You probably don’t think much about drainage when you’re driving, but a well-designed drainage system can increase the lifespan of a highway and help keep the public safe.
We’ll blog about how these systems are designed and maintained soon, but today we just want to give you a quick glimpse of the types of drainage solutions used on a project like the Loop 303/I-10 interchange.
You can see in the video above that a lot is required to collect and remove water from the roadway …
On this particular project the drainage system consists of storm drain pipes, concrete channels, box culverts and drainage basins. Because so much excavation work is required (more than 1 million cubic yards of dirt had to be moved on this project!), most of the storm drain work is completed early on in the project.
For more on how ADOT builds a freeway, check out some of our other videos and blog posts on the subject.
Building a Freeway: Portland Cement Concrete Pavement
Building a Freeway: Portland Cement Concrete Pavement
June 20, 2012
Placing Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP) is one of the final steps involved when building a road, but it’s far from an afterthought…
Type of pavement is a consideration very early in the planning phase when designers look into various factors, including pavement design life, traffic volume and type, soil conditions and maintainability. Based on these factors the designers determine everything from the pavement's thickness to how strong it needs to be.
Let’s take a look at how it’s made
Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP) consists of cement, sand, aggregate (rocks) and water. There are also admixtures – materials often added to the concrete mix to alter its properties. These admixtures can do a number of things to the concrete mix. Depending on the need, they may be added to reduce water, slow the setting rate, accelerate the setting time or add color to concrete, among other things.
A few facts about PCCP
When it’s this hot outside (100 degrees and up), crews have to mix and place the PCCP at night when temperatures are cooler. There are a few reasons for this, one having to do with water evaporation. In higher temperatures, the water in the concrete evaporates faster (more water could be added to maintain the consistency, but that has the unwanted effect of reducing concrete's strength). Conversely, if the weather gets too cold in the winter months, crews can’t place PCCP because the water will freeze and inhibit the PCCP from curing properly.
Portland Cement Concrete can be purchased or mixed on site.
PCCP has a long life-span. In Arizona it’s used mostly on freeways within the Valley and Tucson metro area. Because of its durability, PCCP is great for these high-traffic areas.
A curing compound is sprayed onto the PCCP after it is placed. It creates a kind of membrane that prevents moisture from evaporating from concrete (again, water is a key component to PCCP’s strength).
Crews aren’t done once the PCCP is placed. The PCCP is not ready for traffic unless it meets certain criteria. ADOT tests for strength, thickness and smoothness before vehicles are allowed on the road.
Now that our Haboob Haiku challenge is coming to an end, who out there is ready for the next transportation themed poetry contest?
Got any “HOV-Lane Limericks”? How about an “Ode to the Road” or, maybe a “Cement Sonnet”?
On second thought, never mind – those are all terrible ideas.
Besides, we’re pretty certain nothing is going to top the impressive response we got with #HaboobHaiku!
Here’s a big thank you to everyone who submitted poems on Twitter, Facebook and the blog. You helped us spread the word on dust storm safety, which is exactly what we had hoped would happen (although, we admit we had no idea the message would go so far and so quickly!).
We had a lot of fun with this and hope you did, too, but as we wrap things up this week we want to remind everyone of just how dangerous haboobs can be. We’re headed into monsoon season (the official start is today) and those dusty, unpredictable storms are on their way.
So, before the next one hits, we invite you to take a look at the powerful video above. It illustrates why we all need to be aware of the havoc these storms can bring to our roads.
But, sometimes something will impact our roads (and the ability to drive them) quickly and without much notice, making it all the more difficult to get the message out.
Dust storms absolutely fall under this category.
As you can see in the video above, these weather phenomena arrive suddenly and bring a blinding dust that can quickly reduce visibility to near zero. They make driving conditions hazardous and can cause crashes that may involve chain collisions and massive pileups on highways.
Ultimately, dust storms are an act of nature. While we don’t get much advance notice that they’re on the way, we can at least learn about these storms and know what to do when we encounter one.
You’ll hear that a lot from us over the next few days as we devote the entire week to monsoon and dust storm awareness.
That’s right ... this whole week will be focused on staying safe during the monsoon and dust storm season. We’ve got a lot planned for you here on the blog and on our Facebook and Twitter pages, too, so you’ll want to stay tuned!
But, first up, we’ve got some tips for drivers. Motorists play an important role in their own safety and the safety of others when operating vehicles during a dust storm ... here’s what to do when encountering a low- or no-visibility dust storm:
Avoid driving into or through a dust storm.
Do not wait until poor visibility makes it difficult to safely pull off the roadway -- do it as soon as possible. Completely exit the highway if you can.
If you encounter a dust storm, check traffic immediately around your vehicle (front, back and to the side) and begin slowing down.
Do not stop in a travel lane or in the emergency lane; look for a safe place to pull completely off the paved portion of the roadway.
Stop the vehicle in a position ensuring it is a safe distance from the main roadway and away from where other vehicles may travel.
