Work is progressing on the Loop 101 widening project we first told you about in August (and then again in September).

As northeast Valley drivers have surely noticed, crews are currently working to widen bridges within the project area and build retaining walls and sound walls.

The $73 million project will widen 11 miles of Loop 101 between Shea Boulevard and Loop 202 (Red Mountain) with the addition of one new lane in each direction. A second new northbound Loop 101 lane also will be constructed between the Loop 202 interchange and McDowell Road. Other project features include the addition of new merge lanes between interchanges, new lighting and signs, new landscaping (including the use of hundreds of salvaged cacti and other plants), wider freeway bridges and realigned on- and off-ramps and a new layer of rubberized asphalt.

Why we build new lanes when we do

You might be wondering why we’re building the new lanes now, as opposed to years ago when the Loop 101 was first constructed. We get that question a lot from people who say building everything all at once would prevent the restrictions, closures and traffic that can come along with new construction.

You can find a great answer in this blog post from 2011. But in a nutshell, we can tell you that it’s just not feasible to construct freeways for future needs all at one time. The main reason has to do with funding. The money for projects is not available all at one time. As a result, we build and improve freeways in phases, using the funding that is available when the project is scheduled to begin. In Maricopa County, that funding comes from the voter-approved, 20-year extension of the half-cent sales tax (2006-2026). Revenue is programmed for freeway projects identified in the Maricopa Association of Government’s Regional Transportation Plan, a long-term blueprint for transportation improvements across the Valley.

What drivers should know

There will be no closures during the upcoming holiday and any lane restrictions will be limited to overnight hours. Drivers can also rest assured that no construction-related closures are planned during a number of upcoming events in the area (including the Super Bowl and Spring Training). For more on this project’s timeline, check out this blog post.

Finally, and most importantly, drivers need to be aware that they’re driving through a work zone and must obey the lower speed limit that has been posted.

“It’s 55 MPH,” says ADOT Public Information Officer Doug Nintzel in the video above. “It’s there for (driver) safety. It’s there for the safety of our workers.”

Ever wonder what it takes to move one million cubic yards of rock and dirt?

Turns out you need plenty of heavy-duty equipment, a fleet of enormous trucks and a lot of explosives (detonated by trained professionals, of course).

Oh yeah, you also need some time...

Those big trucks you see in the video above have been working since the summer on the landslide-damaged section of US 89, about 25 miles south of Page. By April 2015, ADOT contractors (and their trucks) will have moved the million cubic yards of material from above US 89 to build a stabilizing buttress below.

You can check out our previous blog post to learn more about that buttress, along with additional repair details. The landslide occurred back in February 2013. Since that time, ADOT conducted a major geotechnical investigation and worked diligently to restore mobility to the area by paving Navajo Route 20/US 89T, a 44-mile route that is serving as a detour for motorists heading to and from Page and the Lake Powell area.

Earlier this month, when we gave you a quick update on the Virgin River Bridge No. 6 rehabilitation project, we promised a video to showcase all the progress being made...

Today, as you can see above, we’re keeping our word!

Driving through during construction

If you’ve driven on I-15 through the project area, tucked away in the far northwestern corner of the state, you know it is a busy corridor, something that ADOT takes into careful consideration when working a project like this.

“We can’t just tear the bridge down and expect interstate traffic to take local roads,” says ADOT Senior Resident Engineer Steve Monroe in the video. “If you take out any part of that section of Interstate 15, it’s a really long way around.”

Monroe continues by explaining what crews are working on at the moment…

“Right now, they’re working on putting in the support columns,” he says. “Once they have that done, both north- and southbound will be sharing one half of the bridge – one lane in each direction. Then the half that’s open will get removed. Then they’ll replace that with a wider section that goes onto the new support columns that we just built. Then, we’ll put traffic all on the new side of the bridge and go demo out the old half of the bridge.”

More about the project

Work on this extensive rehabilitation project started in March and is expected to take up to two years to complete. Located about 20 miles south of St. George, Utah, the $27 million project includes the replacement of the bridge’s superstructure (girders, deck and railings), as well as widening the roadway through the narrow passage of the scenic Virgin River Gorge.

One more thing…

When you watch the video, you might notice that Resident Engineer Adam Carreon says, “Bridge 6 is functionally obsolete and structurally deficient and needs to be replaced to adequately handle current and future traffic loads.”

