PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation has received a national award for a pilot study that looks toward the day when additional transportation infrastructure will be able to give drivers critical information about conditions ahead.

The National Operations Center of Excellence, an organization dedicated to the management and operation of state highways, presented ADOT with its Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) Award in the Emerging Trends and Technologies category.

With funding provided through the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Emerging Technology Program, ADOT partnered with Verizon to test the viability of using sensors, cameras and wireless connectivity to deliver critical information about upcoming curves, work zones and slowing traffic.

“The purpose of the pilot project was to test and validate that critical safety notices could be sent to drivers in an efficient and timely manner,” said Susan Anderson, Systems Technology Group Manager for ADOT’s Transportation Systems Management and Operations division. “It helps position us for the day when vehicles are equipped to interact with transportation infrastructure.”

During the pilot program, as the test driver entered a segment, a safety message was sent to a cellphone app that broadcast an audio alert and notified a passenger with a visual alert of the real-time traffic conditions.

This technology, often referred to as vehicle-to-infrastructure or vehicle-to-everything, isn’t available yet for the general public. ADOT doesn’t currently use apps that broadcast traveler information on slowing for curves, work zones, traffic slowing and similar real-time conditions.

You can learn more about ADOT’s pilot study here.

PHOENIX – A project to enhance safety and preserve business access along a 5-mile stretch of Main Street (Apache Trail) in east Mesa is starting in early February, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Main Street, which once operated as the old Highway 60 route in the area before the addition of the nearby US 60 Superstition Freeway, will be improved between Sossaman and Meridian roads. A key aspect of the project is improving drainage conditions, based on a recent drainage study by the Flood Control District of Maricopa County. The project will provide improved access and safety for businesses along the road, including enhanced roadway lighting. Due to local and regional roadway system improvements, shifting from three to two lanes in each direction will still maintain system capacity. New infrastructure also will include installation of sidewalks, curbs, gutters and bike lanes. Crews are scheduled to start work as soon as Feb. 5 by setting initial work zones along Main Street between Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) and Meridian Road. Access to local businesses will be maintained. Most work will take place on weekdays with at least one lane open in each direction. Some weekend and weeknight work may be needed at times.

The $38.5 million Main Street improvement project, also known as the 60X project, is expected to take two years to complete. ADOT will turn this stretch of Main Street over to the Maricopa County Department of Transportation when the project is finished. To learn more about the project and to subscribe for updates, please visit azdot.gov/60X-corridor. 

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov and via the AZ511 app (download free for Apple and Android devices). ADOT also provides highway condition updates via its Twitter/X feed, @ArizonaDOT.

THREE POINTS – State Route 286 stretching 45 miles north from the U.S.-Mexico border is a whole lot grander thanks to an annual Adopt a Highway event Saturday that attracted more than 100 volunteers and lined the highway with blue bags filled with litter. 

SR 286 travels through Altar Valley between Sasabe in the south and Three Points, where it links with State Route 86 about 25 miles west of Tucson. Much of its path is through high desert grassland in the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge. 

Melissa Owen, a ranch owner who lives in Sasabe, started organizing SR 286 cleanups in 1995. She expanded nine years ago to clean the highway from end to end in one day, an event she calls “All the Way to the Border.” 

“We can all get behind this good deed and gift to the beautiful Altar Valley,” Owen said. “Highway 286 is more or less our driveway – there is no other way to reach our ranch except by air – and it’s what our friends and business associates see and the impression they get of our neighborhood when they come here.” 

“All the Way to the Border” gets an assist from the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Tucson-based Southcentral District, which issues a special permit for the cleanup, and from ADOT’s Three Points Maintenance Yard, which had staff on hand during the event and collects the bagged litter.

After a safety briefing at Altar Valley Middle School in Three Points, volunteers fanned out along the length of SR 286, bagging everything from aluminum cans to plastic water bottles to shredded plastic to building materials. Joe King’s group picked up near the family’s ranch, with Baboquivari Peak in the distance.

“Our family has lived in this valley since 1895,” King said. “We’re very proud of being here, and we’re proud of being stewards of the land.”

