PHOENIX — Beginning May 20, specific hybrid vehicle owners will have another opportunity to obtain one of the “Clean Air – Blue Skies” Energy Efficient license plates being made available by the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division.

The federal program, which began in 2007 as a pilot, is designed to test the impact of allowing 10,000 hybrid vehicles to use the HOV lanes in Arizona during peak travel times without occupancy restrictions. ADOT is again offering the opportunity to Arizona owners of qualifying vehicles to obtain a “Clean Air – Blue Skies” plate for unrestricted access to HOV lanes. The maximum limit of 10,000 is still part of program stipulations; there are 1,800 of the special plates now available as a result of non-renewed or canceled registrations.

Until Sept. 30, 2017, states may allow low emission vehicles, and those certified and labeled as low emission and energy-efficient vehicles (including alternative fuel vehicles) that do not meet the established occupancy requirements to use high-occupancy vehicle lanes so long as the state establishes procedures to enforce the restrictions on the use by these vehicles.

The program requirements for qualifying vehicles have changed.

Qualifying vehicles will be limited to include only plug-in hybrid electric vehicles according to the certification list established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA is responsible for issuing the rules that establish the certification and labeling requirements for low emission and energy-efficient vehicles.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles may be driven for a longer period of time on solely electric power, reducing both the amount of fuel consumed and tailpipe emissions released compared to normal hybrid vehicles. Reduced vehicle pollution supports the purpose of the “Clean Air – Blue Skies” program by encouraging the use of low-emission vehicles to improve the air quality in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

To qualify for the Energy Efficient plate, a customer must own one of the following plug-in hybrid electric vehicles from specific model years, which must be currently registered at the time of application: Chevrolet Volt (2011-2014), Fisker Automotive Karma (2012), Ford C-MAX Energi (2013-2014), Ford Fusion Energi (2013-2014), Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid (2014), and Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid (2012-2014).

If qualified, the vehicle owner must complete the online Energy Efficient plate application process located only on ServiceArizona.com and submit a payment of $8 (initial application fee) plus postage and handling. Plates will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The Energy Efficient plates will not be distributed at Motor Vehicle Division or Authorized Third-Party offices. The standard Arizona vehicle license tax applies to all plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Only owners of currently registered, qualifying vehicles under the revised program requirements will be able to secure one of the 1,800 plates. Those with a temporary registration paper plate or permit are not eligible until the owner actually receives an issued license plate.

After completing the Energy-Efficient license plate application and the customer chooses to have the disability emblem added, the customer must complete a Disability-Hearing Impaired Plate/Placard Application found online at the MVD Forms Library. The completed application form must be mailed to: Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division-Special Plates Unit; P.O. Box 2100-Mail Drop 801Z; Phoenix 85001-2100.

Customers with a vehicle that qualified under the previous program (Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight and non-plug-in Toyota Prius) and is currently registered with an Energy Efficient plate will be allowed to continue to use their plate on that vehicle and drive in the HOV lane until they sell/transfer the vehicle. The Energy Efficient plate may only be transferred to a qualifying plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that is owned or leased by the same registered owner.

Drivers are reminded that this is a federal- and state-approved program that could be changed or ended at any time. For more information on the Energy Efficient Plate Program, application process and qualifying vehicles, please visit the ADOT Motor Vehicle Division website at azdot.gov/mvd.

PHOENIX – One Less Spark One Less Wildfire. That’s the name of an interagency campaign that the Arizona Department of Transportation will participate in to raise driver awareness of their role in preventing wildfires.

The “One Less Spark One Less Wildfire” awareness campaign was started by the U.S. Forest Service and other land management agencies in California in 2012. The campaign focuses on the role drivers and home owners play in helping to prevent wildfires.

The campaign offers tips for drivers when traveling this summer to prevent starting fires:

• Do not 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 asphalt
• Dragging chains from towing can cause sparks. Never substitute parts when towing.
• Check tire pressure before you travel. Exposed wheel rims can cause sparks on the asphalt.

“The One Less Spark One Less Wildfire campaign is targeted for areas of high-frequency fires or areas that have the potential for catastrophic wildfire damage. It was successfully implemented in California in 2012 and is now expanding to the southwest region,” said Justin Haynes with the U.S. Forest Service. “The program emphasis targets human-caused wildfires, with not only the continued education in campfire vigilance when recreating, but also focuses on wildfires caused by vehicles and home owners.”