Don’t let those terms take you aback. As we explain in this blog post, these classifications do not mean that a bridge is unsafe. Structurally deficient can mean that a component of the bridge needs rehabilitation. Functionally obsolete is a term often used when a bridge has sub-standard geometric features, such as narrow lanes or shoulders or inadequate clearance.

You can also revisit some of our previous posts and check out our I-15 photos on Flickr.

Today, we’re going back into the lab to learn about two important soil tests regularly performed by ADOT…

One test determines the soil’s sulfate content and the other determines its chloride content – both are typically performed on backfill, which is material that will be used to fill an excavated space that ADOT is preparing for a project.

The reason ADOT tests soil for the two water-soluble ions is because, in certain amounts, sulfate and chloride can affect structures.

“Chloride, like other salt and acid anions, promotes corrosion of the steel,” said Transportation Materials Chemical Analyst Jeffrey Faulkner, adding that, over time, sulfate can attack concrete.

There are various ways to mitigate any impacts, depending on the amounts are found.

In the video above, you can see an abbreviated look at how both tests are performed, but there actually are several steps involved.

However, we do want to point out a couple of interesting things about the tests…

Ever hear of a turbidimeter? You’ll notice that the sulfate test utilizes one. It’s an instrument that uses light to measure the turbidity or “cloudiness” of a solution.

“Turbidity is directly related to the sulfate concentration,” says Faulkner. “The more sulfate that was in the soil, the cloudier the derived solution and the turbidimeter then measures that.”

We were also amazed to learn that electrodes are used in the chloride test. Not just any electrodes, though. These are electrodes designed to respond to chloride in solution and they’re inserted into the test mixture as it is stirred at a constant rate.

As we already stated, several steps are involved for both tests. Throughout many of those steps, values are recorded, which are plugged into equations that calculate the soil’s sulfate and chloride content in parts per million.

According to Faulkner, the ADOT lab performs these tests on about 200 soil samples each year. The information gained from the tests is used by engineers to help maximize the performance and longevity of the highway components that are being built.

You might think that highway construction is all about big machinery, heavy-duty vehicles, massive structures and materials by the ton – but it’s not. Sure, those are important, but when it comes to building a road, science plays a strong role too. In fact, the work ADOT does off the project site and inside a lab is so significant that we are highlighting it here on the blog with a new series we’re calling, The Science of Transportation.

This blog post was revised September 2022.

You might think that your child’s first visit to an MVD office will come once it’s time for him or her to get behind the wheel, but did you know there’s a good reason to make the trip much sooner?

When you bring your child to an MVD or MVD authorized third party office, you can easily obtain an Arizona identification card for him or her at any age - even if they’re a baby.

Having an Arizona ID card can help protect your child against identity theft, and it allows law enforcement agencies to rapidly distribute your child’s information and photograph in the event of an Amber Alert. An Arizona ID card can also make it easier for children to travel, enroll in school or activities and even get a driver license once they’re old enough.

An Arizona ID card is is $12. 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.)

After your child’s photo is taken, you will receive a temporary ID before you leave the MVD office. Your child’s ID card will arrive by mail within 15 days.

If your commute includes the Loop 101 between Shea Boulevard and Loop 202 (Red Mountain), you’ve probably noticed the start of some construction work…

It’s all part of a project we told you about last month that will add one new lane in each direction. There’s also a new northbound Loop 101 lane that will be constructed between the Loop 202 interchange and McDowell Road to improve freeway-to-freeway traffic flow. Other features, including merge lanes, lighting, signs and rubberized asphalt are a part of the plans too.

Get all the project details in our previous post. You can also check out our latest video (the one at the top of this page!) to see what drivers should expect through the project’s duration.

Have you heard the news? All four of the ramps connecting Loop 303 and I-10 are open!

We told you about the first two ramps (southbound Loop 303 to eastbound I-10 and eastbound I-10 to northbound Loop 303) last month. Shortly after that, the two additional ramps (westbound I-10 to northbound Loop 303 and southbound Loop 303 to westbound I-10) opened up to drivers on Aug. 24.

As you can see in the video above, there’s also a frontage road system connecting Sarival Avenue to Citrus Road – it is expected to open by mid-September and is the last piece of this phase of the interchange project. Phase II of the project, which will provide southbound access from I-10 to Van Buren Street, is currently in design and is expected to begin construction in 2016.