Turn off all vehicle lights, including your emergency flashers.
Set your emergency brake and take your foot off the brake.
Stay in the vehicle with your seatbelts buckled and wait for the storm to pass.
Drivers of high-profile vehicles should be especially aware of changing weather conditions and travel at reduced speeds.
A driver’s alertness and safe driving ability is still the No. 1 factor to prevent crashes.
If you’ve ever driven between Arizona and Las Vegas, you’re probably pretty familiar with US 93. It’s the stretch of road traveled by countless motorists each day and it is in the midst of a major update.
A little bit of an overview
ADOT has dedicated nearly half a billion dollars since 1998 to widening and improving US 93 all the way from Wickenburg to the Hoover Dam. The long-term vision is to transform this route into a four-lane divided highway through its entire 200-mile stretch.
To turn this vision into reality, it was necessary to split the entire project into a series of smaller projects, including the one we’re blogging about today.
Milepost 2 to 17
This portion of US 93 comprises the 15 miles of roadway just south of the Hoover Dam.
In November 2010, ADOT completed construction on the $71.3 million project, which widened the existing roadway section from two lanes to four and provided significant highway improvements, including a new trailhead, scenic overlooks and three wildlife crossings, which not only provide a safe crossing for the native Desert Bighorn Sheep, but also protection for motorists.
Because this portion of the US 93 is improved, motorists now have a continuous four-lane divided highway they can drive from the new bridge all the way south to Kingman.
This project is significant because of its magnitude and the aggressive schedule crews followed to get it done on time.
“Originally it was intended to be four different projects. That 15 miles was going to be split up into four different projects, which means it would take a long time to get finished,” Kingman District Engineer Mike Kondelis said. “In 2006, we were fortunate enough to get all four of those projects lumped together and built as one project. At that point, the race was on. We wanted to be able to complete this one project in time for the opening of the Hoover Dam bypass.”
Before you take a look at the video above for more on why the bypass played such an integral part in the construction of this portion of US 93, we want to share just a few of the project stats …
The project required more than 3.5 million cubic yards of excavation (one cubic yard is 3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet … that’s a major amount of material!).
More than 2.9 million pounds of reinforced steel were used in the bridges and various concrete segments.
This section of the project also included more than 22 miles of new guardrail and 4.5 miles of culvert pipe.
The project has been recognized with some major awards, including the Arizona Chapter of the American Public Works Association Transportation Project of the Year in the $25 to $75 million category and the 2011 Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Award. The American Council of Engineering Companies of Arizona presented the 2011 Engineering Excellence Judge’s Choice Award to the project designer, AMEC Earth & Environmental, Inc. This project also received a couple of environmental awards, including the FHWA Exemplary Ecosystem Initiative Award and the National Environmental Excellence Award (in the conservation category) from the National Association of Environmental Professionals.
Recent winter storm kept snowplow operators very busy
Recent winter storm kept snowplow operators very busy
March 30, 2012
Just a couple days before the official start of spring, our state experienced a severe winter storm that left up to 36 inches of snow in some spots.
Needless to say, that much snow meant ADOT’s snowplow drivers were kept very busy through the weekend.
How busy? To answer that, we rounded up stats from some of our maintenance districts. The crews working in these teams are among the nearly 400 ADOT employees trained to drive a snowplow.
When the weather gets like it did the weekend of March 17, snowplow operators will typically work 12-hour shifts to make sure the freeways are clear…
ADOT’s Flagstaff district had 41 snowplows deployed during the storm March 18-19. This added up to 1,968 labor hours to clear the snow on approximately 3,000 lane miles of highway.
* Lane miles = distance traveled x number of lanes cleared. For example, a snowplow might clear a roadway that measures 25 miles, but if there are four lanes to clear on that span, the lane miles traveled equals 100. All the numbers in this blog post are referring to lane miles.
The storm hit Payson at around midnight on March 19 and the snow quickly forced the closure of many local roads and I-40. ADOT crews in the area worked around the clock putting in a total of 291 hours during this storm. They either plowed or treated 5,287 miles of roadway. The crew member providing this info points out that the total circumference of Earth is 24,901 miles and that it’s not unusual for the Payson crew to plow enough miles to circle the planet TWICE in one winter!!
Cordes Junction (and surrounding areas) got some snow, too … 3,606 miles of roads were treated or plowed in the area.
Crews out in Safford had seven plows in operation working in the higher elevations on US 191, SR 266 and SR 366.
In Kingman, 13 plows were used on I-40, SR 66 and US 93. The district also utilized two de-icer trucks to help cut through the icy conditions.
Over in Globe and the surrounding areas of Roosevelt, Show Low, Springerville and St. Johns, 26 snowplows were utilized along 15,354 miles.
The northeastern portion of our state also saw quite a bit of snow…
ADOT’s Holbrook maintenance org used six plows on 1,026 miles of roadway. The Winslow group utilized six plows on 3,599 miles of roads. Surrounding areas (including Kayenta, Keams Canyon, Ganado and Chambers) utilized a total of 21 snowplows along 6,790 miles of road.
