Sitting in the very far northwestern corner of the state, Interstate 15 might seem somewhat remote and out of the way (depending on where you live). But, did you know that it is one of the most heavily traveled commercial and economic corridors linking southern California with the Rocky Mountain region?

More than 1.4 million commercial trucks travel annually on Arizona’s stretch of the interstate and in order to continue to serve that substantial volume of traffic, ADOT is set to begin a series of bridge rehabilitation projects on I-15.

Work starts next week

Beginning Monday, Jan. 6, ADOT will begin a $2.8 million project to upgrade the southbound bridge surfaces, repair girders and perform other work on Virgin River Bridge No. 2 (milepost 13), Bridge No. 3 (milepost 15) and Bridge No. 7 (milepost 22). Work is expected to be completed by summer 2014.

At the January 2014 State Transportation Board meeting, the board is expected to consider the award of a contract for the reconstruction of Virgin River Bridge No. 6 (milepost 16). This significant rehabilitation project will include the replacement of the bridge’s superstructure (girders, deck and railings), as well as widening the roadway through the narrow passage of the gorge.

The $27 million project, which received a federal grant awarded to ADOT last year in the fourth round of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER IV) grant program, is scheduled to launch in spring 2014 and be completed in 2015.

What drivers should know

With limited alternate routes due to the remote location of the I-15 Virgin River Gorge corridor, ADOT urges drivers traveling between Mesquite, Nevada, and St. George, Utah, to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, slow down and drive carefully through the work zone. I-15 will be narrowed to one lane in each direction at each of the bridge projects and delays are expected.

Construction will occur primarily during weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The majority of the work will take place in the southbound lanes, requiring two-way traffic in the northbound lanes.

It’s really remarkable to see the progress of projects like the one above, isn’t it?

We’ve been following this one – the Loop 303/I-10 Interchange – since ADOT started construction two years ago. Right now, work is about 65-70 percent complete and crews are slated to wrap things up by fall 2014.

When the project is finished, drivers will get a freeway-to-freeway connection between Loop 303 and I-10 (it will look similar to the Loop 101/I-10 interchange in Tolleson and Avondale for those of you familiar with the West Valley).

You can read more details in this blog post about the project’s start. You can also take a look at what the project site looked like a year ago in this February blog post (it’s come a long way!).

If you’re interested in the adjacent Loop 303 project (we’ve blogged plenty about that one!), stay tuned next week – we have a video update coming your way!

If you’ve driven in the West Valley recently, it’s likely you have noticed the work that’s occurring on Loop 101 near Maryland Avenue…

In particular, you’ve probably seen the columns that have sprouted up in the work zone (if your commute doesn’t take you to Glendale, see the photos above for a look at what it is we’re referring to).

What you’re seeing is construction on a project that got its start just last month.

Once it’s finished, motorists will have a brand new travel option when visiting Westgate City Center, the University of Phoenix Stadium and Jobing.com Arena.

Loop 101 HOV ramps

In partnership with the city of Glendale, ADOT is adding a new Loop 101 HOV lane on- and off-ramps to connect with the existing Maryland Avenue overpass.

The project also includes a new traffic signal where the HOV ramps meet on Maryland Avenue.

Work is scheduled for completion in spring 2014 (click for larger view).

The project is on a fast timeline and is scheduled for completion in spring 2014. Work is on an accelerated track because the design-build method of contracting has been selected as the best alternative for the project.

Overhead Roadway View

HOV lane refresher

Like all HOV lanes, the new ramps (once they're finished) will be restricted to vehicles carrying two or more people, as well as other approved vehicles during weekday rush hour periods of 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Once construction is complete, the ramps will be open to all vehicles at other times, including weekends.

What to watch for

You’ll remember from this blog post that the design-build method can yield big results in a relatively small amount of time by pairing the design team with the construction team from start to finish.

During construction, the north and southbound Loop 101 HOV lane between Bethany Home Road and Glendale Avenue will be closed. Drivers are asked to use caution when traveling in the work zone.

For the latest on the project, including traffic alerts, please visit the project Web page.

Right now, crews are repaving a six-mile stretch of SR 587 between Hunt Highway and I-10 within the Gila River Indian Community…

We wanted to blog about this project today, not only to inform you about the work happening on SR 587, but also to define a phrase that’s often used in transportation construction.

We’re referring to “Milling and Filling.”

A mill and fill project (or mill and replace) just means that a layer of the existing asphalt pavement will be removed and replaced with a new layer of asphalt pavement. This helps to maintain the state’s roads and prevents them from deteriorating to a condition that would be unsafe and costly to repair.

SR 587

Crews are currently milling and filling SR 587 in both directions. The project also includes guard rail and signage improvements in the corridor.

Project area map

Drivers should know that work is occurring during daylight hours Monday through Friday, through the duration of the project. Some weekend or night work may be needed, too.

