MESA – The Arizona Department of Transportation and partner agencies will hold a free event from 7 a.m. to noon Wednesday, May 3, at Mesa Convention Center (Building C) to help small businesses and those owned by individuals from socially and economically disadvantaged groups compete for transportation contracts that receive federal funding. 

Offered through ADOT’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program, the DBE and Small Business Transportation EXPO helps attendees learn about project opportunities, visit exhibit booths, and network with industry professionals and business owners. 

Participants will also hear from transportation leaders, including ADOT Director Jennifer Toth. Partner agencies include Maricopa County Department of Transportation (MCDOT), City of Phoenix Street Transportation, City of Phoenix Public Transit, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Valley Metro.

The event will include major project updates and panel discussions with leaders of local government agencies, owners and prime contractors.

Although the event is geared toward Disadvantaged Business Enterprises and small businesses, it’s open to all businesses, public agencies, vendors and community partners with an interest in the transportation industry. 

For more information and to register, please visit adotdbeexpo.com. For more information on ADOT’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program, please visit azdot.gov/dbe. 

PHOENIX-The Arizona Department of Transportation is advising motorists to plan ahead and expect to use detours as westbound Interstate 10 is closed between US 60 and 32nd Street from 10 p.m. Friday, March 31 to 4 a.m. Monday, April 3. Crews with the Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project will be conducting traffic shifts in preparation of opening the new Broadway Road bridge over I-10. The following ramps will be closed.

• The ramps from westbound US 60 to westbound I-10.
• The ramp from southbound SR 143 to westbound I-10.
• The westbound I-10 on-ramps at Elliot, Baseline and Broadway roads and 40th Street.
• The westbound US 60 on-ramps at McClintock Drive, Rural Road and Mill Avenue.
• The eastbound I-10 on-ramp at Broadway Road.  

Detour: Use eastbound Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) or eastbound US 60 to northbound Loop 101 (Price Freeway) to westbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) to access westbound I-10. 

Drivers heading to the West Valley can bypass the work zone by using Loop 202 (South Mountain Freeway) west and north to connect with I-10 at 59th Avenue.

Motorists traveling westbound on I-10 and US 60 heading to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport should head northbound on Loop 101 (Price Freeway) to westbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) and use the Sky Harbor Boulevard entrance from Loop 202. 

New Broadway Road traffic configuration: Drivers will begin using the new Broadway Road bridge over I-10 when westbound I-10 reopens on Monday, April 3. The existing Broadway Road bridge will be permanently closed and eventually removed.

Please note: Schedules can quickly change because of weather and other unforeseen situations. For the most up-to-date information, we encourage you to download the Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project’s free mobile app, TheCurve or visit the Alerts section of the project website before you travel.

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The I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project is identified in the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan, funded by a half-cent sales tax approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004 through Proposition 400. MAG identified the need for this project to reduce travel times on I-10 during peak hours; improve airport access; support ridesharing and transit; and prepare the region for future growth projections. Learn more about the major improvements here. 

The Arizona Department of Transportation has begun a project near Wickenburg to transform another 5 miles of US 93 from two lanes to four-lane divided highway.

The work is part of ADOT’s long-term vision to transform the entire 200-mile section of US 93 from Wickenburg to the Hoover Dam bypass into a modern four-lane divided highway. In the past several years, ADOT has invested nearly $500 million in projects that have widened and improved US 93.

The $51 million project getting underway near Wickenburg will upgrade US 93 between Tegner Street and Wickenburg Ranch Way. Construction is expected to continue for about two years and includes:

• Raised center medians
• Frontage roads
• Roundabouts at Rincon, Cope, Vulture Mine and Scenic Loop roads
• Lighting, drainage systems, erosion control and landscaping

The project is between mileposts 194 and 199. About 70 percent of this stretch is in Yavapai County and 30 percent is in Maricopa County. 

In the initial phase of the project, motorists should expect temporary lane closures and other restrictions from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday evenings through Friday mornings. No restrictions will be scheduled during the day, weekends or holidays. 

For more information about the project, please visit azdot.gov/US93wickenburg.

The abundance of rain and snow this winter and early spring, which in many ways is welcome news following years of drought, has created ideal conditions for worn pavement and potholes. 

The Arizona Department of Transportation maintains more than 6,800 miles of state highways. This wet and icy winter season, including this week’s storms, created conditions that keep highway crews very busy keeping up with potholes, particularly in areas with snow. 

While this work continues, you can help by slowing down on highways affected by storm-related potholes, something that’s already a good idea given wet and icy conditions many highways are seeing. Reducing speed and staying alert can help you see and avoid some potholes. You can report pavement issues to azdot.gov > Contact ADOT. 

Pavement damage including potholes can pop up quickly when moisture seeps into and below asphalt. Add the pounding that highways take from traffic, and parts of the pavement can break away. This challenge is especially acute in Arizona’s higher elevations, where pavement is subjected to more freeze-thaw cycles than most of the rest of the country.

ADOT crews regularly examine state highways for potholes and address them as quickly as possible, making short-term patches followed by longer-term repairs. They also respond when motorists report potholes and other pavement damage, focusing on the most serious problems first. 

