PHOENIX – Like a lot of Arizona these days, the hillsides along State Route 87 south of Payson look mighty green after a wet winter. But that didn’t stop a brush fire from breaking out last week after a vehicle dragging chains threw sparks off the roadway, backing up traffic as first responders addressed the blaze.

When warmer temperatures turn all that ground cover brown, there will be even more reason for precautions to prevent brush fires along highways.

“Everyone can help prevent fires,” said Jesse Gutierrez, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s deputy state engineer for statewide operations. “That starts with making sure your tires are properly inflated, being careful not to park over tall grasses and ensuring that chains aren’t dragging.”

During the winter and spring, ADOT crews mow vegetation along highway shoulders. Crews also remove brush, thin trees and spray fire retardant within the ADOT right-of-way to prevent fires and slow the spread of those that occur. But motorists have an important role as well:

• Don’t park in tall grass, as the heat from parts under your vehicle can start a fire.
• Make sure nothing is hanging from underneath your vehicle and dragging on the pavement.
• Dragging chains during towing can cause sparks. Never substitute parts when towing.
• Check tire pressure before you travel. Exposed wheel rims can cause sparks.

ADOT participates in the “One Less Spark One Less Wildfire” campaign that the U.S. Forest Service and other land management agencies launched to focus on the role drivers and homeowners play in preventing wildfires.

PHOENIX – An Arizona Department of Transportation project underway at the Twin Arrows interchange along Interstate 40 just east of Flagstaff will improve access for drivers.

The $4.5 million project between mileposts 218 and 220 will create new eastbound off- and on-ramps, and improve the bridge structure with new girders, wider abutments, a widened and repaved deck, and new safety barriers.

I-40 drivers will encounter a lane restriction in both directions at the interchange as work continues. Access to Twin Arrows Road and I-40 will be maintained, though occasional detours can be expected.

Work is expected to be complete by fall.

PHOENIX – With a 100-ton crane standing adjacent to Interstate 10 near 59th Avenue and an oversized drill rig parked nearby in the median, work is getting underway to construct piers supporting the flyover ramps for the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway interchange at I-10 in the West Valley.

A series of closures of westbound I-10 between 51st and 67th avenues are needed during the next few weeks to move this equipment to begin work on structures that will carry traffic over I-10 when the South Mountain Freeway opens by late 2019.

The first closure will last for approximately three hours between 11 p.m. Tuesday, April 18, and 5 a.m. Wednesday, April 19, when westbound traffic will exit and re-enter I-10 via ramps at 59th Avenue. Drivers should allow extra travel time.

There will be limited closures for the next few weeks as the equipment is moved from one location to another to drill deep foundations for the flyover ramp piers.

Over the next two years, crews from Connect 202 Partners, developer of the South Mountain Freeway project, will drill 43 shafts for the piers, using an auger to carve out 10-foot-diameter holes up to 100 feet deep. A crane will plant rebar cages in the holes, which will be filled with concrete.

In addition to the traffic interchange, improvements at the western end of the South Mountain Freeway include widening I-10 from 43rd to 75th avenues with merge lanes in each direction and adding two-mile-long access roads to improve traffic flow between 51st and 67th avenues. The new access roads will carry two lanes of traffic in each direction parallel to I-10.

The South Mountain Freeway will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, the South Mountain Freeway will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system in the Valley.

For more information, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.

PHOENIX – Slow down.

The Arizona Department of Transportation is sending that message to motorists traveling on a stretch of Pecos Road reconfigured for Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway construction.

ADOT and Connect 202 Partners, the developer building the South Mountain Freeway, have installed speed-monitoring equipment and signs showing motorists both how fast they are going and the reduced speed limit of 40 mph. The digital signs flash repeatedly when motorists travel more than 5 mph above the speed limit.

“Pecos Road is a local road, not a freeway, and construction is occurring on the other side of the concrete barricades,” said Rob Samour, ADOT’s senior deputy state engineer for major projects. “Motorists have a responsibility to slow down and obey the reduced speed limit.”

