PHOENIX – An incoming storm with lower-than-normal snow levels is expected to create slippery driving conditions and limited visibility starting Thursday evening throughout Rim Country, in northeastern Arizona and on steep, winding highways east of the Valley, including US 60, State Route 77 and State Route 177 in the Globe and Superior areas.

Avoid underestimating the power of a winter storm or overestimating your ability to negotiate highways covered with snow and ice. Arizona Department of Transportation snowplows will be out in force, but driving conditions can be hazardous during storms. Highways can close suddenly if enough snow falls in a brief period or if there are crashes, slide-offs or both.

Slow down and drive for the conditions you’re in. Be sure to leave plenty of room between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.

The safest decision when snow falls and ice forms is delaying travel until the storm passes and highways have been cleared. In addition to the obvious danger if your vehicle and others are stuck on or along a snow-covered highway, this also makes clearing the roadway much more difficult and time-consuming for ADOT’s snowplows.

If delaying travel isn’t possible, leave prepared for the possibility that you’ll spend extended time in winter conditions. Pack an emergency kit with items like extra blankets, warm clothes, food and water, cat litter or sand for traction, a first-aid kit and a fully charged cellphone.

Before leaving, check highway conditions by visiting ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov or calling 511. ADOT’s Twitter feed (@ArizonaDOT) is a 24-hour-a-day source of updated information and interaction. The free ADOT Alerts app available at ADOTAlerts.com delivers immediate information in a specific area if a major highway closes due to a crash or heavy weather.

For Interstate 17 travelers, ADOT’s message boards now provide estimated travel times to Flagstaff, Prescott and other high-country destinations.

Give snowplows plenty of room to work, staying at least four vehicle lengths behind. Avoid passing a plow until the driver pulls aside to let traffic by.

For more winter driving tips, visit azdot.gov/KnowSnow.

PHOENIX – With the remnants of Hurricane Rosa bringing a rainy forecast to Arizona this week, motorists should slow down, avoid tailgating and sudden braking, and expect the unexpected.

The Arizona Department of Transportation has safety tips available at azdot.gov/safety (follow the Weather link). Among them:

• Allow extra time to reach your destination safely; in heavy rain, consider delaying travel.
• Create a space cushion by reducing your speed and maintaining a safe distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you.
• Avoid sudden braking, which can cause you to slide on the wet pavement. To slow down, take your foot off the gas pedal and brake slowly.
• Avoid areas where water is pooling in travel lanes; if possible, use center lanes and drive in the tracks of the vehicle ahead of you.
• Stay alert for rocks knocked onto roadways by storm runoff on slopes.
• Before you drive, inspect your windshield wipers, and replace them if necessary.
• Turn on your headlights while driving.
• Be cautious of hydroplaning. This occurs when a thin layer of water accumulates between your tires and the asphalt and your vehicle loses contact with the roadway. You might suddenly feel your vehicle sliding or drifting because you’ve lost traction. If you feel you are hydroplaning, ease your foot off the gas pedal until you regain traction. Do not brake suddenly. If you are sliding or drifting, gently turn your steering wheel in the direction of your slide.

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Traveler Information site at az511.gov, by calling 511 and through ADOT’s Twitter feed, @ArizonaDOT. When a freeway closure or other major traffic event occurs, our free app available at ADOTAlerts.com will send critical information directly to app users in affected areas – where possible, in advance of alternate routes.

PHOENIX ‒ Construction and maintenance crews working on Arizona’s highways are taking every precaution to beat the heat with temperatures soaring this week.

Having received training on managing the dangers of extreme heat, these workers stay hydrated, have sun protection, monitor themselves and co-workers for signs of heat stress, take regular breaks and schedule work to avoid the hottest parts of the day.

While all Arizonans need to prepare for intense heat, it’s especially important for the many ADOT personnel and contractors’ employees working outside every day, from the crews maintaining state highways to those building the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway in Phoenix. One reason: Asphalt and concrete get far hotter than the air temperature.

For the South Mountain Freeway project, crews with Connect 202 Partners, the developer responsible for building the 22-mile-long freeway, are taking breaks in designated cool-down areas including shade tents, awnings and air-conditioned vehicles.

More than 1,500 South Mountain Freeway workers have completed a mandatory heat-stress training class, and there have been no reported heat-related illnesses since major construction started last year. That training includes arranging for immediate medical attention if someone appears to be succumbing to the effects of heat.

Connect 202 Partners provides shaded areas and cold bottled water supplemented with electrolyte powder. Certified emergency medical technicians can conduct medical monitoring such as checking blood pressure, heart rate, respiration and temperature.

These strategies used by ADOT can help everyone deal with extreme heat:

• If possible, start work earlier in the day and finish before the hottest hours of the afternoon.
• Use a buddy system to watch for early signs of heat illness.
• Stay hydrated with cool water.
• Have sun protection including a hat, a light-colored and long-sleeved shirt, and sunscreen.
• If you lack experience working in the heat, acclimate over several days by taking extra time to rest and stay hydrated.

In addition, ADOT has tips for traveling in extreme heat at azdot.gov/extreme-heat.

For more information on the South Mountain Freeway, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.

PHOENIX ‒ Extra drinking water for you and your passengers, including pets. An umbrella for shade. A fully charged cellphone.

It’s always important to make sure that you and your vehicle are ready for the possibility of becoming stranded on the highway, but the need is even more critical in times of extreme heat. Being ready begins with – but isn’t limited to – making sure you have the items above when starting a trip, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

If you must spend extended time on the highway due to a breakdown or some other reason for delay, you’ll need sun protection. In addition to an umbrella, take sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat and wear loose-fitting, light-colored cotton clothing.