When storms create potholes, highway workers make initial temporary repairs as soon as possible with various patching materials that are placed in the damaged area and tamped down.

More permanent repairs come after the pavement has had time to dry out. That work involves the use of a milling machine to remove a section of pavement around the pothole. A sticky oil is sprayed into the milled area being fixed before the patch is placed on top. Crews finish the repair by using a heavy compaction roller to smooth out the pavement.

PHOENIX – Drivers know “all too well” it’s easy to get “bad blood” in heavy traffic. A busy afternoon is expected on westbound Interstate 10 in Phoenix as well as Loop 101 (Agua Fria Freeway) in Glendale (“Swift City”) Friday afternoon, March 17, prior to the Taylor Swift concert. 

A mix of concert and regular commuting traffic traveling toward the West Valley, will result in busier than normal conditions on area freeways, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Heavy traffic can also be expected for the second Swift concert that begins at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 18.

Fans traveling to the concert from the Chandler/southeast Valley region should consider using westbound/northbound Loop 202 (South Mountain Freeway) to bypass I-10 in the downtown Phoenix area. 

Drivers should allow extra time and try to arrive in the area near the stadium early. Parking lots at State Farm Stadium open at noon, doors/gates open at 4:30 p.m. with the show scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. Glendale will be closing the following Loop 101 on-ramps from approximately 5 to 7 p.m. to assist with traffic flow: Northbound on-ramps at Indian School Road, Camelback Road and Cardinals Way and the southbound on-ramp at Glendale Avenue. 

Fans also should practice patience after the concert and be prepared for heavier freeway traffic along sections of Loop 101 and I-10 in the West Valley once fans have left the stadium. Glendale will close the north- and southbound Loop 101 off-ramps at Cardinals Way from approximately 9 to 11:59 p.m. The north- and southbound Loop 101 HOV off-ramps at Maryland Avenue will also be closed during this time as part of the city’s post-game traffic plan.

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov or by calling 511. ADOT also provides information and updates via its Twitter feed, @ArizonaDOT.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation has released a draft statewide rest area study that will serve as a blueprint for how the agency plans to address both short-term and long-term priorities for rest areas due to increasing commerce, tourism and population.

The study proposes how ADOT expects to preserve, rehabilitate, modernize and expand its 19 state-owned rest areas during the next 20 years based on factors including demand, federal requirements and projected available funding.

ADOT updates its statewide rest area plans every 10 years to capture the latest changes in the rapidly growing needs of the traveling public, the transportation industry, state and federal policies, technology and potential revenue. Since the last update in 2011, ADOT has completed major rehabilitations at 16 of its 19 rest areas.

The study does not call for adding or eliminating any rest areas. However, it does recommend reopening two previously-closed rest areas available for commercial truck parking only with limited amenities. Those rest areas are Parks on Interstate 40 just west of Flagstaff and Christensen on I-17 near Munds Park.

As part of the update process, ADOT is seeking public comment on the draft plan available on the study web page here. Comments can be submitted in several ways:

• Online: https://azdot.gov/planning/transportation-studies/arizona-statewide-rest-area-study
• Email: [email protected] 
• Project information line: 1.855.712.8530
• Mail: ADOT: Attn: Arizona Statewide Rest Area Study 1611 W. Jackson Street, MD 310B, Phoenix, AZ 85007

The comment period goes through March 27.

PHOENIX-The Arizona Department of Transportation is advising motorists to plan ahead and expect to use detours as northbound SR 143 is closed between Broadway Road and University Drive from 7 p.m. Saturday, March 11, to 4 a.m. Monday, March 13. Crews with the Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project will be conducting a traffic shift to open the new northbound 48th Street bridge over I-10. The following ramps will also be closed:

• The westbound I-10 ramp to northbound SR143 will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday, March 10, to 4 a.m. Monday, March 13. 
• The connector ramp between 48th Street and Broadway Road will be closed from 7 p.m. Friday, March 10, to 4 a.m. Monday, March 13. Use southbound 48th Street to access Broadway Road instead. 

Westbound I-10 to northbound SR 143 detour: Use westbound I-10 to eastbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) to access SR 143 and other destinations north of the closure.

Motorists traveling westbound on I-10 and US 60 heading to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport can stay on westbound I-10 and use the airport entrances at 24th Street or Buckeye Road, or use the Sky Harbor entrance from the Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway). 

Eastbound I-10 to northbound SR 143 detour: Use southbound 48th Street to eastbound Broadway Road to northbound Priest Drive to westbound University Drive to access SR 143 and other destinations north of the closure. 

Additionally:

• Northbound 48th Street/SR143 will be narrowed to one lane between Broadway Road and University Drive from 7 p.m. Friday, March 10, to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 11. 
• Southbound 48th Street will be closed at I-10 from 12:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Saturday, March 11, for traffic signal work. At the same time, southbound SR 143 loop ramp to eastbound I-10 will be closed. Use westbound I-10 to southbound 40th Street to access eastbound I-10 and the eastbound I-10 off-ramp at 48th Street.