Looking back

Work on the interchange started in late 2011 and we’ve been covering the project’s progress along the way. We thought it might be fun to look back at some of those posts and videos. After you finish watching the video above, check out these links to learn more about:

• When the Loop 303/I-10 project began
• Progress on the interchange
• A big milestone
• The project’s almost finished
• The ribbon cutting ceremony

Of course, the interchange is just one part of the improvements happening along the Loop 303 corridor. ADOT is working to improve Loop 303 to create a six-lane freeway with three general-purpose lanes in each direction between I-17 in Phoenix and I-10 in Goodyear.

By now, you know that crews on the US 89 project site near Page are busy blasting, digging and hauling dirt and rock – lots and lots of dirt and rock.

We’re talking roughly a million cubic yards of material which, as you can see in the video above, is being used to build a 1,400-foot-long buttress that will stabilize and reinforce the mountain slope that carries US 89.

Geotechnical Engineer Keith Dahlen explains that the construction activity recently triggered some movement of the original landslide and until work is complete there could be some additional settling of the slide.

“It’s nothing that we can’t control by getting that buttress put in place,” he says in the video.

Back to that recent movement – it happened last month and as a safety precaution, all workers were pulled off the site until everything was assessed. After geotechnical engineers inspected the site, work began again nearly 24 hours later. Throughout the duration of the project, the geological experts have been and will continue to closely monitor for any potential movement.

The ultimate repair of US 89, which is expected to be complete before next summer, is the final step in fulfilling ADOT’s three-pronged approach to the US 89 landslide incident. That approach included providing immediate emergency access, conducting a geotechnical investigation, and restoring essential traffic to the area, including the paving of US 89T (Navajo Route 20) to serve as a temporary detour until US 89 is reopened.

“This project is very important to those communities that weren’t able to benefit from the N 20 detour,” says ADOT Senior Deputy State Engineer Rob Samour in the video above. “We need to restore mobility to this area and US 89 is a critical link to that mobility.”

To see more of the project's progress, check out photos of the site on the ADOT Flickr page.

Work on the Loop 303/I-10 traffic interchange started near the end of 2011 and now, more than two and a half years later, the project is nearly complete – in fact, two ramps are already open to traffic!

If you made it out to the site last Saturday for ADOT’s open house, you got an up-close look at all that progress. If not, we’ve got you covered with today’s video…

In it you can see that besides being an opportunity for visitors to check out the interchange, the event also offered the chance to reflect on what the new connection means to the area.

“This is so much bigger than just a freeway expansion,” says Gov. Jan Brewer in the video above. “It opens up our state to the growing communities in the West Valley, expanding commerce and easing travel throughout the region.”

ADOT Director John Halikowski also noted how the improvements to the area’s transportation system, including the $145 million Loop 303/I-10 interchange, will make a difference.

“As many of the freeway loops do, it represents connectivity, not just between cities here in the west Valley, but between cities all over the Valley,” Halikowski said.

Two ramps now open

On Aug. 17, ADOT opened two of the elevated ramps, providing drivers with the first-ever direct connection between I-10 and the Loop 303.

Motorists can now use the interchange to travel from southbound Loop 303 to eastbound I-10 and those headed east on I-10 now have a faster way to reach northbound Loop 303.

The remaining two ramps at the interchange (westbound I-10 to northbound Loop 303 and southbound Loop 303 to westbound I-10) are expected to open by September.

For more information on this project and to see its progress, revisit some of our previous blog posts. You can also see photos of the Aug. 16 open house event on the ADOT Flickr page.

Shovels and wheelbarrows just aren’t going to cut it when you need to move nearly one million cubic yards of dirt and rocks…

That’s why crews working to repair the landslide-damaged stretch of US 89 are using explosives.

As you can see in the video above, blasting is taking place above the slide. The excavated material will be trucked below to build a buttress (you can read our previous post for a more detailed look at the repair plan).

It probably goes without saying that these blasts were conducted by professionals, but we do want to mention that no one from our video team ventured near the site to get this footage. They were able to set up their trusty GoPro cameras well ahead of time and were not in the area during the blast.

If you’re interested in seeing how ADOT has used explosives on a different project, check out this post from 2011.