TUCSON – Proposals to improve traffic flow along Interstate 10 and State Route 210 connecting downtown Tucson with I-10 will be the subject of a public meeting in Tucson on Feb. 15.

The Arizona Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration will host the meeting that begins the second phase of a study to determine how best to improve mobility along Interstate 10 from Interstate 19 to Kolb Road, southeast of downtown Tucson.

The study also will help to identify a new alignment for State Route 210 (Barraza Aviation Parkway) to connect downtown Tucson with I-10 southeast of downtown Tucson to help reduce congestion in that area.

The meeting is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, at the El Pueblo Regional Center (in the Activity Center building), 101 W. Irvington Road. The formal presentation will begin at 6:15 p.m.

The event, the first in a series of meetings to encourage public involvement with the study, will include display boards showing options being considered for both routes. After a brief formal presentation, residents will have the chance to speak with project team members to ask questions and share ideas.

Public comments will be accepted during the meeting and on the project website. The deadline to submit comments is March 21.

The first phase of the study, completed in 2015, included an engineering feasibility report that examined future transportation needs and potential corridor improvements to both I-10 and SR 210.  This phase, expected to be completed by 2019, includes the preparation of a Design Concept Report and Environmental Assessment.

For more information and opportunities to provide comment on the Interstate 10 and State Route 210 Feasibility Study, visit azdot.gov/i10sr210study.

NOGALES – A public hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 31, is a chance for the community to review and comment on the Draft Environmental Assessment for a project to improve State Route 189 between the international border, Interstate 19 and Grand Avenue. 

Scheduled for 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of Nogales High School, 1905 N. Apache Blvd., the hearing begins with a presentation at 5:45 p.m., followed by a formal comment period.

Public input is essential to this environmental assessment, which is part of the review process required by the federal government and details the need for the project, proposed alternatives including a no-build option, environmental impacts and recommendations.

The Draft Environmental Assessment is available on ADOT’s website at azdot.gov/SR189DraftEA. Printed copies are available at Nogales City Hall, 777 N. Grand Ave., and the Nogales/Santa Cruz County Public Library, 518 N. Grand Ave.

Comments, which will be accepted until Feb. 14, can be provided at the hearing, through the ADOT website (azdot.gov/SR189DraftEA) or by mail to 1655 W. Jackson St., Mail Drop 126F, Phoenix, AZ 85007.

Investments proposed for SR 189, including a flyover ramp to northbound I-19, are intended to significantly improve the 3.75-mile highway for Nogales residents, commercial vehicles and personal travelers, and enhance safety and reduce congestion for many years to come. Other work proposed includes adding a raised median along SR 189 and improving intersections with Grand Avenue and Target Range Road.

A $25 million appropriation passed by the Arizona Legislature and signed by Governor Doug Ducey aimed at accelerating this project has made it possible for work to start in 2019, two years earlier than originally planned. In addition, $40 million in federal funds will go toward SR 189 improvements.

While moving toward the start of this project, ADOT continues to seek funding for additional improvements to SR 189, including a new ramp for traffic on southbound I-19 to enter southbound SR 189. Those improvements are estimated to cost $75 million.

PHOENIX – Plans to study a proposed highway in Pinal County are moving forward under a new environmental review process that can proceed while funding has yet to be identified.

The North-South Corridor, spanning 40 miles between US 60 and I-10, would improve regional connectivity, provide an additional way of getting around a growing area of the Sun Corridor, and address current and future transportation needs.

Recognizing the lack of funding for design and construction of the North-South Corridor, the Arizona Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration have decided to transition the project to a tiered environmental process that can be completed over time, while still pursuing funding for further studies and construction.

Under the previous project-level environmental review being used for the North-South Corridor, funding must be identified for the project to move forward and for the Federal Highway Administration to issue its approval.

ADOT published a revised Notice of Intent in the Federal Register in October, as required under the National Environmental Policy Act, kicking off a new formal environmental study process.

This approach will lead to a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement that includes a Record of Decision by the Federal Highway Administration. That will allow a project-level Tier 2 process to move forward, as long as funding is secured.

As part of the new tiered environmental study, ADOT also will identify a corridor that would extend State Route 24 from Ironwood Drive and connect with the North-South Corridor.

The Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement will use existing environmental and technical work to develop a Corridor Selection Report that will evaluate a wide range of alternatives to help identify opportunities and constraints. It will include the selection of a preferred alternative and a Record of Decision, or the selection of a no-build alternative.

If the North-South Corridor moves forward, the project could be built in full or in segments, once funding has been identified.

Because the North-South Corridor Study began as a project-level environmental impact statement, much of the groundwork has already been laid for the new study process. A public hearing will be held once the Draft Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement is published and ready for comment. That is expected in 2019.

