News

PHOENIX – While the Arizona Department of Transportation has an ongoing project to replace the guardrail and right-of-way fence along state routes 87 and 188 after they were damaged in the Bush Fire, the landscape surrounding those highways cannot be so quickly fixed, making the whole area susceptible to flooding during summer monsoon storms.

That’s why ADOT has developed an emergency action plan to respond quickly in case of flooding.

PHOENIX – The final two elements of the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway in the Ahwatukee area are scheduled to be completed in October.

The interchange at 32nd Street and the 6-mile shared-use path will open together once both are completed, barring any unexpected delays. Both had originally been scheduled to open in September, but delays related to COVID-19 have slowed the work, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

PHOENIX – A mystery person and a husband-and-wife team of a hero hiker and a kindergarten teacher are the winners of ADOT’s Safety Message Contest.

More than 5,500 votes were cast by the public for the 12 message finalists. The top two vote-getters and winners are:

PHOENIX -- Arizonans now have more options to show their support for charitable and other worthy causes with five new specialty license plates that debut today.

Specialty plates are available online through ServiceArizona.com. Most cost $25 each year, with an additional $25 per year if the plate is personalized. 

The plates making their first appearance today are: 

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation has been granted environmental approval to continue moving forward with plans to improve two key corridors in the Tucson area.

ADOT issued a Finding of No Significant Impact after completing a Final Environmental Assessment for the Interstate 10/State Route 210 study in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The Final Environmental Assessment includes comments from the community received during and after public meetings in 2018 and a public hearing in 2019. The document is posted at azdot.gov/i10sr210study.

PHOENIX -- Arizonans now have more options to show their support for charitable and other worthy causes with five new specialty license plates that debut today.

Specialty plates are available online through ServiceArizona.com. Most cost $25 each year, with an additional $25 per year if the plate is personalized. 

The plates making their first appearance today are: 

PHOENIX - The usage of online Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division services has skyrocketed over the past four months as more than one million Arizonans have activated their free online AZ MVD Now accounts at azmvdnow.gov.

PHOENIX – A lot has changed over the last few months, but there is still a need for volunteers to help keep our state looking its best. Last weekend about 50 volunteers in Heber-Overgaard cleaned portions of state routes 260 and 277 as part of the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Adopt a Highway program.

PHOENIX - August is the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division Saves Lives Month. Working with Donor Network of Arizona, the MVD urges all Arizonans to consider giving the gift of life by becoming an organ donor. 

PHOENIX – When a crash damages the state highway system, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Insurance Recovery Unit makes sure taxpayers don’t get stuck with the bill unnecessarily.

This operation recovered more than $5 million during the fiscal year that ended June 30, accounting for 98% of crash-related maintenance costs. In all, the Insurance Recovery Unit processed 2,701 claims during fiscal 2020, the most it’s ever handled in a year.

PHOENIX – Using an innovative bridge slide technique that accomplishes in days what ordinarily would take months, construction crews have placed a new Fourth Street bridge over Interstate 40 in Flagstaff.

The new, wider bridge will improve traffic flow and have a dedicated path for bicycles and pedestrians connecting the Flagstaff Urban Trail System across the interstate.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation is prepared to respond quickly to intense flooding out of areas burned by wildfire, including a mudflow that overwhelmed two culverts and had closed State Route 188 until Tuesday afternoon near Roosevelt Lake.

Because of the extent of the Bush Fire, those using SR 188, along with other highways and roads near burned areas, should be aware of the potential for flooding, debris flows and closures.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation has launched a project to replace about 10 miles of guardrail along State Routes 87 and 188 damaged in the Bush Fire northeast of the Valley.

Removing and replacing the damaged guardrail will take several weeks. Until work is complete, northbound SR 87 will be narrowed to one lane between mileposts 223 and 236, approaching SR 188.

PHOENIX – An Arizona Department of Transportation project improving the decks of three Interstate 15 bridges through Virgin River Gorge is complete and all restrictions have been lifted. 

Work began in April 2019 to resurface the decks of Bridge No. 2 and Bridge No. 5, while Bridge No. 4 received a new deck. 

PHOENIX – As it advances Governor Ducey’s initiative to expand high-speed internet across Arizona, the Arizona Department of Transportation is requesting input to inform potential public-private partnerships to install and-or operate broadband conduit along major interstate and highway routes.

PHOENIX – Even during an unprecedented public health emergency, Arizonans have proven to be firmly committed to supporting charitable and other worthy causes through the sale of Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division specialty license plates. 

For fiscal year 2020, which ended June 30, the total proceeds raised by specialty plate sales were $11.4 million, eclipsing the previous year’s mark of $11.2 million. 

The conditions of pavement and bridges on Arizona’s interstate freeways rank among the nation’s best in an annual report by a nonprofit transportation research group. Despite Arizona’s strong standing in the TRIP report, challenges loom.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation will use an innovative method to slide the new Fourth Street bridges over I-40 in Flagstaff into place later this month, cutting by months the time it would normally take to build a new bridge.

Installing the new bridges will require the closure of Fourth Street over Interstate 40 beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, July 17. The work will continue over the next couple of weeks and is scheduled to be completed early Monday, Aug. 3.

PHOENIX – A temporary higher weight limit for certain commercial trucks during the current public health situation will expire as of Sunday, July 12, based on guidance from the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

In response to a national emergency declaration, and to align with the temporary increase in truck weights by neighboring states, the Arizona Department of Transportation in early April raised the gross weight limit for commercial vehicles to 90,000 pounds without the need for an overweight permit, up from the normal 80,000 pounds.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation started work on Monday, July 6, to improve traffic flow at the intersection of US 180 and Historic Route 66 in Flagstaff by adding a second right-turn lane.

The project will require restrictions on US 180, known locally as Humphreys Street, south of Cherry Avenue. No left turns will be allowed for southbound traffic at Cherry and Aspen avenues as well as Historic Route 66. Northbound traffic will not be able to make left turns at Aspen Avenue.