During paving operations, lane restrictions and driveway closures of about 30 minutes will be necessary.

A pilot car and flaggers will also be used during paving to guide drivers through the work zone. Traffic delays of up to 15 minutes can be expected – drivers are encouraged to plan extra travel time.

Work is expected to wrap up in late November. For more on this project, call the ADOT project hotline at 1-855-712-8530 or email [email protected].

Work is getting underway on the San Pedro River Bridge replacement project … again.

About a year ago, construction started on the first phase of this project. Work was put on hold at the end of March to avoid disrupting the migratory bird nesting season (the bridge is in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area). Before the hiatus, crews finished the eastbound side of the new bridge.

Now, work to build the westbound side of the replacement bridge has begun.

What this means for motorists

Since work has resumed, traffic in both directions on SR 90 will share the eastbound lane through the project area. A temporary traffic signal will be used during construction to guide alternating traffic through the single shared lane. Delays of eight minutes will be common around the clock until the project is complete in spring 2014. Drivers are advised to plan ahead and allow for extra travel time.

More about the San Pedro River Bridge

The San Pedro River Bridge on SR 90 is an important connection along the primary corridor between the communities of Sierra Vista, Tombstone and Bisbee.

The old bridge, constructed in 1955, is being replaced by a new structure featuring wider traffic lanes with shoulders that meet current standards and provide adequate space for vehicles, including emergency responders, bicyclists and pedestrians.

This project will increase in width of the highway bridge from the current 26 feet to 44 feet and will feature 12-foot traffic lanes in both directions and 10-foot shoulders. For even more on the project, visit the project Web page.

Typically, many ADOT projects follow a common course: Design – Bid – Build.

That means ADOT (or a consulting engineer working for the department) designs the project, solicits bids and then awards a contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder to build the project.

While this method works well for many projects, some situations call for different options…

You might remember that we told you about one of those options – the Design-Build process – a while back. It involves pairing a design team with a construction team to create one team that works together and delivers a freeway project from beginning to end.

But, there are more than two ways to build a road and today, we’re focusing on yet another alternative contracting method: Construction Manager at Risk.

The Construction Manager at Risk method (or CMAR for short) allows ADOT to select a designer and contractor separately. But, instead of designing the entire project and then bringing on a contractor, CMAR lets ADOT bring a contractor on board very early in the design process. During design the CMAR contractor serves as an advisor and works closely with project designers. The relationships among the three key parties (owner, architect/engineering team and the CMAR contractor) are collaborative, trusting and non-adversarial. This kind of relationship produces a more manageable, predictive project which saves time, money and change orders.

It also affords the designer an opportunity to tailor the design of the project to the CMAR contractor’s preferred means and methods; provide more detail; and, potentially, reduce construction time.

Another significant feature of the CMAR method is the Guaranteed Maximum Price.

The GMP is the total itemized dollar amount that the CMAR contractor guarantees to complete the project at. The amount is negotiated between the CMAR contractor and ADOT and can include, but isn’t limited to, a construction schedule, all traffic control, quality testing, survey replacement of materials, public information and coordination costs. Projects can also have multiple GMPs for different portions of work.

When to go with Construction Manager at Risk
If the CMAR method provides so many benefits, why isn’t it used on every project? Well, not all projects are great contenders for CMAR.

CMAR is most beneficial when:

• There is a need for immediate transportation improvements
• The design is complex, difficult to define, subject to change and/or has several design options
• There is a high coordination requirement with external agencies that make cost over-runs and construction schedule a pressing concern
• The project is sequence or schedule sensitive.

The method is less suitable for straight-forward projects that are easily defined and lack schedule sensitivity.

When the project is all finished, drivers won’t be able to tell which method was used, but having different options gives ADOT the ability to build the state’s highway system in a more effective manner.

If you’ve driven the Loop 303 recently, you know that construction is now in full swing from I-10 all the way up to Mountain View Boulevard near US 60 (Grand Avenue)…

Crews are working to turn what was a two-lane roadway into a modern freeway (three lanes in each direction).

While the entire corridor won’t be finished until 2014, there is a section in Surprise – from Peoria Avenue to Mountain View Boulevard – that is nearly 90 percent complete. That means by around mid-July, drivers in the West Valley will notice a big difference along this six-mile stretch!

Not only will there be three lanes in each direction, but the project also includes a median, auxiliary lanes and signalized traffic interchanges at Bell, Greenway, Waddell and Cactus Roads.

The freeway will be essentially finished (along the Peoria Avenue to Mountain View Boulevard portion only), but crews will need to come back in the fall to place rubberized asphalt.

On the project site Right now, crews have paved most of the southbound lanes. You might remember that the northbound side was completed first (north- and southbound traffic now travels along a portion of the improved northbound lanes).

Retaining walls and the sound walls are up, too.