*Beginning Monday, March 13, drivers will begin using the new northbound 48th Street bridge over I-10 when northbound SR 143 reopens on Monday, March 13. The existing northbound 48th Street bridge over I-10 will be permanently closed and eventually removed. 

Please note: Schedules can quickly change because of weather and other unforeseen situations. For the most up-to-date information, we encourage you to download the Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project’s free mobile app, The Curve or visit the Alerts section of the project website before you travel.

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The I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project is identified in the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan, funded by a half-cent sales tax approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004 through Proposition 400. MAG identified the need for this project to reduce travel times on I-10 during peak hours; improve airport access; support ridesharing and transit; and prepare the region for future growth projections. Learn more about the major improvements here. 

PHOENIX–The Arizona Department of Transportation is advising motorists to plan ahead and expect mostly overnight lane restrictions as construction crews improve six miles of east- and westbound Interstate 10 between Riggs Road and the Gila River bridges in Maricopa and Pinal counties. The purpose of the project is to improve safety and driving conditions on the existing roadway and extend the life of the pavement. 

Some project elements include: 

• Pavement improvements will be made along both directions of I-10.
• The work includes removal of the existing top layer of pavement (approximately 2-1/2 inches) and replacing it with a new layer of asphalt pavement. 
• Crews also will replace guardrail and pavement markings.

Construction began earlier this month and is scheduled for completion in July, barring weather conditions or other unforeseen situations. 

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, the AZ511 app and by calling 511. Information about highway conditions also is available through ADOT’s Twitter feed, @ArizonaDOT.

PHOENIX —  The Arizona Department of Transportation is seeking the public’s input on its latest program to improve and maintain the state’s highway system during the next five years, a proposal that includes several major widening projects while also improving pavement conditions.

The public comment period begins today on ADOT’s 2024-2029 Tentative Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program, a $7.7 billion program that will invest $2.6 billion in pavement and bridge preservation projects across Arizona over five years, upgrading pavement in poor or fair condition.

Additionally, the program allocates $669 million for projects that widen highways or improve interchanges. Those projects include:

• Widening Interstate 17 north of Phoenix from Anthem Way to Black Canyon City, plus adding flex lanes from Black Canyon City to Sunset Point. The five-year program contains $83.6 million toward the ongoing project.
• Widening the Gila River bridges between Phoenix and Casa Grande. The program dedicates $50 million toward the project in 2023 and is a key step toward ADOT’s goal of widening I-10 to three lanes in each direction between Phoenix and Tucson.
• Constructing the first phase of the I-40/US 93 West Kingman interchange. The program includes a total of $160 million for construction in 2024 and 2025.
• Widening and improving US 93 between Wickenburg and I-40 in Kingman, including expanding three segments of the highway from two to four lanes. The US 93 improvements total $263.9 million and include widening projects near Cane Springs in 2024, near Wickenburg in 2026 and another widening project near Big Jim Wash in 2027.
• Widening the last two-lane section of State Route 260 in the Lion Springs area. The program includes $125 million for construction in 2026 and would complete ADOT’s goal of completing a four-lane divided highway along the entire SR 260 corridor.

Other program highlights include $469 million for projects that improve highway safety, efficiency and functionality, such as smart technology or adding shoulders. ADOT’s five-year program is developed by working closely with local governments and regional transportation planning organizations to prioritize projects that are ready to build or design.

Funding for the program is generated by users of transportation services, primarily through gasoline and diesel fuel taxes and the vehicle license tax. Both the Maricopa and Pima county regions have independent revenue streams established through voter-approved sales tax increases that allow for more expansion projects to take place. 

The I-17 and I-10 widening projects are able to advance through ADOT’s partnership with the Maricopa Association of Governments, the regional planning agency that has committed some of the funds for those improvements.

The public comment period for the 2024-2029 Tentative Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program ends at 5 p.m. June 1. The State Transportation Board is expected to consider formal action on the program at its June 16 meeting.

The complete report is available at azdot.gov/tentative5year for review and comment. ADOT welcomes feedback via an online form that will be available at azdot.gov/tentative5year, by email at [email protected] and by phone at 855.712.8530.

Public comments also may be made at an open public hearing of the State Transportation Board scheduled at 9 a.m. May 19. Meeting information can be found at http://aztransportationboard.gov. 

WINSLOW – The Arizona Department of Transportation will begin a bridge replacement project on the Teesto Wash Bridge over State Route 87 north of Winslow starting Monday, March 6. 

The new bridge, which is located at milepost 385 on SR 87, will be a two-span bridge, allowing for a better flow of traffic. Additional work on this project will also realign the roadway as it approaches the new bridge.

The current bridge will be reduced down to one alternating lane for north- and southbound traffic during construction to allow traffic to continue to move through the area. 

Traffic on the Teesto Wash Bridge at SR 87 will be directed through the work zone by temporary traffic signals. Drivers should plan for extra travel time and watch for construction workers and equipment while traveling through the area.

The new bridge will be constructed next to the existing bridge. Traffic will be shifted onto the new bridge once it is completed.

The project is scheduled to be completed in the fall.

For more information, visit azdot.gov/projects and click on the Northeast District.