We’d like to send a big thank-you to all the crews who worked through this storm. Their efforts helped keep the roads open and safe!
Prince Road/I-10 underpass, ramps to close as ADOT widens busy interchange
Prince Road/I-10 underpass, ramps to close as ADOT widens busy interchange
March 6, 2012
Progress is being made on the I-10 widening project we first told you about back in October and construction has reached a milestone, requiring a closure in the Tucson area...
Beginning March 12, the I-10 Prince Road underpass and ramps will close. This closure is necessary so ADOT can widen this busy Tucson interchange.
But, don’t worry ... motorists can use Ruthrauff Road or Miracle Mile ramps to enter or exit I-10. Businesses in the area will remain open during construction and are accessible on both sides of I-10 using frontage roads and nearby surface streets.
A little background on the project
This project is designed to widen I-10 to four lanes in each direction from Ruthrauff Road to Prince Road.
Crews also are working to reconstruct the Prince Road traffic interchange so that the road will pass over Union Pacific Railroad tracks and I-10. This is vital due to frequent traffic backups and delays at the Prince Road/I-10 intersection (more than 40 trains pass through the area each day, which can cause traffic to back up onto nearby I-10).
Work, which should be complete by late 2013, also includes new landscaping and the updating of on- and off-ramps to provide better connections and improved access for motorists.
So, maybe you’re wondering why we’re bringing it up again so soon …
Well, we’re blogging about it today because we’ve got an awesome new video (see above) that details the entire project and shows footage from January when crews installed some precast girders – a milestone in the construction.
When all the work is complete – around summer 2013 – motorists are going to have a much easier time maneuvering the interchange that sits halfway between Phoenix and Flagstaff. That’s because the project includes:
New bridges on SR 69
The removal of the outdated on- and off-ramps
A new I-17 interchange
Two new bridges and ramps built over I-17 to connect with SR 69
The construction of a new Arcosanti Road, along with the realignment of Copper Star Road and Stagecoach Trail.
“I think this is going to be a major center for the folks around here and also for the state of Arizona,” Cordes Junction business owner Jerry Schultz says in the video above.
Building a Freeway: Constructing a temporary bypass
Building a Freeway: Constructing a temporary bypass
January 25, 2012
Remember this awesome time-lapse video showing the construction of a temporary bypass at Greenway Road and the Loop 303?
Well, today we’ve got an even more in-depth look at how crews built the new intersection – complete with temporary barriers, fences and traffic signals – in just about 43 hours! (Take a look at the photos below for an amazing before and after aerial glimpse of the new bypass!)
Having this new intersection/bypass in place is pretty critical for the rest of the work being completed on the Loop 303 (the project is in its second phase and stretches from Mountain View Boulevard to Peoria Avenue).
The temporary intersection not only helps motorists avoid the work zone, but the incorporation of an equipment pass-through will assist crews as they haul an estimated 75,000 loads of dirt away from the site to build the Greenway Road overpass.
“We started back in August working on this knowing that getting Greenway and the 303 relocated on the detour was going to set this project in motion,” Loop 303 Project Supervisor Mark Wheeler said.
Check out the video above and you’ll see that it took some real coordination to complete the work in such a short period of time (bonus points if you also see the lunar eclipse at about the 1:42 mark).
This photo was taken in August before the bypass was built.
This photo is from December and shows the new bypass.
Adopt a Highway volunteers never can predict what they’re going to find out on the road…
From discarded cigarettes and fast food wrappers to cake mix and bobble heads (see video above), they have not only seen it all, but they've picked it all up.
We’re thankful for the approximately 1,570 volunteer groups who currently adopt an Arizona highway. It’s hard to believe, but roughly 335 of the groups have been volunteering for more than 10 years and of those, 50 have been with Adopt a Highway for more than 20 years!
ADOT’s Adopt a Highway coordinator Stephanie Brown says new groups are always welcome. Volunteers are especially needed outside of the Phoenix area … the biggest need is in Yuma, Kingman, Safford, Holbrook and Tucson.
The groups that volunteer do it for various reasons, but there’s always big opportunity for a rewarding experience as exhibited in the video above.
“I wanted to remember my son and I saw the Adopt a Highway sign and thought, ‘wow, his name could be up there on that highway forever,’” says volunteer Bonwyn Streich.
This is the sixth year Streich has picked up litter along a mile-long stretch of SR 87 (Beeline Highway) in memory of her son.
Missy Acuff volunteers along with Streich and says she’d like to see even more groups adopt a highway.
“I believe in karma,” she said. “You do something good and it comes back to you tenfold … we need more people who want to do this.”
Information on volunteering can be found on the Adopt a Highway webpage. You can also read a little more on how the Adopt a Highway program and its volunteers benefit Arizona in our blog post from last May.