The campaign features posters, bumper stickers, informational cards and public service announcements which give safety messages about equipment, including vehicles, sparking wildfires along roadways.

#   #   #

There will be an upcoming media event about the “One Less Spark One Less Wildfire” campaign. The public is welcome to attend. Details are as follows:

WHO: ADOT, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Black Canyon City Fire Department, American Red Cross, Arizona Department of Public Safety and other agencies

WHERE: Sunset Point Rest Area located along I-17 at milepost 252 north of the Phoenix area.

WHEN: Friday, May 23 from 1 – 4 p.m.

WHAT: The purpose of the media day is to educate the traveling public that vehicles can cause fires and provide ways to prevent it. ADOT and other agencies will have representatives available to talk about the danger of wildfires, things that cause wildfires and the role the public plays in preventing them.

PHOENIX – The directors of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the Arizona Department of Transportation and the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, convened an emergency meeting Sunday afternoon to talk about the recent fatal wrong-way driver crashes on Arizona highways.

DPS Director Robert Halliday, ADOT Director John Halikowski and Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Director Alberto Gutier, along with their executive staff members, reviewed the three recent fatal wrong-way collisions and discussed strategies for reducing these types of crashes in the future. The group focused on the “3 E’s” of highway safety: enforcement, engineering and education.

Enforcement: The Highway Patrol’s top priority is to remove impaired drivers from Arizona roadways. With the support of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, local and county police agencies, we will continue to remove DUI drivers from our roadways in order to reduce the occurrence of serious injury and/or fatal crashes on Arizona roadways.

The Highway Patrol will remain vigilant in its mission to protect human life and property by enforcing DUI and all other traffic laws. Distracted drivers also create a danger on the roadway and the Highway Patrol has been using existing state laws to combat distracted driving.

“Our mission is to protect the lives of people who travel on state highways, I take that very seriously,” said Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Robert Halliday. “I am personally overseeing DPS’ participation with ADOT and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety in a collaborative effort to protect motorists on state highways.”

Engineering: ADOT affirmed its commitment to study freeway on- and off-ramp configuration and continue research into strategies to detect, communicate and intercept wrong-way drivers. Already, ADOT has lowered “wrong way” signs on freeway exit ramps to be more at a driver’ eye level and, since 1995, has installed red reflectors in freeway lanes to warn wrong-way drivers.

“While there might not be an immediate engineering-based strategy ADOT can implement, we are committed to researching national practices for detecting wrong-way drivers, communicating that information to law enforcement and other motorists, and trying to send a message to the wrong-way driver,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “We will assess our current methods and strategies and see what can be improved, as we look for feasible innovative solutions.”

Education: The agencies urge all drivers to talk with others about how, as a defensive driver, they would handle an encounter with a wrong-way driver. Tips for motorists include driving in the center and right lanes, especially during overnight hours when wrong-way drivers are more likely to be encountered. Motorists should also be good witnesses, making quick 911 calls when a wrong-way or impaired driver is observed and providing dispatchers with good information on the vehicle, location and direction of travel to assist officers with a quick intercept. Motorists should “expect the unexpected” when on the road, not drive distracted and report all suspected impaired drivers immediately to law enforcement.

“The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is committed to providing law enforcement with funding, equipment and training to deter and remove impaired drivers from our roads,” said Alberto Gutier, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “I will continue to support the Highway Patrol, cities, towns and sheriff’s departments in their efforts to prevent injuries and fatalities on Arizona roadways.”

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, DPS and ADOT are currently working on revisions to the Strategic Highway Safety Plan, which emphasizes strategies to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes. Those strategies will address factors often associated with wrong-way drivers.

TUCSON — Good news for the estimated 150,000 drivers who travel daily on the busiest highway in the Tucson metropolitan area. Motorists are now driving on a smoother, wider section of Interstate 10 in Tucson after the Arizona Department of Transportation completed two years of major construction on improvements between Ruthrauff and Prince roads, including extensive traffic restrictions over the last two weekends to finish final paving on the newly widened section of I-10.

