News

PHOENIX – With work on a State Route 347 bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks in Maricopa set to begin later this year, the public will have another opportunity to review plans at a public meeting on Wednesday, April 5.

The $55 million project includes a bridge over the railroad tracks, a new intersection with Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway and a new alignment just east of the current route.

PHOENIX – It’s goodbye to guesswork. If you need to take a road test to get your driver license, the number of available online appointments at Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division offices just went up more than 30 percent.

There are now more than 900 daily appointments available statewide every business day at the MVD offices that conduct road tests. Of those, more than 600 are available at locations in metro Phoenix and Tucson – the busiest areas for MVD.

PHOENIX – A late winter storm this week and more precipitation expected next week have Arizona Department of Transportation maintenance crews in patrol-and-patch mode as they address pavement-repair needs on Interstate 40 and Interstate 17 in the high country.

PHOENIX – Pecos Road traffic between 24th and 40th streets is scheduled to shift early Monday, April 3, to an alignment designed to maintain Ahwatukee Foothills traffic during Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway construction.

The current eastbound lanes of Pecos Road in this stretch will be widened and restriped over the next two weeks to maintain two lanes of traffic in each direction. This shift creates a safe work zone for construction of the mainline freeway as the westbound lanes will be permanently removed because they are located within the freeway footprint.

PHOENIX – You like them. You really like them. Kiosks, that is.

The humble self-service kiosk, found at many Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division offices as well as several city court locations statewide, has reason to be proud. The handy device is getting more popular by the day.

PHOENIX – A project to remove potentially dangerous rocks from the mountain above State Route 77 south of Globe will require lane restrictions on Fridays through April.

The lane restrictions are in addition to closures and lane restrictions on Mondays through Thursdays between mileposts 154 and 161 in the Dripping Springs area.

The work is scheduled to be completed at the end of April. There are no restrictions on weekends.

YUMA – A modern roundabout that will make it easier for drivers to exit westbound Interstate 8 at Giss Parkway in Yuma should be ready for travelers this fall.

The $2.5 million project to replace the existing intersection of the westbound I-8 exit at Giss will begin Monday, March 27. It is the first of three major Arizona Department of Transportation projects planned for the Yuma area in 2017. Work also is scheduled for the 4th Avenue Gateway area and the Araby Road interchange with I-8.

PHOENIX – Over the past year, thousands of Arizonans have helped inform how we’ll all get around in the future by accepting invitations to participate in the National Household Travel Survey. With the survey wrapping up at the end of April, some are still getting letters asking them to take part.

PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Transportation maintenance crews are continuing pavement repairs along northern Arizona highways after winter storms.

Next week, crews will lay asphalt over existing pavement to smooth sections of Interstate 40 at milepost 156 westbound and continue this work between mileposts 169 and 172 eastbound, about 10 miles east of Williams.

Patch work and asphalt overlays also will continue on State Route 89A in Oak Creek Canyon.

PHOENIX – Travel on US 95 between Avenue 3E and Araby Road will be restricted to one lane in each direction for about six weeks beginning Monday while Arizona Department of Transportation crews resurface the road as part of a nine-month project.

From Monday through the end of April, the speed limit on that section of US 95 will be reduced to 25 mph and no left turns will be permitted.

From the ADOT Blog ...

Don’t rely on luck or four-leaf clovers to stay safe on St. Patrick’s Day.

If your plans include an evening out, have fun, but make smart decisions before getting in a vehicle. Designate a driver or call a taxi or rideshare service.

Did you know that alcohol-related crashes in Arizona historically spike on St. Patrick’s Day?

PHOENIX – Drivers covered nearly 67 billion miles on Arizona roads in 2016, the state’s fifth consecutive annual increase, according to a Federal Highway Administration estimate.

Part of a Traffic Volume Trends report estimating a record 3.2 trillion miles driven on U.S. public roads last year, the Arizona figure demonstrates the importance of maintaining and improving the state’s transportation system, said John Halikowski, director of the Arizona Department of Transportation.

PHOENIX – As the Loop South Mountain Freeway moves toward completion in late 2019, a new flyover animation reflects updated plans for the 22-mile-long corridor.

The six-and-a-half minute virtual tour of the South Mountain Freeway, the largest single freeway project in state history, is available at SouthMountainFreeway.com.

PHOENIX – Arizona drivers can look forward to having some online information about highway restrictions or other traffic-related events in Sonora, Mexico.

The Arizona Department of Transportation is providing training in Phoenix this week for representatives from the Sonora Department of Civil Protection to work with Arizona’s 511 Highway Conditions and Reporting System.

PHOENIX – Good news travels fast and it also travels far. The work being done by the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division to lower office wait times, use employees more resourcefully and be more efficient overall is being noticed 9,000 miles away in Singapore.

A delegation from the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and a representative from the Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI) visited MVD recently to learn about the continuous improvement transformation through the Arizona Management System championed by Governor Doug Ducey.

PHOENIX – Drivers on Interstate 10 should expect delays this week in the Harquahala Valley area west of Phoenix while Arizona Department of Transportation crews complete a pavement preservation project.

I-10 will be narrowed to one lane in each direction from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Thursday between mileposts 63 and 70. Drivers should expect a reduced speed limit and delays during those hours.

From the ADOT Blog ...

ADOT recently revealed the 20 finalists in our Safety Message Contest. We’ll announce the winners in April, but one contest entry is being displayed on our Dynamic Message Signs this weekend before voting wraps up on Wednesday, March 15.

Huh?

Blame daylight saving time.

PHOENIX – With warmer weather in the high country, Arizona Department of Transportation maintenance crews are catching up with pavement repair along Interstates 17 and 40 and State Route 89A after an active winter season.

Next week, crews will lay asphalt over existing pavement to smooth rough sections of road along I-40 between mileposts 169 and 172 eastbound, about 10 miles east of Williams. Work will also occur on I-40 eastbound at mileposts 92, 96 and 102-104, in between the US 93 junction and Seligman.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation is getting ready to install Arizona’s first prefabricated bridge along Oatman Highway, also known as old Route 66, with the help of Mohave County and the Federal Highway Administration.

The 110-foot bridge, manufactured in Phoenix and then transported in sections to the site in northwestern Arizona, will carry traffic over Sacramento Wash, a mile north of Interstate 40 in Topock. Supports have already been built along the roadway, awaiting installation of the prefabricated bridge next week.

PHOENIX – Beginning next week, Arizonans will be able to provide input on the Arizona Department of Transportation’s annual update of projects proposed to move forward in the next five years and how much local, state and federal funding should go toward them.

In its Tentative Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program for 2018-2022, ADOT proposes accelerating some key expansion projects for Greater Arizona due to federal funding increases, grants and state budget appropriations. They include: