We’ve got some good news to share with you today about US 89…

Just last week, ADOT finalized an agreement with a contractor for preconstruction engineering services, which includes assistance with the final design and construction logistics for the ultimate fix.

That means ADOT is one step closer to its goal of starting the US 89 landslide repair to reopen this roadway by the end of the year (see, we told you it was good news)!

US 89T contractor will work on landslide repair preconstruction

Tempe-based FNF Construction, Inc. was selected by ADOT as the contractor for pre-construction services on the landslide-damaged highway that links Bitter Springs and Page.

FNF Construction is the same contractor ADOT successfully partnered with to complete the Temporary US 89 (US 89T) project, which now serves as the primary detour to and from the Page and Lake Powell areas. If you’ve been following along with us for the past year, you’ll remember that the previously unpaved Navajo Route 20 was paved in only three months to become US 89T, which opened to traffic in August.

Through a Construction-Manager-At-Risk contract, FNF Construction will work with the project design team. This early collaboration can lead to completing projects faster with reduced costs. Preconstruction services will also include the design of access roads at the project site that will be needed when construction starts as anticipated this summer.

One important thing to point out – this new preconstruction agreement with FNF Construction does not include the construction project to repair US 89. That contract is expected to be finalized later this spring.

What’s ahead?

Recently, ADOT received the necessary environmental and utility clearances on the ultimate repair of US 89. Without the clearances, ADOT cannot use federal funds for this repair project.

ADOT also continues to work with the Navajo Nation on obtaining the new right-of-way easements that will be necessary prior to construction. An agreement between the Federal Highway Administration, Navajo Nation and Bureau of Indian Affairs must be reached to establish an expanded easement that facilitates construction, as well as operations and maintenance, of the repaired roadway.

One year ago today, a landslide caused major damage to a stretch of US 89 located in northern Arizona.

Back then, months before an extensive geotechnical analysis would be concluded, no one could really be certain of what caused the roadway to fail. Here’s a sample of what we blogged at the time:

A 150-foot section of the road “buckled” (Feb. 20, 2013) in an area about 25 miles south of Page – the cause of the highway damage may have been a geologic event.

If you’ve been following us since that initial blog post/video, you know that much has happened in these 12 months, including a vast geotechnical investigation, the paving of US 89T and, more recently, environmental site surveys.

So what’s next?

Currently, ADOT is gearing up to start construction in early summer and potentially complete the emergency repair by the end of this year – if there are no environmental, utility or right-of-way hurdles.

Since August, ADOT has retained an engineering design firm and developed plans for the eventual repair; finalized all federally required environmental reviews that include cultural, biological and water quality measures; and completed the plans for the required right-of-way easements.

The environmental and design process for a normal project can take two years to complete, but ADOT has been working with the Federal Highway Administration, Navajo Nation, Navajo Division of Transportation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to expedite the environmental, utility and right-of-way clearance and approval process, knowing the lack of a usable road between the Bitter Springs and Page communities is a hardship for many people.

Major milestone

ADOT passed a major milestone this week toward beginning construction on the ultimate repair of US 89. The final environmental documentation was submitted to the Federal Highway Administration yesterday (Feb. 19, 2014) for review. Without this clearance, ADOT cannot use federal funds for this project. While that approval is pending, ADOT continues work on the pre-construction elements of the project, like finalizing the design of the repair.

ADOT also continues to work with the Navajo Nation on obtaining right-of-way easements that will be necessary prior to construction. An agreement between the Federal Highway Administration, Navajo Nation and Bureau of Indian Affairs must be reached to establish an expanded easement that facilitates construction, as well as operations and maintenance of the full repair.

More on the project

The repair is currently estimated to cost $25 million. The project will include moving the roadway approximately 60 feet toward Echo Cliffs and using that rock to construct a downslope buttress to stabilize the area. ADOT wants to start the repairs as soon as possible following environmental, utility and right-of-way clearances.

The US 89 emergency repair 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 is continuing its work toward rebuilding US 89 as soon as safely possible and while there’s no huge project milestone to share with you at the moment, we thought you might be interested in a quick update…

Here’s what’s happening right now

The project to restore US 89 remains on the fast track. ADOT is working on the design of the US 89 repair project – it is about 60 percent complete.

As project design continues, ADOT is also addressing environmental issues at the same time. You might remember that we blogged in September about the surveys required under the Clean Water Act. More recently, we showed you the archaeological site surveys being performed at the site.

ADOT asks the public to remain clear of the US 89 landslide site.