At 5:50 p.m. tonight, ADOT lifted all the westbound restrictions on I-10 between Ruthrauff Road and Miracle Mile after crews completed applying the smooth, durable layer of rubberized asphalt on the pavement. The eastbound lanes were successfully paved the previous weekend.

Crews will need to return in approximately one month to complete final lane striping.

The final paving was part of a $76.4 million project to widen I-10 to four lanes in each direction between Ruthrauff and Prince roads that began in late 2011. The project upgraded a two-plus-mile section of I-10 by increasing capacity, reducing congestion and improving traffic flow on the most heavily traveled corridor in Tucson.

As part of the project, in March ADOT opened the reconstructed Prince Road traffic interchange, which now carries traffic over Union Pacific Railroad. The previous at-grade interchange experienced significant congestion and backups when 40-60 trains pass daily through the area, sometimes requiring vehicles to back up onto I-10 during peak hours.

PHOENIX – It’s a concept that’s got a lot of people talking: a passenger rail system that could carry commuters between Phoenix and Tucson. The Arizona Department of Transportation is reminding everyone that there is still time for the public to participate in the department’s ongoing comment period and share their thoughts about the possibility of constructing a passenger rail line between Arizona’s two largest metropolitan areas.  

On May 15, ADOT will host a public outreach event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the corner of First Avenue and Washington Street in CityScape in downtown Phoenix. Community members stopping by ADOT’s passenger rail booth during the busy lunchtime hours will have the opportunity to speak with members of the study team and fill out a survey with their thoughts about passenger rail.

Additional outreach events are still being considered during the month of May and will be announced as they are finalized. In addition, members of the public can participate and comment through an online survey until May 31. The survey, maps of the three alternatives and participation booklet can be found at azdot.gov/passengerrail.

ADOT is calling on the public to provide input on the three alternatives that have been selected for further study as the department continues to examine the feasibility of a passenger rail line between Phoenix and Tucson. The department has already received a tremendous response from participants — more than 10,000 surveys and comments have been received both online and during public outreach events during the past three years of the study.  

Last summer, ADOT narrowed the list of rail alternatives to three: the Green Alternative, which would run along Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson; the Orange Alternative, which would serve East Valley population centers and share part of its alignment with the planned North-South Freeway Corridor; and the Yellow Alternative, which would also serve East Valley communities and share right of way with Union Pacific Railroad north of Eloy, where appropriate. All three alternatives would run along I-10 south of Eloy and would also follow I-10 and US 60 in the western part of Maricopa County.

ADOT’s Passenger Rail Corridor Study is part of the department’s long-range plan to determine what it will take to construct a rail line to link Phoenix and Tucson, while meeting demands for future growth and travel options along Interstate 10, one of the busiest highway corridors in Arizona.

ADOT is working toward establishing one preferred rail corridor for further study. There is currently no construction schedule and no funding identified to build a rail system between Phoenix and Tucson. It will be up to the public, policymakers and the federal government to decide if the project should move forward and how to generate the funding to pay for it. The study still includes the no-build option.

For more information about ADOT’s Passenger Rail Corridor Study, visit azdot.gov/passengerrail.

PHOENIX — There's good news for drivers using Interstate 10 in the downtown Phoenix area. The weekend closure of I-10 for an Arizona Public Service Co. power line project has been lifted ahead of schedule, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

APS officials notified ADOT that the installation of six new power lines above I-10 near Seventh Street was completed early this afternoon, allowing crews to reopen the freeway at about 1:30 p.m., beginning with the westbound lanes. The closure had been scheduled to be in place until late Sunday evening. The westbound 7^th Street exit ramp from I-10 will remain closed until this evening.

I-10 had been closed in both directions in areas between the I-17 Split interchange and the I-17 Stack interchange west of the Deck Park Tunnel since early Saturday morning for the APS power line project. Drivers detoured along I-17 or used other freeways and local streets as alternate routes. 

ADOT also completed important maintenance along I-10 in and near the tunnel this weekend, including the installation of new and improved overhead signs, new lane stripes and regular tunnel maintenance.

APS and ADOT selected this weekend for the highly-publicized closure in order for the work to be completed before hotter summer weather arrives and at a time when the Arizona Diamondbacks were on a road trip in Chicago.