ADOT and Connect 202 Partners continue to monitor Pecos Road traffic and make refinements to ensure the safety of workers and motorists, including applying a new thermal reflective paint on the lane stripes and additional raised pavement markers to enhance visibility, along with additional signage and installing lane separator posts as needed to guide traffic.

On April 3, Pecos Road traffic between 24th and 40th streets shifted to an alignment that maintains two travel lanes in each direction with construction underway in Ahwatukee. The former eastbound lanes have been widened to accommodate traffic in both directions, with a double yellow line between.

By late May, Pecos Road between Desert Foothills Parkway and 24th Street will shift to this alignment.

Scheduled to open in late 2019, the South Mountain Freeway will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, it will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system.

To stay informed about the South Mountain Freeway project and sign up for updates and weekly traffic alerts, please visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation continues to gather comments for its proposed Five-Year Construction Program by reaching out to all members of the public and communities statewide for their input on which projects should move forward over the next few years.

The second public hearing for the 2018-2022 Tentative Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, April 21, at the Coconino County Administration Building, first floor board meeting room, 219 E. Cherry Ave., Flagstaff, 86001. The monthly State Transportation Board meeting will follow.

In its Tentative Program, ADOT proposes accelerating some key expansion projects for Greater Arizona because of federal funding increases, grants and state budget appropriations. They include:

• two Interstate 10 widening projects in Pinal County (State Route 87 to Picacho and Earley Road to Interstate 8), now accelerated to fiscal year 2018 due in part to a $54 million federal FASTLANE grant;
• the first phase of a project to improve State Route 189 in Nogales between the Mariposa Port of Entry and Interstate 19, now planned for fiscal year 2019 because of a $25 million state budget appropriation aimed at accelerating the project;
• two major widening projects along US 93 in fiscal years 2018 and 2020 that will bring ADOT closer to its goal of completing a four-lane divided highway from Wickenburg to Interstate 40, laying the groundwork for the proposed Interstate 11;
• widening Interstate 17 in areas between Anthem and Sunset Point in fiscal years 2021 and 2022, with specific areas and projects still under study.

These are just some of the projects that are included in the 2018-2022 Tentative Program. The complete report is available at azdot.gov for review and comment until May 30.

Many of the major projects in this Tentative Program focus on improving some of Arizona’s busiest corridors. Better mobility means better daily commutes and travel for everyone. Improved roads also enhance freight movement, trade, commerce and economic development, all of which benefit the quality of life statewide.

ADOT is also committed to protecting Arizona’s nearly $21 billion investment in the state highway system through dedicated preservation funding. This Five-Year Program meets ADOT’s target of $260 million per year for preservation. Projects like repaving highways, repairing or reconstructing bridges and projects to extend the life of existing pavement all help to preserve the highway system and keep it functioning as it should.

The public comment period for the 2018-2022 Tentative Program began on March 17. It includes public hearings in Tucson (March 17), Flagstaff (April 21) and Phoenix (May 19). The State Transportation Board will make its final decision in June about what will be in the updated Five-Year Program.

The Tentative Program is available for public review and comment at azdot.gov/FiveYearPlan, where a “how to read it” guide is available. ADOT welcomes feedback through Survey Monkey, by email at [email protected] and by calling 855.712.8530. The comment period ends at 5 p.m. on May 30.

Following are details about the two remaining public hearings and the State Transportation Board’s June meeting where the final Five-Year Program is expected to be approved:

April 21 at 9 a.m.: Public hearing and State Transportation Board meeting at the Coconino County Administration Building, first floor board meeting room, 219 E. Cherry Ave., Flagstaff.

May 19 at 9 a.m.: Public hearing and State Transportation Board meeting in the ADOT Administration Building Auditorium, 206 S. 17th Ave., Phoenix.

June 16 at 9 a.m.: State Transportation Board meeting in Payson. Meeting details will be announced when finalized.