ADOT has set an internal deadline to finalize the environmental clearance early this year. This is an important step. Without environmental clearance, ADOT is unable to receive federal funds to complete the project.

ADOT also is working with the Navajo Nation to expedite the clearance and approval process. Once the environmental clearance has been completed, the right-of-way needs of the project must be determined. An agreement between the Federal Highway Administration, the Navajo Nation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs must be reached to confer permanent easement.

Where we’re headed

ADOT’s goal is to start construction by mid-2014, as long as there are no environmental, utility or right-of-way clearance complications. The construction of the projected $25 million repair is expected to take up to 12 months to complete.

Safety is the top priority

We have received some questions about why ADOT is only allowing access through the area to emergency responders and not to local traffic.

Well, the answers all have to do with safety.

As you can see in the photos above, the area is not safe for public travel. Boulders, rocks and the deep chasms left behind by the landslide make this area a not-so-ideal place to hike, bike or drive. That is why ADOT asks the public to remain clear of the landslide site.

US 89T

As ADOT works on fixing the landslide-damaged portion of US 89, drivers already have a new detour route available to them.

In an effort to help ease the 115-mile detour that drivers initially faced after the landslide, ADOT worked with the Navajo Nation, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Federal Highway Administration to pave Navajo Route 20. That roadway has now temporarily been adopted into the state highway system as US 89T.

It’s not the long-term solution, but US 89T has cut the detour route travel time nearly in half.

More to come

ADOT appreciates how critical US 89 is to the region and we know that the lack of a direct route between communities is a hardship for many people. We want you to know that we’re working diligently as we move forward with the repairs.

Earlier this week, it was announced that US 89T – the newly paved, shorter US 89 detour route – is now fully open without restrictions.

While we’re excited about that update (as drivers in the area surely are, too), we also want to inform you about what’s happening on US 89 as ADOT works to restore the landslide-damaged route…

As you can see in the video above, ADOT must complete environmental surveys of the entire project area prior to any sort of construction (we told you last month about the surveys for permits required under the Clean Water Act).

Right now, ADOT is evaluating the project area to see if there are any archaeologically significant sites in the right of way.

You may remember from this 2012 blog post that if these types of evaluations indicate a project may have an adverse effect on an historic property or site, efforts are made to avoid the area all together.

What are they looking for?

ADOT Historic Preservation Specialist David Zimmerman explains that his team is searching for anything that seems like people made it – pottery shards, stone materials and rock alignments are a few of the things they’re seeking out.

“The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 mandates that a federal agency has to take account of its effects on historic properties,” says Zimmerman in the video above. “In other words, where could your project potentially damage historic properties, be they archaeological sites, historic buildings and, in the case of tribes particularly, what they call traditional cultural properties.”

You’ll probably recall that US 89T opened with limited access back on Aug. 29...

Since then, many of you have been asking about the route, wondering when the speed and nighttime driving restrictions would be lifted.

Well, today is the day we can answer that ADOT has completed the fencing along the corridor to help prevent livestock from crossing the roadway. That means the route is now fully open with NO restrictions! Of course, there is a speed limit – 55 mph is the maximum for the corridor and on some stretches the limit is lower due to terrain.

Drivers still need to stay alert

Even though fencing now is complete (crews also have recently finished final lane striping and installed recessed pavement markings), ADOT urges motorists to slow down, pay attention to their surroundings and be aware that this roadway on the Navajo Nation is prone to animal crossings, including horses, goats, cows and dogs.

More about US 89T

The 44-mile-long US 89T route runs parallel to US 89 from The Gap to LeChee and is accessible from US 89, approximately 17 miles north of the US 160 junction (Tuba City exit). Previously a Navajo Nation roadway, US 89T will be maintained by ADOT while it is in use as a detour.

The US 89T project became necessary after a Feb. 20 landslide closed a section of US 89 between Bitter Springs and Page. Prior to paving US 89T, drivers headed to and from Page were forced to take a 115-mile-long alternate route along US 160 and State Route 98.

The US 89T project was 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.

US 89T is not part of the ultimate solution to repair US 89, which suffered a landslide that buckled pavement along the mountain slope in the Echo Cliffs area. After an extensive geotechnical investigation of the US 89 landslide, ADOT’s proposed solution is to move the travel lanes away from the active landslide and construct a rock structure to stabilize the area.

The projected $40 million repair is already on the fast track. Design on the repair began in late August and ADOT is meeting with potential contractors this fall. ADOT’s goal is to start construction by mid-2014, if extensive environmental and right-of-way clearances are finalized.

