FLAGSTAFF – Beginning Monday, April 4, the Arizona Department of Transportation will improve the pavement on Milton Road in Flagstaff, creating a smoother ride for drivers and repairing years of winter weather damage.

The work will take place along Milton Road, also known as SR 89A, from Forest Meadows Street to Phoenix Avenue near Flagstaff City Hall - a distance of about one-and-a-half miles.

Crews will begin the project by making sidewalk repairs while also bringing curb ramps and driveways into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The initial stage of work will continue for several weeks before crews turn their attention to resurfacing Milton Road.

Paving work will include milling down the old pavement, resurfacing with new asphalt and restriping the road. 

Work will take place mainly during nighttime hours to reduce traffic impacts. Drivers can expect lane closures within any Milton Road work zones while the resurfacing project is underway. 

Improvements to the road’s pavement are anticipated to be completed by the end of the summer.

The link to that video is here: https://vimeo.com/685493235

PHOENIX – Motorists who drive over the 55 mph speed limit while traveling through the Arizona Department of Transportation’s largest-ever urban freeway reconstruction project could end up getting a ticket as ADOT increases its efforts to encourage motorists to slow down in the project work zone. 

In the Phoenix-metro area, the Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project stretches for 11 miles from the Loop 202 Santan/South Mountain Freeway interchange to I-17 near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The ADOT project team is initiating a campaign to raise awareness of work zone safety that includes added Department of Public Safety patrols in the area.

“The I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project is one of the most visible work zones in the state, but speeding through any work zone can be deadly and costly for drivers, their passengers and of course workers in these zones,” said Project Manager Amy Ritz. 

She added, “One aspect of this project that has taken me by surprise is the number of people who risk their lives, and the lives of others every day, to save about three minutes. That’s how much time you save if you drive these 11 miles at 75 mph compared to the posted 55 mph limit. The time it takes to listen to a hit song is not worth someone’s life.”

In addition to the added enforcement, ADOT is using overhead message signs and billboards to share safety information and has produced a public service announcement  featuring I-10 Broadway Curve project team members asking drivers to slow down. 

Whether a work zone is a major construction project or a one-day repair and maintenance job, drivers should expect the unexpected, always obey speed limits, never drive distracted or impaired, and be especially vigilant and patient.  

For more information: https://i10broadwaycurve.com/work-zone-safety/

 

 

HOLBROOK – The Hermosa Drive Bridge over Interstate 40 in Holbrook will be rehabilitated beginning this spring by the Arizona Department of Transportation, thereby extending the life of the bridge for drivers.

The bridge will receive a new bridge deck, guardrails and barriers. The roadway approaches to the bridge will be improved as well. Drivers can expect daytime and nighttime restrictions due to the construction work.  In addition, there will be periodic overnight closures of I-40 during the project. 

A detour will be in place using State Route 77 (known locally as Navajo Boulevard) when the I-40 closures are in effect. Eastbound drivers will use Exit 286, proceed eastbound on Navajo Boulevard and then re-enter eastbound I-40 at Exit 289. Westbound drivers will use Exit 289, proceed westbound on Navajo Boulevard and then re-enter westbound I-40 at Exit 286.

I-40 will be closed overnight from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Tuesday, April 5. Additional nightly closures in April include April 7-9; April 11-15; and April 18-20.

Additional overnight closures of I-40 are planned throughout the summer. Closures are subject to change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

The project is expected to be completed by this fall.

This bridge project continues ADOT’s commitment to invest in the I-40 corridor as a vital highway for commerce. From 2016 to 2020, ADOT invested more than $275 million in the I-40 corridor.

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

FLAGSTAFF – With the last gasps of winter on the way out, the Arizona Department of Transportation is starting up construction projects in the Flagstaff area to improve safety and extend the life of the infrastructure.

Starting in April, area residents and visitors can expect four new projects to begin as well as the continuation of a few projects from last summer.

ADOT will begin a pavement improvement project along Milton Road, also known as SR 89A, from Forest Meadows Street near the I-40 interchange to Phoenix Avenue near Flagstaff City Hall. Crews will replace pavement on Milton as well as make sidewalk repairs and bring curb ramps and driveways in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Work will take place mainly during nighttime hours to reduce traffic impacts.

ADOT will also begin to replace the A-1 Mountain Road bridge along I-40 approximately 5 miles west of the I-17 interchange. 

Throughout construction, there will be travel restrictions through the area. This includes some overnight closures of I-40 when traffic will be detoured to the A-1 Mountain Road on- and off ramps. In addition, a 40-day temporary full closure of the A-1 Mountain Road Bridge will be needed to accelerate demolition of the existing bridge and construction of the new bridge.