Crews continue to work on curb and gutters, lights, fencing, and cable barriers. They’ll also be stabilizing the slopes on the project with seeding and wattles. On the heels of this section’s completion, a landscaping project will start up to spruce up the freeway-facing areas.

Drivers will also notice that the portable batch plant will soon be moved from its current spot at Greenway Road to a location further south, so that it may be used for other portions of the Loop 303.

Drivers might also have observed two piles of dirt near the Grand Avenue and Loop 303 intersection. That is dirt that’s been excavated as a part of this project. It will be recycled and used once work starts on the 303/Grand Avenue traffic interchange.

This view might look somewhat familiar to all you East Valley commuters out there…

Taken on May 16, 1979, the above photo shows a construction crew working on the Superstition Freeway in Mesa.

If you were to take a drive out to the same spot today, you’d notice the freeway, also known as US 60, looks a little wider now (with six lanes in each direction) than it did 33 years ago. You would also see sound walls, landscaping and plenty of development nearby – all of which don’t appear to be there in 1979.

A little history…
According to “Arizona’s Transportation History,” which is a report from the ADOT Research Center that examines the timeline of our highway system, the very first section of the Superstition Freeway was completed in 1971. But back then it didn’t go too far – after branching east off I-10, it ended at just Mill Avenue.

From the looks of these photos, the effort to expand the freeway was well under way in 1979 and we know that work continued for about 12 more years.

According to the report, “the Superstition Freeway was completed in 1991, when it reached its present-day junction with US Route 60 east of Apache Junction, bringing to a close more than two decades of construction work. By then work was under way on a southern freeway, State Loop 202 (of which the Papago Freeway was one part), and a northern freeway, State Loop 101.”

The more things change, the more they stay the same
While the scenery may be a little altered, the machinery used to complete the work in 1979 doesn’t look too drastically different from what’s used today. Check out these photos taken last March for a quick comparison.

Sometimes seemingly minor road upgrades lead to big-time improvements for drivers…

Take the Swift Trail project in Graham County, for example. Crews currently are wrapping up work on the project that sits along SR 366. Construction began in February 2012 and included:

• Replacing pipe drainage culverts at Noon Creek with a single concrete archway 
• Constructing a new highway bridge at Wet Canyon 

The scope may not sound as massive as some of the projects we’ve blogged about, but all the work being done will make a difference to drivers and here’s why…

The old highway bridge at Wet Canyon was narrower and had a tight curve that could be difficult to maneuver for larger vehicles.

The new bridge is wider, has an easier turn and improved sight-lines for motorists. (By the way, the old bridge is still there. It’s a historic structure and was preserved for pedestrians.)

The drainage improvements at Noon Creek replaced two pipe culverts with one archway to reduce the potential for flooding – the new arch is much larger and will be able to handle higher water levels.

A look at the partnership involved on the Swift Trail Project
The project was constructed under the Federal Highway Administration’s Central Federal Lands Highway Division, in cooperation with ADOT and the U.S. Forest Service. FHWA funded the project with money allocated for routes that lead to federal lands – in this case, the Coronado National Forest.

The new bridge at Wet Canyon.

What’s next?
The project is essentially complete; in fact, representatives from ADOT and FHWA held a ribbon cutting ceremony earlier this month (see video above).

There is still a retaining wall that needs to be extended at the Wet Canyon site and that work is expected to be complete by the middle of this month. Construction at Noon Creek is finished.

More on the project can be found on the ADOT website.

Driven the Loop 303 lately?

If you have, you know things are looking very different than they did about a year ago…

That’s when work got under way on a project designed to transform the two-lane roadway into a modern urban freeway.*

Right now construction on the segment from Peoria Avenue to Mountain View Boulevard is 60 percent complete and crews are getting ready to switch traffic over to the newly completed northbound lanes so work can continue on the southbound lanes – more on that tomorrow.

Today we’re focused on how far the project has come!

It was just April when the project was at the 30 percent mark. Back then, work was wrapping up on the bridges being built at Waddell and Greenway roads.

Now crews are working on the Cactus Road bridge … they’re also working on finishing touches for those northbound lanes – things like curbs and gutters, retaining walls, signage and striping (see photos).

After the big traffic switch (again, more on that tomorrow!), crews will immediately get started on building the southbound lanes. So, commuters who regularly drive the 303 can expect to see a lot of the work they’ve been seeing for the past year – just on the other side of the freeway.

More on the project
This portion of the Loop 303 Improvement Project is scheduled to wrap up by fall 2013. When complete, this six mile stretch of Loop 303 will include three lanes in each direction with a median, auxiliary lanes and signalized traffic interchanges at Bell, Greenway, Waddell and Cactus Roads.

* Today we’re just talking about a six-mile stretch of the Loop 303 between Mountain View Boulevard and Peoria Avenue. The entire freeway stretches from I-10 in Goodyear to I-17 in Phoenix and a few different projects are under way along the 39-mile span.