PHOENIX – As happens every winter because of heavy snowfall in the area, the Arizona Department of Transportation will close State Route 67 between Jacob Lake (US 89A) and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park on Monday, Dec. 4. 

The highway reopens each spring, usually around mid-May, along with visitor accommodations at the North Rim. US 89A will remain open at the junction with SR 67.

ADOT also has set winter closure dates for these state highways in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona, though snowfall may result in earlier closures:

• State Route 473 between State Route 260 and Hawley Lake: Thursday, Dec. 7

• State Route 261 between Eagar and Big Lake: Friday, Dec. 29

• State Route 273 between Sunrise Park and Big Lake: Friday, Dec. 29

In addition, ADOT recently closed the upper unpaved section of State Route 366, which ascends Mount Graham in southeastern Arizona. This regular winter closure begins one-half mile past the Coronado National Forest’s Shannon Campground, at the end of the pavement. 

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

ADOT has tips for traveling in areas with snow at azdot.gov/KnowSnow.

Each winter Arizonans count on snowplow operators to clear highways when snowstorms roll through Arizona’s high country. Operators of the Arizona Department of Transportation’s 200 snowplows have been training since mid-September on snowplow simulators to prepare for the upcoming season. 

ADOT’s five snowplow simulators, located in Flagstaff, Kingman, Holbrook, Phoenix and Tucson, are programmed with scenarios that are meant to mimic what operators may encounter on Arizona roads. A given training session can have a driver working in daytime or night in locations that include highways around the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff or the Grand Canyon National Park Airport, which ADOT operates. It’s a convenient and effective way for the drivers to learn and boost safety on the state’s highway system during the winter.

“These simulators help us to train our employees at a fraction of the cost that it would be if they were to take a plow out, spend funds on fuel and risk damaging equipment,” said Mario Ortega, ADOT training delivery manager. “With the simulator they can hit a sign, hit a vehicle, and we can start over. In the real world, there are no do-overs.”

Instructors can create different simulations that give ADOT snowplow operators the opportunity to drive in various scenarios, including daytime and nighttime conditions, rainy or low visibility circumstances and even the iciness and material of the roads. The simulator will react, allowing an operator to feel what it’s like to drive over railroad tracks or encounter an icy highway.

All ADOT snowplow operators are required to complete a refresher class on the simulator every year in addition to holding a commercial driver license.

“This is a tool for our operators, a tool for the state, for ADOT, to make the roads safer for the traveling public and our operators,” Ortega said.

In the real world, drivers of passenger cars can also do their part to keep everyone safer:

• Always stay at least four car-lengths behind a snowplow

• Never attempt to pass a snowplow, to prevent crashing into the massive vehicle.

• More information about driving near snowplows can be found at azdot.gov/KnowSnow.

ADOT has over 400 trained snowplow operators who work around the state. During the busy winter season last year, ADOT spent nearly $13.8 million on winter operations. Operators covered 1.2 million miles, nearly twice as many as they drove during the 2021-22 winter season and logged more than 66,000 hours – more than double the previous season’s total.

ADOT reminds travelers to prepare for winter conditions. Visit ADOT’s 511 Travel Information site or download the AZ511 app (free in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store) to check highway information before leaving and real-time conditions via the statewide network of highway cameras. Ensure that your vehicle is in good working order with tires equipped to handle snow. 

Get more information and tips for driving in winter weather at azdot.gov/KnowSnow. 

FLAGSTAFF – Work to safely remove rocks from an area above State Route 89A north of uptown Sedona will require full daytime highway closures and nighttime restrictions the week of Dec. 3-9, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Drivers should plan on using detour routes along Interstate 17 for travel between Sedona and Flagstaff while the following closures limit travel in Oak Creek Canyon:

• Daytime Closures: SR 89A closed to all traffic between the Owenby Way roundabout (north of uptown Sedona) and the Midgley Bridge picnic area from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday to Saturday (Dec. 3-9) for rockfall mitigation. Detour: Traffic will detour on State Route 179 and I-17 while SR 89A is closed.
• Overnight Restrictions: SR 89A will temporarily be opened every half hour between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday through Saturday (Dec. 3-9) to clear any traffic waiting at the Owenby Way roundabout (northbound) and Midgley Bridge (southbound) closure points. The temporary openings of SR 89A will then occur once per hour between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. each night until the rockfall mitigation work is completed. Detour: Drivers can consider detouring on SR 179 and I-17 during overnight hours.

State highway conditions are available via ADOT’s 511 Travel Information site, the AZ511 app or by calling 511. Highway information and answers are also available via ADOT’s X (formerly Twitter) feed (@ArizonaDOT) and the agency’s Facebook page (facebook.com/AZDOT).

PHOENIX – Many things slow down a bit during the holidays, including business at Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division offices. That makes this an ideal time to make an appointment to get your Arizona Travel ID.

The federal deadline is May 7, 2025, for those who wish to use their state-issued credential for air travel. Without the Arizona Travel ID or other form of federally compliant identification such as a valid U.S. passport, fliers risk missing domestic airline flights because Arizona’s standard driver license, which will remain valid for state purposes, will not be accepted at TSA checkpoints. 