Drivers can also anticipate the repaving of a 28-mile stretch of southbound I-17 south of Flagstaff from the I-40 interchange to milepost 312 repairing damage from winter weather and creating a smooth driving surface. The work will also reconstruct 10 miles of the right travel lane. Due to the reconstruction and paving efforts, this multi-season project will have single lane restrictions, width restrictions, and travel delays in the southbound direction.

Just south of Flagstaff, ADOT will make improvements to SR 89A in Oak Creek Canyon. The project entails three components: rockfall mitigation, erosion control and work on the Pumphouse Wash Bridge. 

With the exception of limited daytime and overnight closures, SR 89A will remain open to traffic. Traffic restrictions using a combination of temporary traffic signals and flagging operations will be in place while the improvements are under construction. 

Continuing from last year, ADOT will continue to replace pavement along I-40 from I-17 to Walnut Canyon Road in east Flagstaff. Crews will continue the milling and repaving work and make some minor repairs to bridges along that stretch. Work will resume in April.

Work under the Rio De Flag bridge will continue this year to finish excavating for the future Rio De Flag Flood control project, protecting the channel from erosion and rehabilitating the disturbed work areas adjacent to the bridge. Minimal traffic impacts are anticipated for the remainder of the work. 

Crews will also return to complete the I-40 bridge replacement over Business 40 about 3 miles west of I-17. All that’s left is final paving of the project area. Work is expected to resume around early June.

For more information, visit azdot.gov/projects.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division embraces the motto, “Out of the line and safely on the road.” This is a nod to MVD’s commitment to putting Arizonans first by reducing in-office wait times and offering customers a growing number of digital options.

Today, ADOT MVD is aiming higher – literally – and that motto could easily be revised to “out of the line and safely in the sky.”

That’s because Arizona is the first state in the nation whose residents, beginning today, can add their MVD-issued driver license or state ID card to Apple Wallet on an iPhone or Apple Watch and securely present it as a valid ID at select TSA airport security checkpoints at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

“With this technology, Arizonans are at the front of the line for experiencing a streamlined airport security process,” Governor Doug Ducey said. “This puts our state at the leading edge of a new technology that offers choice, convenience, privacy and security.”

After adding a driver license or state ID to Apple Wallet, upon arriving at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, travelers can use Apple Wallet to present their ID at designated TSA airport security checkpoints.

“Arizona is proud to be the first state to give our residents the choice to add their ID to Apple Wallet,” Arizona MVD Director Eric Jorgensen said. “We will continue to seek out opportunities for products and services that provide Arizonans security, privacy and ease of use.”

At this time, an Arizona driver license or state ID in Apple Wallet can be used to present a resident’s ID only at select TSA airport security checkpoints. This is a new technology and its use case will grow over time. Arizona residents should continue to carry their physical, plastic driver license or state ID card to use in other situations, including with law enforcement.

For more information on Arizona driver licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet, please

visit azdot.gov/AppleWallet and https://apple.co/wallet-id

How to add a driver license or state ID to Apple Wallet

Adding a driver license or state ID to Apple Wallet can be done in just a few simple steps. Arizona residents can tap the + button at the top of the screen in Apple Wallet on their iPhone, select “Driver’s License or State ID” and follow the on-screen instructions to start the set-up and verification process. You will need your physical MVD-issued driver license or ID card to add it to Apple Wallet.

Driver’s license and state ID in Apple Wallet is available on iPhone 8 or later running iOS 15.4, and Apple Watch Series 4 or later running watchOS 8.4 or later. 

How to use your Arizona ID in Apple Wallet at the airport

Arizona residents can present their driver license or state ID at participating TSA airport security checkpoints by simply tapping their iPhone or Apple Watch at the identity reader. Upon tapping their iPhone or Apple Watch, customers will see a prompt on their device displaying which specific information is being requested by the TSA.  Only after authorizing with Face ID or Touch ID is the requested identity information released from their device. Information is all shared digitally, so residents do not need to show or hand over their device to present their ID. 

Your Arizona driver license or state ID in Apple Wallet is secure

State IDs and driver licenses in Wallet are private and secure. If a resident loses their iPhone or Apple Watch, they can use the “Find My” app to easily lock their device and help locate it, or remotely erase their device.

Identity data is encrypted and protected against tampering and theft. The MVD and Apple do not know when or where residents present their IDs. Biometric authentication using Face ID and Touch ID ensures that only the person who added the ID to the device can view or present their ID or license in Apple Wallet.