ADOT is considering all funding options to move the proposed North-South Corridor forward through the study process and eventually to construction, once a preferred alternative is selected. Public outreach will continue throughout the Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement process to provide opportunities for input on the study. For more information on the North-South Corridor Study, visit the study website at azdot.gov/NorthSouthCorridorStudy.

PHOENIX – Arizona’s transportation infrastructure is vital to our mobility and our quality of life. Creating a reliable and sustainable state highway system means making an investment for future generations. Part of that investment involves assessing our current system and evaluating long-term needs.

The Arizona Department of Transportation was recently selected to participate in a new federally funded pilot project that aims to enhance the department’s stewardship of our state’s transportation infrastructure, while underscoring the importance of maintaining a sound environment and a robust economy. The pilot program is managed by the Federal Highway Administration. A total of 19 agencies nationwide were selected to participate. ADOT’s 12-month study gets underway this week.

In Arizona, long-term drought, punctuated by an increasing number of unusually intense storm events, is likely to result in a greater prevalence of floods, dust storms and wildfires that could impact vulnerable infrastructure. By assessing Arizona’s critical transportation infrastructure, ADOT can set a course that will increase long-term resiliency, protect our state’s transportation infrastructure investment, and identify best practices for preparing for, responding to and recovering from these events.

The federal pilot program is an opportunity for ADOT to advance a decision-making framework of data and stakeholder collaboration to assess state transportation infrastructure vulnerability to extreme weather events, and identify proactive planning strategies to reduce risk. Understanding future conditions is essential to ADOT’s mission for a safe, efficient state transportation system that keeps people and business moving.

The Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Environment, Planning and Realty and Office of Infrastructure are jointly sponsoring the pilot program to help state departments of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations and federal land management agencies conduct extreme weather assessments of transportation infrastructure, and analyze options for adapting and improving resiliency.

PHOENIX – Arizona is considered a destination state when it comes to getting around on two wheels. Our state’s ideal weather, new infrastructure and numerous bicycling events continue to lure cyclists from all over the country and around the world to experience riding through Arizona’s scenic landscapes.

A new study by the Arizona Department of Transportation finds that these out-of-state bicycle tourists and customers bring in a significant amount of money to our state’s economy each year. More than $88 million in economic effects is generated each year from out-of-state bicycle enthusiasts. ADOT’s study also found that approximately 39,000 in-state and 14,000 out-of-state participants are involved annually in as many as 250 bicycling events held throughout the state, solidifying Arizona’s major role in bicycle tourism.

“The degree to which bicycling affects the state’s economy and Arizona’s quality of life was not well-known before this study,” said Michael Sanders, ADOT’s bicycle and pedestrian program coordinator. “The purpose of the study was to improve that understanding among policymakers, state agencies, local governments, the transportation planning community and the general public. This report represents an important first step in trying to ascertain what is known about bicycling in Arizona and an initial effort to estimate the sizes of various types of benefits that bicycling creates.”

While ADOT’s study focused specifically on the economic impacts from the out-of-state cyclists, it was determined that the economic boost came from a variety of sources in the bicycling industry, adding up to a major source of revenue for Arizona. Tourism dollars came from out-of-state bicyclists who participated in major events, like the El Tour de Tucson, sales at bicycle shops from customers who live elsewhere, out-of-state tour companies that come to Arizona regularly to host bike tours and professional racing companies that come here to train their teams.

“Every dollar that came in to Arizona added up to a major economic advantage for our state and helped define Arizona as a destination state for bicycling,” added Sanders. “Out-of-state visitors clearly import dollars into Arizona.”

ADOT’s study also found that the out-of-state bicycle participants bring in more than $30 million in tourism and more than $57 million in retail sales and manufacturing annually, adding up to a total of more than $88 million in economic effects for Arizona.  This has helped create a total of 721 jobs throughout our state.   

This is the first study of its kind for ADOT. The department decided to keep the study narrowly focused on the economic benefits specifically provided by out-of-state bicycle enthusiasts and participants. This methodology ensures that the “substitution effect” is minimized by eliminating in-state participants who would be spending their money elsewhere if they weren’t spending it on cycling events and purchases in Arizona.

“Every dollar spent by someone from out of state is a dollar that wouldn’t have been spent here otherwise,” said Tracy Clark, an ADOT economist and researcher for the study. “But with in-state residents, they could have spent as much or more on something entirely different from cycling. Since you can’t disentangle that, you have to leave it out of the study for it to be accurate.” 

The entire final report, titled “An Economic Impact Study of Bicycling in Arizona”, and the executive summary can be found at www.azbikeped.org.