For more on Arizona highway conditions visit ADOT's Travel Information site at az511.gov or call 5-1-1. Updates are also available on the ADOT Twitter feed (@ArizonaDOT) and on Facebook.

PHOENIX — A public hearing on a study of proposed improvements to the intersection of Grand Avenue (US 60) and Thunderbird Road, and nearby Thompson Ranch Road, will be held in El Mirage on Thursday evening, May 15, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

ADOT is conducting an environmental assessment for the Grand Avenue and Thunderbird/Thompson Ranch Roads Study. Proposed improvements include plans to move the Thunderbird Road connection to Grand Avenue in El Mirage so that it directly aligns with Thompson Ranch Road, providing improved traffic flow in the area.

If given final approval, a construction project to improve the intersections would begin by summer 2015.

The public hearing will include a presentation about the proposed improvements as well as a “no-build” option and allow community members to provide comments for the study team to consider.

The hearing for the Grand Avenue and Thunderbird/Thompson Ranch Roads Study will be held as follows:

When: Thursday, May 15, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Where: El Mirage Senior Center
           14010 N. El Mirage Road
            El Mirage, AZ 85335

What: A study presentation will be given at 5:30 p.m. Community members also can view diagrams and provide comments about the proposed roadway improvements.

The public comment period for the study will continue through May 30, 2014. 

Comments can be provided via email at [email protected] or by phone at 855.712.8530.

PHOENIX — As summer approaches in northern Arizona, the Arizona Department of Transportation will reopen State Route 67 between Jacob Lake and the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park on Thursday, May 15.

SR 67, which is the lone road that links US 89A at Jacob Lake to the North Rim, is regularly closed in the winter season, usually starting in late November, due to heavy snowfall.

The North Rim lies at the southern end of the Kaibab Plateau at approximately 8,500 feet in elevation and offers spectacular canyon views. It is approximately a 215-mile drive from the South Rim. From the South Rim to the North Rim, motorists can take State Route 64 east to US 89, US 89 north to US 89A, US 89A west to SR 67, and finally south on SR 67.

To reach the North Rim, it’s approximately 207 miles from Flagstaff, 351 miles from Phoenix, and 468 miles from Tucson. Traveling to the North Rim from Flagstaff, drivers can take US 89 north to US 89A, head west on US 89A to SR 67, and finally south on SR 67.

For the latest information about highway conditions across Arizona, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information site at az511.gov or call 5-1-1. Visit facebook.com/azdot, twitter.com/ArizonaDOT or azdot.gov for more information about ADOT. 

PHOENIX — In an effort to stay competitive in the global market, the Arizona Department of Transportation is seeking nearly $70 million in federal discretionary grants for projects that will drive Arizona’s economy, while promoting interstate commerce and trade with Mexico.

ADOT submitted three federal grant applications in the sixth round of the federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants last week. All three critical projects would create a substantial number of jobs for Arizonans, while ensuring Arizona remains a vital trading corridor with its port neighbors to the west (Long Beach and Los Angeles) and the south (Mexico).

ADOT is seeking $35 million for a rural/urban highway planning grant for the Interstate 11 and Intermountain West Corridor Study Environmental Impact Statement, which would facilitate the necessary environmental assessments for this Key Commerce Corridor — a corridor that is expected to bring enormous economic and safety benefits for Arizona’s communities, tourists and commerce connections.

Other 2014 projects for TIGER grant consideration include $24.5 million to rehabilitate a bridge approaching the Virgin River Gorge on Interstate 15 in Mohave County in the northwest corner of Arizona between the Nevada and Utah state lines. While most Arizonans have never driven on this remote stretch of highway, I-15 is critical to California, Nevada and Utah as a freight corridor.

ADOT also submitted a $9.5 million grant to improve Arizona-California border crossing times at the Ehrenberg Port of Entry on Interstate 10 in La Paz County. The upgraded port of entry will ensure safer travel on state roadways through enforcement of state and federal size, weight and safety regulations for commercial vehicles.

Since 2009, Congress has dedicated more than $4.1 billion in TIGER grant funding for road, rail, transit and port projects, including $600 million for the current fiscal year, which is available to all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

During the first five rounds of the TIGER program, which began in 2009, Arizona has received funding for three projects.