MARICOPA – While Lt. Mike Campbell hopes Maricopa Police Department officers never need to enter a home to remove a barricaded suspect, a partnership with the Arizona Department of Transportation has helped them prepare, just in case.

With ADOT preparing to build a bridge carrying State Route 347 over the Union Pacific Railroad, officers have been able to train twice in a house acquired on Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway. The home eventually will be demolished to make way for a new alignment of Plainview Street that will connect Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway to Honeycutt Road and SR 347.

Campbell said the partnership ensures that the department’s Special Response Team has the opportunity to train for potentially life-or-death situations. That included practicing how to enter a home with a dangerous suspect inside, breaking down doors and methodically working their way through the building.

“There are very few opportunities for us to train for these rare but dangerous situations,” Campbell said. “Every time our officers can experience the challenges that come with entering a building in a hostile situation means we can do a better job if this kind of situation arises. This makes our officers better at their jobs and it makes Maricopa a safer place for our residents.”

ADOT has a 25-year tradition of working with first responders to provide real-world training opportunities in the controlled environment of vacant buildings. Training collaborations like the one that took place this month in Maricopa date back to construction of State Route 51 in the early 1990s.

Just last summer, ADOT-acquired properties along the route of the South Mountain Freeway were used to train fire and law enforcement officers from more than a dozen agencies. That included SWAT teams using homes to practice responding to hostage situations and the Phoenix Fire Department, which trained 48 ladder companies and scores of new recruits.

ADOT works side-by-side with emergency responders every day, said Brian Rockwell, ADOT assistant chief right of way agent.

“Police officers willingly put themselves in harm’s way to protect all of us in dangerous situations,” Rockwell said. “When we have the opportunity to help them train, as we did here, we’re not only happy to do that but we consider it part of our service to the community.”

Construction of the SR 347 bridge begins this fall. The two-year, $55 million project will carry traffic over the railroad tracks on a path just east of the current SR 347. It will alleviate congestion on a road that is expected to see traffic double to more than 60,000 vehicles a day by 2040 and save drivers the time of waiting for trains to cross the highway. The area now sees 40-60 trains a day, a number that is expected to reach 100 daily in the next 20 years.

PHOENIX – Just in time for spring, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division has added a new feature to its self-serve kiosks. For the first time, customers can use a ServiceArizona kiosk to print the annual off-highway vehicle (OHV) decal, eliminating the need to wait in line.

“Off-highway vehicles are very popular in Arizona, and the law requires that owners renew their decals every year,” said MVD Director Eric Jorgensen. “Rather than make people wait in line to get this credential, we expanded this service to kiosks located at many MVD offices as well as court buildings in a number of communities throughout the state. This is another way MVD is getting people out of line and safely on the road ‒ or, in this case, off-road.”

OHVs made primarily for use over unimproved terrain and weighing 1,800 pounds or less are required by law to display a valid OHV decal, which costs $25 and must be purchased annually.  This includes “street legal” vehicles that meet those requirements. Getting the decal isn’t to be confused with registering the vehicle, which is required only for those OHVs that are meant to be street legal.

While OHV decals and registration are handled by the Motor Vehicle Division, renewal notices are sent by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. For more information, please visit azgfd.com/OHV.

In fiscal year 2016, nearly 86,000 decals were issued. Thirty percent of the funds collected go into the state’s Highway User Revenue Fund, which is distributed to counties and cities for road and highway maintenance.

The remaining funds are split as follows:

• 60 percent to Arizona State Parks for grants, agreements, trail construction, development and maintenance, signage and maps
• 35 percent to the Arizona Game and Fish Department for law enforcement education and outreach
• 5 percent to the Arizona State Land Department for mitigation signage and enforcement

For an interactive map showing court and MVD office locations with self-serve kiosks, please visit azdot.gov/MVD and click the Hours and Locations link under MVD Services.