The Arizona Travel ID requires added proof of identification to ensure that your license or identification meets strict requirements of the federal REAL ID Act of 2005. A gold star on the card shows that you’ve provided this additional information.

You can walk into an office to upgrade to an Arizona Travel ID, but we suggest scheduling an appointment through Live Chat or online at azmvdnow.gov. Even if you haven’t activated your AZ MVD NOW account, you can still schedule an appointment. 

Because the Arizona Travel ID is compliant with the federal standards, you will need to provide extra documentation. This includes:

• Proof of identity: a birth certificate or U.S. passport
• Social Security Number: just the number, not the card
• Two documents proving Arizona residency: rental or bank statements, credit card or cell phone bills in your name with your current Arizona address, etc.

More information and a full list of qualifying documents are available at azdot.gov/TravelID

If you are traveling this season, be safe and make sure to schedule an appointment for your Travel ID in 2024 to be ready for the 2025 deadline.

PHOENIX – Donate Life America presented the director of the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Division with its Lifesaver Award to honor ADOT’s commitment to making it easy for customers to register as organ and tissue donors. 

The Donor Network of Arizona nominated Eric Jorgensen for this national award, citing his leadership on initiatives to promote organ and tissue donation registrations through the MVD.

“This recognition is for everyone at MVD who continues to promote and help this important cause,” Jorgensen said. “The vast majority of people who register to become organ donors do so through MVD. We continually find ways to make sure people have the opportunity to register and potentially help save lives.”

MVD partners with the Donor Network of Arizona to provide opportunities for customers to sign up to become an organ donor at MVD offices, as well as online at azmvdnow.gov.

That box on the driver’s license or state ID application is small – people often make the decision in just a few seconds – yet the implications are huge. Each decision to check the box as an organ, eye and tissue donor can possibly save eight lives and heal 75 more.

ADOT MVD and Donor Network of Arizona have partnered for nearly 20 years to educate people about organ, eye and tissue donation and make it easy to register. Today, more than 4 million Arizonans are registered donors, and about 95% of donor registrations occur when a person applies for or renews their Arizona driver license or state ID card.

Please visit DonateLifeAZ.org to learn more about organ and tissue donation and to register as a donor.

SAFFORD – The upper, unpaved section of State Route 366, which ascends Mount Graham in the Pinaleno Mountains southwest of Safford, has closed for the winter, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The closure is in effect through April 15. 

SR 366, also known as the Swift Trail, begins about 5 miles south of Safford off of US 191. 

The highway is closed about one-half mile past the Coronado National Forest’s Shannon Campground, at the end of the pavement. 

Motorized vehicles aren’t allowed on SR 366 past the locked gate. Hikers, mountain bikers and cross-country skiers can still use the area.

ADOT will close lower portions of SR 366 as needed to clear snow.

WILLCOX – The Arizona Department of Transportation has secured federal emergency funds for repairs to a bridge spanning Interstate 10 in southeast Arizona that a large truck severely damaged in a fatal crash earlier this year.

The $5.3 million in funding will enable ADOT to rebuild the superstructure, which includes the girders and deck, of the bridge carrying US 191 over I-10 at milepost 331, about 9 miles west of Willcox. After the crash in early May, ADOT worked with a contractor to build a temporary support structure for the bridge and quickly restore I-10 traffic through the area. 

The US 191 bridge has been closed since the crash in early May, cutting direct access from westbound I-10 to southbound US 191 and from northbound US 191 to westbound I-10. Connections with eastbound I-10 remain open, and alternate routes between westbound I-10 and points south on US 191 include Dragoon Road at milepost 318. ADOT has worked closely with stakeholders who are eager to restore access. 

While the public will first see activity at the project site in early 2024, work has already begun off-site to manufacture key components of the new structure. Once the new girders are delivered to the site, the old US 191 superstructure will be demolished so a new structure can be built in its place.

The project is expected to be complete in summer 2024.

Every day on Arizona’s highways and roads, the men and women who respond to vehicle crashes with the purpose of helping and assisting motorists put themselves in harm’s way.

This week, during National Crash Responder Safety Week, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), Maricopa Department of Transportation (MCDOT), Phoenix Fire Department, Arizona Professional Towing and Recovery Association (APTRA) and traffic safety stakeholders across Arizona and the nation are calling on the traveling public to “Protect Those Who Protect You.”

“When responders arrive at the scene of a crash and exit their vehicles to provide aid to people involved in the crash, they’re putting themselves at risk to ensure the safety of others, including other motorists,” ADOT Director Jennifer Toth said. “They deserve our respect and all of us can show that by giving them space to do their work, like moving over, slowing down and paying attention when driving near responders working in or near travel lanes.”

Not only will engaging in these actions give responders a safer place to work, they’ll keep motorists driving through the crash scene safer, too.

“While the safety of motorists is the top priority for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the well-being of our responding DPS Troopers along the highways is also a prime concern for all of us here at the agency,” AZDPS Director Jeffrey Glover said. “When a driver is distracted, impaired or inattentive, it puts everyone at risk.”