In 2013, the Port of Tucson received a $5 million grant in the fifth round of TIGER funding to provide higher speed access between the Union Pacific mainline and the Port of Tucson’s International Intermodal yard.

In 2012, ADOT successfully secured a $21.6 million grant to improve Virgin River Gorge Bridge No. 6 on I-15 (milepost 16) in the fourth round of TIGER funding. That rehabilitation project is the first of the eight bridges along the I-15 corridor that has been identified for repair. The $27 million project launched this spring and is slated to take up to two years to complete.

In 2010, the Tucson won federal funding for a $63 million modern streetcar project during the first round of TIGER grants.

The following are the projects that ADOT submitted for TIGER grant consideration this year:

• I-11 and Intermountain West Corridor Study ($35 million grant; total cost $60 million): Although the Corridor Concept Report is expected to be released this summer to finalize the purpose and need, corridor recommendations and implementation requirements for the I-11 and Intermountain West Corridor, no funding sources have been identified for carrying out the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act, including an Environmental Impact Statement. ADOT is seeking TIGER grant funding to develop the environmental document for this critical corridor that would run from border to border in Arizona. The environmental report would analyze potential infrastructure investments along the I‑11 and Intermountain West Corridor in Arizona to improve north-to-south mobility in the state, enhance trade corridors, and connect rural communities to jobs, schools and employment centers. The corridor would be more than 400 miles long, passing through rural and urban areas of Arizona.

• I-15 Virgin River Bridge No. 1 ($24.5 million grant; total cost $35 million): This I-15 bridge (milepost 10) is located in the Virgin River Gorge and serves as a vital link between the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and beyond. The bridge, built in 1964, is rated as “structurally deficient,” meaning it is safe, but requires repair or improvement. While most Arizonans have never driven on this remote 29-mile stretch of highway, it is a critical commercial trade route in North America used by more than 1.4 million trucks annually. Closures or even restrictions to this route would result in detours of 250 miles for heavier trucks, and nearly 600 miles for the triple-trailer combinations. The rehabilitation project would include the replacement of the bridge’s superstructure (girders, deck and railings), as well as widening the narrow roadway.

• I-10/Ehrenberg Port of Entry Improvements, Phase II ($9.5 million grant; total cost $13.6 million): The project would reconstruct the facility, which was built in 1976, and provide an effective electronic screening system to better facilitate the safe movement of commercial truck traffic into Arizona. The port of entry is located in western Arizona along I-10, approximately three miles from the California state line. As one of the nation’s primary transportation corridors, I-10 provides a safe and expeditious route for commercial truck traffic to deliver goods from international sea ports in Southern California to Arizona and across the nation. The project is being built in two phases. The first phase is expected to start late this year.

TIGER grants are awarded to transportation projects that have a significant national or regional impact. Projects are chosen for their ability to contribute to the long-term economic competitiveness of the nation, improve the condition of existing transportation facilities and systems, increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve the safety of U.S. transportation facilities, and enhance the quality of living and working environments of communities through increased transportation choices and connections. The U.S. Department of Transportation gives priority to projects that are expected to create and preserve jobs and stimulate increases in economic activity.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is expected to announce the recipients of the Fiscal Year 2014 TIGER grants later this year.

PHOENIX – Drivers will be able to travel the Valley’s newest freeway connection during the Monday morning commute. The first mile of State Route 24, the Gateway Freeway, is complete and was opened to traffic late this afternoon, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The new freeway segment includes a direct freeway-to-freeway interchange connecting State Route 24 to the Loop 202 (Santan Freeway).

The one-mile stretch of SR 24 between Loop 202 and Ellsworth Road provides improved access to development in the region surrounding Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. Future plans call for State Route 24 to connect with the proposed North-South transportation corridor in Pinal County.

Construction of the $73 million dollar SR 24 project kicked off in March 2012. The City of Mesa accelerated the start of construction by several years through a transportation-bonding program.

Governor Jan Brewer, former Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, ADOT Director John Halikowski and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority Executive Director Jane Morris took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 15 to celebrate the new freeway. Community members also had a chance to walk, bike, and jog on the Gateway Freeway.