With construction set to begin later this year on Interstate 17 between Anthem Way and Sunset Point, the Arizona Department of Transportation is hosting two public meetings to share information and answer questions. 

ADOT encourages everyone to participate to find out what to expect while work is underway through 2025, and how the improvements will help reduce congestion and enhance safety and traffic flow along this busy 23-mile stretch of highway north of Phoenix. 

Anyone can attend one or both meetings to learn more, provide input and ask questions. 

PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY: A virtual public meeting is scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 31. ADOT’s project team will provide an overview and answer questions from meeting participants. To join the meeting, visit http://www.improvingi17.com/ at 5:45 p.m. on March 31 and follow the link to the WebEx presentation.

PARTICIPATE IN PERSON: Join the project team for an open house at Canon Elementary School, 34630 School Loop Road in Black Canyon City, on Tuesday, April 26. The open house begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by a presentation at 6 p.m. The open house will continue from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

For those who can’t make it to either meeting, there is a third option to find out about the project and ask questions. Beginning March 31 and continuing through April 26, anyone can walk through a virtual open house at http://www.improvingi17.com/. This standing open house via the project website will provide the same information as the virtual and in-person public meetings, but can be viewed at your convenience. There will still be opportunities to ask questions or make comments through this virtual open house.

Construction on the highly anticipated I-17 Improvement Project: Anthem Way to Sunset Point will begin later this year and is expected to take approximately three years to complete. Pre-construction work is currently underway. Once the major work officially begins, drivers can expect the entire 23 miles to be under construction at once and should plan their trips accordingly.

Once complete, this project will help alleviate congestion and improve safety and traffic flow north of the metro Phoenix region. The 23 miles of improvements include 15 miles of roadway widening from Anthem Way to Black Canyon City, two bridge replacements, one bridge deck replacement, 10 bridge widenings, and the installation of an approximately eight-mile flex lane system from Black Canyon City to Sunset Point. Flex lanes are a new feature for Arizona’s highway system and are proven technology to help reduce congestion on I-17 during peak travel times and allow for traffic movement during emergency situations.

The I-17 flex lanes will operate as a separate, two-lane roadway carrying one direction of traffic at a time depending on the greatest need along the steep, winding 8 miles between Black Canyon City and Sunset Point. For example, the flex lanes will be able to carry heavy northbound traffic on a Friday or heavy southbound traffic on a Sunday. Similarly, ADOT will be able to open the flex lanes to accommodate traffic any time if a crash or other incident causes long delays. The flex lanes will be next to, but physically separated from southbound I-17 using concrete barriers. Access to the flex-lane entrances will be controlled by gates.  

For more information about the I-17 public meetings or this project, visit http://www.improvingi17.com/, call 877.476.1717 or email [email protected].

 

PHOENIX - Several highways carrying significant passenger and freight traffic are targeted for expansion and improvement during the next five years as part of the proposed annual update to the Arizona Department of Transportation’s list of projects that will be available for public comment beginning Friday, March 18.

The 2023-2027 Tentative Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program allocates $571 million for projects that widen highways or improve interchanges, including:

Widening Interstate 17 north of Phoenix from Anthem Way to Sunset Point, plus adding flex lanes from Black Canyon City to Sunset Point. The five-year plan contains $83.6 in 2022 for a total project cost of $469 million.

Widening the Gila River bridges between Phoenix and Casa Grande. Work on the $83 million project is set to begin 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 plan includes $125 million for construction in 2024.

Widening the last two-lane section of State Route 260 in the Lion Springs area. The plan includes $70 million for construction in 2026 and would complete ADOT’s goal of completing a four-lane divided highway along the entire SR 260 corridor.

Additionally, the tentative plan will invest more than $2.5 billion in pavement preservation projects across Arizona over five years, upgrading 400 lane miles of pavement from fair and poor condition to good condition. 

About $463 million would be invested in projects that improve highway safety, efficiency and functionality, including smart technology or adding shoulders. One of those projects would involve $68.1 million to expand broadband connectivity along I-40 from Flagstaff to the California state line. 

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.

“Governor Ducey’s mission for ADOT has been clear,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “Focus on the safety of the traveling public, improve our economy by expanding key commerce corridors and meeting critical preservation needs to protect the $23 billion investment that is Arizona’s State Highway System.” 

The 2023-2027 Tentative Five-Year Program also reaches ADOT’s goal of allocating $360 million per year for preservation of bridges and roadways throughout the state highway system. Preservation projects include repaving and repairing highways, along with repairing or reconstructing bridges. The tentative plan includes $445 million over five years for projects that improve highway safety, efficiency and functionality, such as smart technology or addition of shoulders.  