From 2020-2022 in Arizona, at least five responders were struck and killed by vehicles. Additionally, hundreds of other collisions have resulted in injuries to DOT workers, law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, tow truck operators and others that respond to crashes.

In an effort to increase safety for responders, motorists will see traffic safety messages on overhead message boards that remind drivers of Arizona’s “Move Over” law.

“Move Over” requires motorists to move over one lane – or slow down if it’s not safe to change lanes – when approaching any vehicle with flashing lights pulled to the side of a road or highway. This includes passenger vehicles flashing hazard lights.

“One of the most significant hazards that our incident responders face is being hit by other vehicles passing by a crash. Whether motorists are driving on the freeway or a local road, it is critical to everyone’s safety that they observe the Move Over law,” said Jesse Gutierrez, MCDOT Director and County Engineer. “Together, we can keep motorists and our responders safe.”

Moving over one lane can save a life. On average, one tow truck operator is killed every six days in the U.S., according to national crash data.

In 2022 in Arizona, there were 119,991 vehicle collisions and crash responders placed themselves at risk of being struck-by or injured or killed while rendering assistance. The Arizona Department of Health Services is responsible for certifying Arizona’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers and knows it’s up to the community to ensure their safety while they’re on the job. ADHS Director Jennie Cunico wants to remind drivers they play an important part.

“As an Arizona motorist, you can ’protect those who protect you’ by changing lanes or slowing down when you see flashing lights up ahead,” Cunico said. “Driving while distracted, impaired, and under other conditions that impact responsible driving risks the safety of everyone on the road including our highway incident responders.”

Drivers can also protect responders by practicing “quick clearance,” which is a law in Arizona. “Quick clearance” calls for a driver involved in a minor crash without injuries to remove their vehicle from the roadway if it is operable and can be moved safely. “Quick Clearance” improves safety for these groups of people (Spoiler: it’s everyone):

• Drivers and passengers involved in the non-injury collision can inspect their vehicles and exchange insurance information from the shoulder of a highway instead of dangerous travel lanes as cars whizz past.
• Professionals responding to the incident, like law enforcement and tow truck operators, can do their jobs from the safety of the shoulder, instead of travel lanes.
• With travel lanes open, the chance for a secondary collision involving other motorists is reduced. 

Remember, if you are involved in a crash, the first action to take is to make sure you and the occupants in your vehicle are OK. Then, if your vehicle is operable, move to the emergency shoulder, median or exit the highway and call 911. Stay out of travel lanes, be alert and watch approaching traffic. Never leave the scene of a crash.

ADHS also recommends Arizona’s 21,000 Emergency Medical Care Technicians (EMCTs) complete a free 4-hour Traffic Incident Management (TIM) course or registering for the November 16 Virtual TIM class that teaches first responders how to reduce their risks of being struck-by and injured or killed while assisting at highway incidents.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) is honoring the thousands of volunteers who help keep our state grand through the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Adopt a Highway program. 

ADEQ’s Voluntary Environmental Stewardship Program has selected Adopt a Highway for its Copper Level, which recognizes partnerships, collaborations or regulated facilities that make measurable improvements to Arizona’s environment. To learn more about this program, please visit azdeq.gov/VESP.

“ADEQ deeply values the dedication of the thousands of volunteers who work to safeguard Arizona's environment,” said Len Drago, ADEQ Voluntary Environmental Stewardship Program Coordinator. “Their efforts through the Adopt a Highway program reflect the spirit of community and environmental stewardship. It's our honor to recognize their contributions in our Voluntary Environmental Stewardship Program at the Copper Level. Working together, we are preserving the beauty of our state for generations to come.”

More than 6,000 Adopt a Highway volunteers tend to their adopted miles throughout the year, supported by permitting and maintenance staff in each of ADOT’s seven engineering and maintenance districts statewide. In 2022 alone, their efforts filled more than 12,500 bags of litter while contributing time and effort worth more than $600,000. 

“Adopt a Highway works because of a diverse population of dedicated volunteers and the ADOT permit technicians and maintenance team members who support them,” said Mary Currie, Adopt a Highway Program Manager. “All Arizonans and welcomed visitors benefit from the many hours put in by volunteers – Arizona residents who beautify the highways that for many form a first impression of the Grand Canyon State.”

ADOT Adopt a Highway enables civic-minded individuals, families, religious groups and others to receive two-year permits to clean up roadside litter on highway segments, largely in rural areas, that are deemed safe for volunteers. In addition to the satisfaction of making state highways more attractive, volunteers are recognized with signs identifying their adopted miles. 

For more information and to join our Adopt a Highway family, please visit azdot.gov/AdoptAHighway. 

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation is advising motorists to plan ahead and anticipate delays as southbound SR 143 will be closed between Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) and I-10 from 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, for a traffic shift. The following ramps will be closed.

• The ramps from Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) to southbound SR 143
• 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 Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) to access destinations south of the closure.

East Valley airport access: From Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway), use the Sky Harbor Boulevard entrance.

NOTE: Several other ramp and lane closures are scheduled this weekend. For more information about additional weekend restrictions and closures visit i10broadwaycurve.com/alerts.

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.