After the reconstruction of US 89 is complete, US 89T will be returned to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and will be referred to again as Navajo Route 20, with maintenance handled by the Navajo Division of Transportation.

The long-term fix for US 89 will involve cutting back the mountain slope, building a gravity buttress wall for support and constructing the new road. But before crews can begin on all that, there’s a lot that has to get done.

Environmental work is one of the first tasks at hand and, as you can see in the video above, ADOT is coordinating with a number of agencies to make sure this project will have as little impact as possible on any nearby waterways.

“We had ADOT, the Army Corps of Engineers, ADOT’s consultants and the Navajo EPA water quality folks,” says ADOT Water Quality Analyst Julia Manfredi in the video. “What we are looking for is areas that would be considered Waters of the U.S. by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, so what we have to do is identify where the Waters of the U.S. are, so that we can tell if this project is going to cause a discharge of dredge or fill material to those Waters of the U.S. and if it is going to, then we will have to permit that through the Army Corps of Engineers and also through the Navajo Environmental Protection Agency.”

By the way, Waters of the United States basically refers to any interstate waters or wetlands (you can read a good, detailed definition on the Environmental Protection Agency’s website).

In the case of the US 89 project, washes on the site that lead to the Colorado River are the focus.

401 and 404

The permits referred to in the video have to do with the Clean Water Act (specifically sections 401 and 404).

Section 404 of the Clean Water Act outlines the regulation of any dredged and fill material that gets discharged into the waters of the United States. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for 404 permitting.

Projects that require a 404 permit, must also apply for a 401 certification from a local jurisdiction (for US 89, it’s the Navajo Environmental Protection Agency). While 404 permits deal more with hydrological connections to interstate waters, a 401 certification focuses on water quality and ensure that the project plan complies with local discharge rules.

More environmental work
As we stated earlier, there’s a lot more to be done before construction can begin. So, stay tuned … we’ll keep you posted on what’s next, including archaeological and biological surveys of the site.

It was just about three months ago that construction got started on Temporary US 89 (aka US 89T) and from the onset, crews really have had their work cut out for them.

Back in June, it was estimated that about 300,000 cubic yards of dirt would need to be moved on the project even before the gravel and asphalt could be placed. Then there was the paving – 27 miles worth to be exact.

But grading and paving are only part of the project. Prior to opening any new state highway, proper signage, striping, right-of-way fencing and other safety measures are necessary to ensure a safe roadway. US 89T also requires cattle guards, swing gates and centerline rumble strips.

So, back to that fencing…

Crews are still actively working to complete some remaining construction items on US 89T, including fencing.

US 89T is located on a rural, open range area on the Navajo Nation, which has a large amount of livestock. Fencing is a critical part of this project because it is designed to prevent livestock from crossing onto the highway, which is a major safety concern (see the photos above for just a glimpse of what we’re talking about).

What all of this mean for drivers
ADOT is set to open the newly paved US 89T tomorrow, Aug. 29, albeit with some restrictions.

Until construction and fencing is completed, the roadway will be open only during daylight hours (except for local residents) and there will be a 25 mph speed limit.

ADOT reminds drivers that while the US 89T has been improved, motorists need to slow down and pay attention to their surroundings. Drivers should be aware that this roadway is prone to animal crossings.

To help reduce delays, detour signage will remain on the previously established primary detour route (US 160 to State Route 98) until US 89T is completed. This established detour may be a quicker route while construction continues on US 89T because of the 25 mph speed limit.

When construction is finished, the speed limit will be raised and nighttime restrictions will be lifted.

We know many of you are eager for construction on N20 to finish and we want to let you know that we hear you and understand just how ready you are for this roadway to open!

While work on the route isn’t done yet, we hope you can be patient for a little bit longer and know that ADOT is taking ALL the steps necessary to ensure that N20 (also known as US 89T) is a safe roadway that motorists will be able to use for years to come.

There are a number of things that must be completed before ADOT can open the road to traffic.

Paving is only one part of the project – prior to opening any new state highway, proper signage, right-of-way fencing and other safety measures are necessary to ensure a safe roadway. N20 also needs cattle guards, swing gates and centerline rumble strips (as you can see in the video above, the large number of animals in the area means fencing is vital on this project. Crews are working now to install fencing along the route to keep livestock off the road).

The good news is that ADOT is still on track to complete the project prior to the Labor Day holiday weekend.

For now, we want to reiterate that N20 is still closed and is an active construction zone, particularly in these last couple of weeks as crews put the finishing touches on the project.