The public comment period for the 2023-2027 Tentative Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program begins March 18 and ends at 5 p.m. June 2. The State Transportation Board is expected to consider formal action on the program at its June 17 meeting.

The complete report will be available on March 18 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 20. Meeting information can be found at http://aztransportationboard.gov. 

 

GLOBE - The recent completion of an Arizona Department of Transportation bridge replacement project near Globe means new life for an endangered species of cactus. 

The location of the US 60 Pinto Creek  bridge is also home to the endangered hedgehog cactus, which grows only within a several mile radius of the site. About a foot high, usually covered in spines and often with red flowers at the top, Arizona hedgehog cactus looks something like the small animal it’s named after. The species is listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is protected under Arizona law.

When the project began in 2018, a team from Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix safely removed 34 cactus that would have been impacted by the construction work, then nurtured and propagated more, replanting a total of 61 cactus earlier this month. 

This environmental protection effort took on added importance in the summer of 2021. At that time a wildfire swept through the project site, threatening some of the cacti in that area that were not removed because they were not threatened by construction. 

“The plants on site could have easily been destroyed in the fire which is why it was a good thing these plants were taken back to Desert Botanical Garden out of harm’s way”, said Steve Blackwell, Conservations Collections Manager for Desert Botanical Garden. “That was an important side benefit of taking cactus out when we did. Another valuable part of this process was that we were able to hand pollinate the plants at the Garden, clone the mother plants and develop a seed bank for future preservation. This is a great win for the environment”

“ADOT has a responsibility to respect the environment and to make sure the plants and animals that make Arizona special are protected,” said Josh Fife, ADOT’s biology team lead. “We’re proud that the work we did will make sure the Arizona hedgehog cactus will continue to exist in the one special place in the world where they thrive.”

Northbound State Route 143 between Interstate 10 and Washington Street to close this weekend (March 19-21)

Crews setting up work zones for bridge construction in conjunction with the I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project  

PHOENIX – Drivers with plans to travel on northbound State Route 143 - and to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport from the East Valley - this weekend need to plan ahead for a full closure of the highway, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Crews with the Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project are scheduled to set up work zones in anticipation of bridge construction.

Northbound SR 143 will be closed between I-10 and Washington Street from 10 p.m. Saturday, March 19, through 4 a.m. Monday, March 21. The following ramps will also be closed:

• The westbound I-10 ramp to northbound SR 143.
• The northbound SR 143 on-ramps at University Drive and 48th Street.

Detours: Multiple detours will be in place, and motorists should allow extra travel time. View detour video here.

Drivers on westbound I-10 can exit onto eastbound US 60 (Superstition Freeway) and travel east to access northbound Loop 101 (Price Freeway). Drivers will continue north on Loop 101 to access westbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway). Drivers can also choose to exit onto eastbound Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) and travel east to access northbound Loop 101 (Price Freeway) to access westbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway). 

Drivers on eastbound I-10 can exit onto US 60 (Superstition Freeway) after the closure. From the US 60, drivers will travel east to access northbound Loop 101 (Price Freeway). Drivers will continue north on Loop 101 to access westbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway).

Airport Traffic: From westbound I-10 exit at Buckeye Road, then follow signage into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Other drivers can use the airport exits from westbound Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway); or southbound SR143. Drivers heading to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport should allow extra travel time because delays are likely.

ADOT encourages travelers to download the project’s free mobile app, The Curve, to receive real-time traffic information and updates. 

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. 

FLORENCE - The Arizona Department of Transportation has begun a project to replace the State Route 79 bridge over the Gila River in Florence, using an innovative process that will minimize traffic restrictions and delays.

ADOT is using an accelerated bridge construction technique that will involve building the new bridge in two halves on either side of the existing structure, then sliding the sections into place. New piers will be constructed under the existing bridge to support the new structure as part of a process that will keep the bridge open while construction crews can work with only minimal disruption to traffic on SR 79. 

The new bridge will include one lane in each direction. Unlike the existing structure, the new one will include 8-foot shoulders and a protected pedestrian walkway on the bridge’s west side. 

The $22.1 million project is expected to take about 18 months. During construction, drivers should expect a reduced speed limit but few other lane restrictions or delays. Also, some oversized vehicles may need to use an alternate route. For safety purposes, pedestrians, bicyclists and offroad vehicles are asked to stay out of the work zone in the riverbed and use an alternate route.

Both lanes of traffic will remain open until the bridge halves are slid into place. That will require two weekends in which the bridge is restricted to a single lane, and a temporary traffic signal will allow only one direction of traffic to flow at a time.

For more information, please visit the SR 79 bridge replacement project page.