Through ADOT’s Adopt a Highway program, more than 6,000 volunteers tend to adopted miles throughout the year, supported by staff in ADOT’s engineering and maintenance districts statewide. In 2022 alone, the volunteers’ efforts filled more than 12,500 bags of litter while contributing time and effort worth more than $600,000. Even among such distinguished company, “All the Way to the Border” stands out for its scale, number of volunteers and history. 

Mary Currie, ADOT’s Adopt a Highway Program Manager, greeted volunteers working along SR 286 and presented “Keep It Grand” lapel pins.

“We are grateful for Melissa Owen’s hospitality and willingness to lead an event of this magnitude,” Currie said. “Residents, travelers and Arizona’s wildlife benefit from these individuals' hard work.”

To learn more about Adopt a Highway and how you can get involved, please visit azdot.gov/adoptahighway.

PHOENIX - Governor Katie Hobbs announced Monday, Jan. 22 that Arizona will receive a $95 million INFRA grant from the US Department of Transportation for major improvements to widen Interstate 10. The grant was awarded to improve the safety and conditions on the 26-mile stretch of the I-10 located entirely within the boundaries of the Gila River Indian Community.

For information on Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, click here. 

The I-10 corridor is a main corridor for all Arizonans, with parts of this project area seeing up to 120,000 vehicles daily. This 26-mile stretch of the I-10 is the only remaining “gap, or unimproved section of the I-10, which creates bottlenecks and traffic delays for all who travel this section of the I-10.

Obtaining funding for this project was a top priority for Governor Katie Hobbs, the Gila River Indian Community, the Arizona Congressional delegation, and the Arizona State Legislature, and was made possible through coordination between Governor Hobbs, GRIC Governor Stephen Roe Lewis, and the Arizona Department of Transportation. 

This grant represents a unique partnership of governments, involving State, federal, tribal, and county governments in the planning and development of the grant to address the safety and infrastructure needs in Arizona and within the Gila River Indian Community.

“The I-10 serves as a major connector for the entire state, and I am thrilled to announce that we have secured the funds necessary to ensure it remains a gateway for generations to come,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “By securing this investment, we are not only improving our state’s infrastructure, we are propelling Arizona’s economy forward, ensuring a prosperous future for all. I want to thank Governor Lewis for his tireless advocacy and our federal partners for helping make this possible.”

“The announcement today,” said Governor Lewis, “is the culmination of a year-long effort to obtain the final funding necessary to complete this critical part of the State’s, and the Community’s, transportation network. When we learned last year that Arizona would not be receiving a federal grant for this project, I immediately contacted Governor Hobbs, and together we rolled up our sleeves and got this new grant proposal together, focusing largely on the importance of this road to our Community, and we presented it together to Secretary Buttigieg, a first in our State, and probably in the entire country. I want to personally thank Governor Hobbs for her partnership in this effort and the Department of Transportation for its understanding and commitment to historically disadvantaged communities in Indian Country, such as ours. I also think it is very important to thank our allies and partners in the State Legislature who provided critical additional funding to help fill the gap and advocated right alongside us in Washington for this new grant. Finally, I have to say a word about the tireless advocacy for this grant by our federal delegation, especially Senators Sinema and Kelly, and our House members, Representatives Gallego and Stanton. They were immediate and constant supporters of our efforts and led the way in Washington for the team effort that made this possible. Completion of this segment of the I-10 will be a game-changer for our entire State, and I couldn’t be prouder of the way our State came together to get it done.”

The grant funding will be added to the $692 million in state of Arizona funding appropriated for the project and a $221 million contribution from the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) through Proposition 400. The total project cost is estimated at just over $1 billion.

“I’m proud to secure these funds for I-10’s expansion through my bipartisan infrastructure law. I promised Arizonans I’d do the hard work to deliver real results, not lip service – today’s investment is one of many more to come for Arizona from my bipartisan infrastructure law,” said U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema, co-author and lead negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure law.

