.