PHOENIX – After a long winter’s nap, three state highways to lakes in the White Mountains are scheduled to reopen Thursday, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

They are: State Route 261 between Eagar and Big Lake; State Route 273 between Sunrise Park and Big Lake; and State Route 473 between State Route 260 and Hawley Lake.

Another highway that closes for the winter, State Route 67, leading to the north rim of the Grand Canyon, is anticipated to reopen in mid-May.

Before heading off to enjoy the mountains, motorists should do the following:

• Make sure all occupants in a vehicle are buckled in.
• Check tire pressure, fluids and more to make sure a vehicle is in proper running condition.
• Be patient, including not following other vehicles too closely and building in extra travel time.
• Get enough sleep before the trip.
• Bring extra water and food.
• Never drink and drive.
• Check for information about highway restrictions and more by visiting az511.gov, calling 511 or following ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT).

PHOENIX – While the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has scheduled a public hearing on an Arizona Department of Transportation permit application for Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway work in areas deemed waterways, the project remains on track for completion in late 2019.

ADOT’s project team will move forward with other construction while the May 9 hearing is pending.

Any work occurring in a designated waterway that falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency requires what is known as a Section 404 Clean Water Act permit. Along the 22-mile South Mountain Freeway corridor, these areas, including the Salt River, various washes and a conveyance channel in Laveen, are being been roped off and identified by signs saying “Waters of the United States.”

After ADOT submitted its permit application in 2016, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers held a public review period that ended on Feb. 7. One comment, from the Gila River Indian Community, requested a public hearing.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program, which evaluates permit applications for most construction projects occurring around lakes, rivers, streams and other areas deemed Waters of the United States, has the discretion to hold or not hold a public hearing when it receives such a request.    

ADOT has worked closely with stakeholders to plan a South Mountain Freeway that not only meets strict environmental standards but also addresses one of the most critical transportation needs in the Valley: an east-west alternative to Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix.

A 13-year analysis by ADOT and the Federal Highway Administration, the most extensive environmental review of any highway project to date in Arizona, took into account more than 8,000 formal comments from the public before the project received federal approval in 2015. That includes developing a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement that complies with federal law and follows best practices for transportation projects.

The hearing, which is open to all, is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 9, at the Boys and Girls Club of the East Valley, Gila River Branch-Komatke, 5047 W. Pecos Road in Laveen.

For more information on the public hearing and permit application, please visit spl.usace.army.mil and search for South Mountain Freeway SR 202L. 

PHOENIX – A Casa Grande resident who allegedly used stolen identities to fraudulently obtain benefits and settlement payments was arrested thanks to Arizona Department of Transportation detectives’ use of facial recognition training and technology.

The case began when Sharon Forrest, 51, applied for a driver license in early February. A review found that her photo closely resembled two other photos in ADOT’s database, and detectives with FBI training in facial recognition determined that all three photos were of Forrest.

Their investigation found that Forrest had used stolen identities to get Social Security benefits, Department of Economic Security assistance, settlement payments and veteran benefits. She was arrested March 1 and booked at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Fourth Avenue Jail on eight counts of forgery and one count of identity theft.

This case is just one example of how facial recognition technology used by ADOT’s Office of Inspector General protects Arizonans’ identities and helps prevent fraud involving state-issued driver licenses and identification cards.

“As the agency that issues identification cards, we’re serious about protecting Arizonans’ identities,” said Michael Lockhart, chief of the Office of Inspector General. “This system helps us to do just that.”

Facial recognition allows detectives to compare a photo against others in the driver license database to ensure a person isn’t fraudulently obtaining an ID card.

If a photo is a likely match to another one, the system will flag it. Potentially fraudulent photos then undergo three levels of review by detectives who have received FBI facial recognition training.

“Humans are involved at every level of facial recognition technology,” Lockhart said. “We make sure we’ve got solid evidence before advancing one of our cases. This is not a science fiction scenario where the computer determines potential fraud all by itself.”