“Too many of us have spent hours stuck in traffic on I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson. And for decades, residents and tribal members have been impacted by major bottlenecks preventing them from fully accessing jobs, housing, schools, and health care. Thanks to our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these delays will be a thing of the past. I’ve fought to secure the funding for this expansion since I came to the Senate, and it was a top priority of mine when negotiating that law. This project will reduce congestion, improve shipping, and make I-10 safer,” said Senator Mark Kelly. “This investment—one of the largest ever in transportation infrastructure in a tribal community—will be a game-changer for the Gila River Indian Community and is a testament to the leadership of Governor Lewis.”

“When we passed our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, it was with projects like widening the I-10 in mind. Tens of thousands of people–and millions of dollars in commercial goods–travel along the I-10 every day, and anyone who’s driven it will tell you two lanes are just not enough. The heavy congestion and daily bottlenecks aren’t just inefficient—they’re dangerous,” Rep. Greg Stanton, the only Arizona member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said. “I’m thrilled that, thanks to years of hard work at the federal, state, and Tribal level, this project is finally moving forward.

“Thanks to our leadership in Congress to shape and pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Arizona families and businesses will be better connected along the vital I-10 corridor,” said Rep. Ruben Gallego. “With the billions of dollars we delivered already pouring into Arizona, this historic project is set to be a boon to our state’s economy. Because of reliable partners, including Gov. Hobbs and Governor Lewis, this project will soon be a reality.

“I-10 is an infamous thoroughfare in Arizona notoriously known for its delays and traffic. This federal funding is a long-term investment that will benefit our state by making certain this corridor has the capacity to serve Arizonans,” said Rep. Raùl Grijalva. I’m proud to have supported this funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will continue to support economic investments that provide modernization, accessibility, and sustainability to our transportation network.”

“ADOT is excited to receive this funding and to work on this critical project,” said ADOT Director Jennifer Toth. “The federal grant dollars are critical for expanding the principal roadway between Phoenix and Tucson. The project will deliver the best infrastructure to improve drive times and enhance safety. We thank the Gila River Indian Community for their tremendous partnership and collaboration, along with our federal, regional, and local partners.”

The grant - funded through investments from the bipartisan infrastructure law - provides necessary funding for the southernmost segment of the 26-mile stretch and completes funding for the upcoming expansion of I-10 between Phoenix and Casa Grande.

The overall project adds a third lane, meaning the freeway will have three lanes both ways between Arizona’s two most populous cities. It also includes the reconstruction of the I-10 Bridges over the Gila River and six interchanges. The federal grant is a competitive funding award through the U.S. Department of Transportation INFRA Grant Program.

The grant will contribute to the construction of the section of the project from just south of Casa Blanca Road to just south of State Route 387. Construction on I-10 is scheduled to launch in early 2024, with the first work including the removal and replacement of the Gila River bridges over I-10.

Significant partnerships with the Gila River Indian Community and other nearby communities have taken place over the past few years. An engineering and environmental study for the project is currently being completed in coordination with GRIC and MAG and includes the following proposed improvements:

Corridor Improvements - Capacity and Safety:

• Adding a new general-purpose lane in the east- and westbound directions, extending the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane on I-10 from Loop 202 to Riggs Road, and improving interchanges and crossroads will increase capacity and access. This improves safety by reducing congestion and travel times and lessening detoured traffic on the Gila River Indian Community.
• Replacing I-10 bridges over the Gila River will maintain a state of good repair by modernizing this key infrastructure.
• Building new and improved traffic interchanges creates safer crossings for farm equipment, bicyclists, and pedestrians and boosts connections and quality of life.
• Installing fiber optic infrastructure within ADOT Right-of-Way will allow for the installation of sensors, cameras, and other highway safety-related technology.

Key Commerce Corridor, Arizona Jobs, and Local Connections:

• As the principal roadway between metro Phoenix and Tucson for commuters, cross-country travelers, and commercial traffic, I-10 is a Key Commerce Corridor for Arizona and the U.S. The freeway provides a vital link for freight traffic from the ports of southern California and for international commerce, with a significant amount of freight transported along the route daily. The proposed improvements will boost the reliability of freight traffic in the corridor.
• The project, coupled with others around the state, will help attract employers and create jobs in Arizona.
• Locally, the route serves the Gila River Indian Community by improving connections to employment, medical, educational, and other critical services both within and outside of the Community.