Keep your tank at three-quarters full. Running out of gas, especially in a remote location, is dangerous in extreme heat.

Take a cooler to keep extra drinking water cold, and consider adding several frozen bottles of water to use for cooling off or to thaw and drink if needed.

If your vehicle breaks down in extreme heat, call for assistance right away to reduce wait time, and run the AC. If the AC isn’t working, roll down all windows.

Other recommendations if you are stranded along the highway in extreme heat:

• DRINK WATER. Make sure everyone, including pets, stays hydrated.
• If the temperature inside the vehicle becomes too hot, everyone, including pets, should exit carefully and seek out or create a shaded area as far away from the travel lanes as possible.
• Be careful walking on the road surface, which can be hot enough to burn skin. Keep your shoes on and try to keep your pets’ paws off the pavement.
• Raise the front hood and turn on hazard lights.
• You can help avoid breakdowns and blowouts by making sure your vehicle is in good operating condition. Check your air conditioner and coolant levels, top off any vital engine fluids and make sure your battery is up to par. Check your tire pressure, as the combination of under inflated tires and hot pavement can lead to a blowout.

More ADOT tips for traveling in extreme heat are available at azdot.gov/extreme-heat.

PHOENIX – Motorists should be prepared for hazardous driving conditions in the higher elevations of Arizona as a storm moves across the state late Sunday through Tuesday morning, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The National Weather Service has issued winter weather advisories and warnings for northern and southeastern Arizona. Drivers planning travel on highways including Interstate 40, Interstate 17, State Route 89A, State Route 87 and State Route 260 may wish to consider to postpone travel until the storm passes and ADOT’s snowplows have cleared highways.

Conditions can change very quickly during winter storms and may temporarily close highways or result in long backups.

ADOT crews will be pre-treating the highways before the storm arrives. Once it begins snowing, plows will be working 24/7 to clear the roadways. Motorists can assist by remembering not to pass snowplows and making sure to stay at least four car lengths behind a plow.

Drivers should be prepared for winter driving and pack an emergency kit in case they are forced to spend an extended time on the road:

• Slow down: Adjust speed to conditions.
• Create space: Leave extra room between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. Avoid sudden braking.
• Give snowplows room: Slow down and stay at least four vehicle lengths behind a plow. Wait for a plow to pull over before passing. The safest place to be when there’s snow and ice on a road is behind a snowplow.
• Leave prepared: Bring extra clothing and gloves, make sure the gas tank is half to three-quarters full at all times, keep cellphones charged and pack extra drinking water, snacks and all necessary medications.
• Pack an emergency kit: It should include blankets, a flashlight, an ice scraper, a small shovel, a container of sand or cat litter for traction and warning lights or reflectors.
• Beware of black ice: Melting snow can turn into ice, especially at night. Ice tends to form on bridges first and can be difficult to see.

More winter driving tips are available at azdot.gov/KnowSnow.

Before heading out on the roads, drivers can call 511 or visit ADOT’s Traveler Information Center at az511.gov to get the latest highway conditions around the state. The website features camera images along state highways that give drivers a glimpse of weather conditions in various regions. 

When a freeway closure or other major traffic event occurs, our free app available at ADOTAlerts.com will send critical information directly to app users in affected areas – where possible, in advance of alternate routes.

PHOENIX – After a day of snow in Arizona’s high country, you’re likely to have company heading north Sunday to toss snowballs, make snow angels, etc.

Have a great time if you go. But do some essential research first, leave prepared to spend extended time in winter weather and avoid parking along highways to play in the snow.

Start by checking the highway conditions available at az511.gov, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Arizona Traveler Information site, or by calling 511. Also review the National Weather Service forecast (visit weather.gov/Flagstaff for the outlook around Flagstaff and Rim Country).

Research where you will play in the snow. If the Flagstaff area is your destination, the Flagstaff Convention & Visitors Bureau lists snow-play locations at FlagstaffArizona.org (follow the Winter Recreation link) and offers a hotline at 844.256.SNOW with the latest snow conditions.

Prepare as you would for any extended period in cold weather. That includes having winter coats, blankets, a fully charged cellphone and portable charger, plenty of fuel, drinking water, snacks and medications. ADOT offers more tips to help you get ready at azdot.gov/KnowSnow.

On your way, be sure to follow other ADOT Know Snow tips, including slowing down based on conditions and keeping an eye out for early morning ice that can form first on bridges. Give any snowplows you see a wide berth, staying at least four vehicle lengths behind. Never pass a snowplow that’s clearing a road.

One place to never play in the snow is parked along a highway. Highway shoulders are for emergencies only, and parking on them endangers not only you and your party but those in other vehicles as well as first responders who may need to use the shoulder. Park in designated areas beyond the highway right of way.

US 180 northwest of Flagstaff is likely to be popular with those seeking snow. If you go there, keep in mind that the area can attract heavy traffic that leads to long backups into Flagstaff as the day goes on. Making an earlier start back can increase your chances of avoiding delays on US 180, but there are no guarantees.

Those heading from US 180 to Interstate 17 southbound at day’s end can save time by using a marked alternate route to Interstate 40 at Butler Avenue, via Switzer Canyon Drive and Route 66, and then heading west to I-17.

When a freeway closure or other major traffic event occurs, a free app available at ADOTAlerts.com will send critical information directly to app users in affected areas – where possible, in advance of alternate routes.