What was happening at ADOT in July 1974?

Like many large organizations or companies, ADOT has a internal publications aimed at keeping employees up-to-date on agency issues.

Back in July 1974, when the state legislature created the Arizona Department of Transportation when it combined the Arizona Highway Department, Arizona Aeronautics Department and motor vehicle services agency into one entity – ADOT – the employee newsletter Newsbeat was born.

Newsbeat succeeded Hiway Drumbeats, which had been the employee newsletter for the Arizona Highway Department. Let’s skim through the 8-page Volume I, Number 1 edition of Newsbeat from July 1974, and see what was shared with the very first ADOT employees in July 1974:

Unsurprisingly, the cover story features an article about seven people appointed to permanent or temporary administration positions, including WIlliam Ordway, who will forever be the first Director of ADOT.

Arizona Governor Jack Williams recognized 600 engineers in Arizona, including several from the Highway Division, for their contributions to the field of technology.

A photo showed barrels filled with out-of-state license plates that, according to the caption, is “indicative of the population influx into Arizona.” Back then, plates were separated by their type of metal, steel or aluminum, and were sold as scrap or recycled.

Another photo showed three men checking up on a project I-17 south of Flagstaff. At the time, five major projects were in various stages of construction on I-17, which was completed in 1978.

Arizona Highways Magazine claimed the Highway Bowling League title. Individuals honors for the high series (gross) went to Gene Stair, 639, and Carl Wisser’s 264 was tops in high game (gross).

Robert Schnee, a welder in the Equipment Shop, designed and built a signpost pulling jack that made the task safer. According to the caption, “Each jack cost $65 to build, but the safety factor is worth the cost many times over.” Five decades later, ADOT employees are still showing their ingenuity, inventing things like the guardrail crab and pokey picker upper, that increase safety and work efficiency and save money.