Funding:

• The total estimated project cost is approximately $1 billion.
  • $692 million allocated in the state budget
  • $221 million in MAG funding
  • $95 million in DOT INFRA grant funding

Timeline:

• Following completion of the required environmental review and clearance, work is expected to start in 2024, beginning with expanding the bridges that carry traffic over the Gila River.
• The target completion date for the full project has not been determined.

For more information on the I-10 Wild Horse Pass study: i10wildhorsepasscorridor.com.

ADOT works in partnership with MAG on the planning and construction of new freeways, additional lanes, and other improvements in the Phoenix area as part of the Regional Transportation Plan.

SUPERIOR – The Arizona Department of Transportation is replacing two bridges on US 60 east of Superior with spans designed to handle passenger and commercial traffic for decades to come.

The combined $44.7 million project will require multiple full highway closures on US 60 between Superior and Miami for blasting operations as crews work to construct new bridges over Queen Creek and Waterfall Canyon.

Motorists should plan for as many as three closures a week, starting at a date to be determined within the next several weeks, and continuing until autumn. The closures, when required, will occur from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

During the closures for blasting, crews will work to shift the highway 65 feet to the east and align it with the new Queen Creek Bridge. Also during the closures, crews will reconstruct the Waterfall Canyon Bridge just east of the Queen Creek Tunnel.

During the closures, motorists will detour on state routes 77 and 177 through Winkelman. This will add up to one hour to the trip between Globe and Superior. By providing consistent days and times for these full closures, ADOT is providing a reliable schedule for those who travel between the Superior and Globe areas.

Toward the end of the project, a multi-day closure of US 60 will be required to finish realigning the highway with the new Queen Creek Bridge.

The new Queen Creek Bridge will span 763 feet and feature one lane of travel in each direction with 4-foot-wide shoulders. The replacement structure for the Waterfall Canyon Bridge will span 107 feet.

Once the Queen Creek Bridge is completed, crews will dismantle the existing structure, which opened to traffic in 1949. While the bridge remains safe for traffic, it has reached the end of its lifespan and doesn’t meet current standards for bridge design.

For safety reasons, construction will require closing some areas used by hikers, rock climbers and other recreational areas. In the Queen Creek Bridge area, trails will close from Magma Avenue in Superior to the west of the Claypool Tunnel. The trail through the Claypool Tunnel, heading east past Waterfall Canyon Bridge, will remain open until later in the project when active construction begins in this area. 

In the Waterfall Canyon Bridge area, the US 60 pullout east of the Queen Creek tunnel will close during the project. Other nearby pullouts may close intermittently. 

For more information, please visit azdot.gov/US60QueenCreekBridgeProject. 

PHOENIX - The Arizona Department of Transportation is advising motorists to plan ahead and expect to use detours as the southbound SR 143 ramp to eastbound I-10 will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26 through 4 a.m. Monday, Jan. 29 for a traffic shift. At the same time, the following will be closed.

• Broadway Road in both directions between 48th and 52nd Streets
• The eastbound I-10 on ramp at Broadway Road
• The connector ramp between 48th Street and Broadway Road

Eastbound I-10 detour: Use southbound SR 143/48th Street to westbound Broadway Road to northbound 40th Street to access eastbound I-10. 

Westbound Broadway Road detour: Use westbound I-10 to southbound 40th Street to access eastbound I-10 and Broadway Road west of the closure.

Eastbound Broadway Road detour: Use southbound 48th Street to eastbound Southern Avenue to northbound Priest Drive to access Broadway Road east of the closure. 

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. 

PHOENIX – The Interstate 8 Sentinel Rest Areas located about 30 miles west of Gila Bend have reopened after renovations to their restrooms, parking lots, water and wastewater systems, and more. 

The facilities, serving both directions of I-8 at milepost 83, closed in late 2021. Other improvements from the $7.6 million renovation include updated pavement markings and signage, along with improving access for individuals with disabilities. 

To learn more about ADOT’s rest areas, please visit azdot.gov/RestAreas.

PHOENIX – Advancing plans to support adoption of electric vehicles, the Arizona Department of Transportation is seeking bids for private entities to build or upgrade electric vehicle charging stations along interstate highways.

The stations are the first major step in establishing a statewide network of rapid charging stations, with 21 facilities expected to be operating by the end of 2025. These stations are intended to reduce range anxiety and encourage use of electric vehicles as a viable alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles.

All stations will be privately owned and operated, with federal funds covering 80% of construction costs and the private developer paying 20%. No state funds will be involved in the construction of these stations. Bids are due April 19, with ADOT awarding contracts this summer. Construction of the privately owned facilities is anticipated to take about a year.

The charging stations are funded through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, or NEVI, which is allocating $5 billion in funds nationwide through the U.S. Departments of Transportation and Energy and $76.5 million for Arizona.

The charging stations generally will be spaced no more than 50 miles apart, and must be constructed beyond the freeway within a mile of an interchange. The bidding process outlines general areas where stations eligible for funding can be located, with specific locations to be determined through the selection process. Each station must include at least four chargers that can charge a typical electric vehicle within 20-30 minutes.

While the first round of electric vehicle charging stations will focus on interstates, ADOT plans to expand onto other highways starting with an additional round of bids in 2025. The plans will evolve based on developments within the electric vehicle industry and by studying the usage patterns of the first set of stations that come online.

For more information about the electric vehicle charging station network, visit AZDOT.gov/EVPlan.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation is again asking the public to name its snowplows. 

Back for a second year, ADOT’s Name-A-Snowplow Contest gives Arizonans the opportunity to submit creative names for three of the 200 snowplows in ADOT’s fleet at azdot.gov/NameAPlow.

It may be easy to forget for those that live in warmer and drier parts of the state, but Arizona’s high country – places like Flagstaff, along the Mogollon Rim, and southeast Arizona – receive plenty of snow. In fact, last winter, ADOT snowplows logged more than 1.2 million miles. 

“When winter storms hit, our snowplow operators work around the clock to make highway travel safe,” ADOT Director Jennifer Toth said. “This contest is a fun way to create awareness about the vital work they do, share some tips for safe driving near snowplows – never pass the plow – and award bragging rights to a few creative Arizonans.”

Here’s how the contest works:

• Dream up as many punny or creative snowplow names with family and friends (or flex those dad-joke muscles yourself) and submit them to azdot.gov/NameAPlow by Jan. 25. There’s no limit on how many times you can enter. You can include your email address in the form so we can contact you if your snowplow name ends up winning. 
• ADOT will review the submissions (yes, all of them) and select 10-15 finalists. The public will then vote for their favorite names.
• The three names that receive the most votes will be placed with a decal on the driver side of the snowplow cab (and those that submitted winning names will get bragging rights).

Last year, the names “Alice Scooper,” “Snowguaro” and “Frost Responder” received the most votes and were contest winners. Arizonans sent in nearly 5,000 snowplow names and cast 7,000 overall votes to determine the winners.

With snow falling in parts of the state, ADOT’s snowplows have already been put to work. Remember, if you encounter “Alice Scooper” or any other snowplows in the wild: 

• Never attempt to pass a snowplow. 
• Stay at least four car-lengths behind snowplows and equipment. Plowed snow can create a cloud that reduces visibility, and spreaders on trucks throw salt or sand that can damage your vehicle.
• Slow down and give the plow extra room.

Find more winter driving safety tips at azdot.gov/KnowSnow.

PHOENIX - The Arizona Department of Transportation is advising motorists to plan ahead and expect to use detours as southbound State Route 143 will be closed between Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) and I-10 from 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, to 4 a.m. Monday, Jan. 22, for a traffic shift. At the same time the following ramps will be closed:

• The ramps from Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) to southbound SR 143
• The westbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) off-ramp at Sky Harbor Boulevard
• The southbound SR 143 on-ramps at Washington Street, Sky Harbor Boulevard and University Drive

Southbound SR 143 detour for westbound Loop 202 drivers: Use westbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) to eastbound I-10 to access destinations south of the closure. 

Southbound SR 143 detour for eastbound Loop 202 drivers: Use eastbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) to southbound Loop 101 (Price Freeway) to westbound US 60 to access destinations south of the closure. 

East Valley airport and Washington Street access: From Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway), use southbound 44th Street. 

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.