Staying safe on the road

Memorial Day weekend is here and if you’re headed out of town you probably have your travel plans all wrapped up by now.

Hopefully those plans already include some safety preparations … if not, here are a few things to think about before hitting the road!

• Check out your vehicle’s condition before a trip. Inspect things like tire condition and pressure, oil and other fluid levels and inspect belts and hoses.
• Pay attention while out on the road and expect the unexpected.
• Get plenty of rest before traveling and take regular rest breaks.
• Be patient and alert to changing road conditions … and buckle up!
• If your vehicle breaks down or you need to change a flat tire, pull completely off the roadway. Be cautious in areas with taller grass or brush – hot vehicle components can spark a fire.
• Don’t drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs (even prescription drugs can limit your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle).
  

I-17 bridges in Munds Park ready for upgrades

The bridges over Pinewood Boulevard in Munds Park have been carrying Interstate-17 traffic for the past 53 years and now it’s time for some well-deserved reconstruction!

ADOT has already begun the project that will rebuild the bridges and ramps on I-17 at Munds Park, an area just south of Flagstaff. Work started last month and is scheduled to wrap up by fall 2012.

When the job is finished, motorists will have two new bridges each measuring 100-feet long (they’re now just 25 feet). The bridges will also be wider to accommodate an eventual third lane planned for I-17. A new sidewalk on Pinewood Boulevard is going in, too. It will allow pedestrians to cross safely underneath I-17 (see above video).

This update is necessary because there is more traffic now then when the bridges were built in 1958. Back then there was no development in Munds Park. The bridges are just inadequate for today’s traffic.

Drivers should expect some slowing of traffic due to this project – especially over busy holiday weekends. It is expected that delays at peak holiday travel times could reach up to 45 minutes … so please plan accordingly.

Holiday Travel: SR 87 construction finished in time for Memorial Day

Construction work along State Route 87 is set to wrap up just in time for the upcoming holiday weekend!

That means motorists who travel between the Valley and Rim Country communities this Memorial Day – and all summer long – will enjoy a safer, quicker and more scenic drive.

SR 87 is the major link between the metro Phoenix region and Payson and is a popular route for Valley residents hoping to take a vacation from the heat.

Holiday weekends and summer months are particularly busy for the stretch of road. In the past, large numbers of vehicles heading back down to the Valley would create backups on the last steep incline before the highway drops toward the Bush Highway.

But, now drivers should see some significant upgrades to portions of the highway!

Holiday Travel: I-10 restrictions at Hassayampa Bridge

The $3.9 million I-10 Hassayampa Bridges Improvement Project started in fall 2010 and is scheduled for
completion this summer. Travelers should be aware of possible delays on the I-10 this Memorial Day weekend.

Don’t let traffic get in the way of all your fun this holiday weekend!

With a little advanced planning, you’ll have a better, more stress-free driving experience – that’s why we’re focusing on Memorial Day travel all week on the ADOT Blog.

First up: what you can expect on Interstate-10, between Phoenix and California …

If this is your route, know that you should allow for some extra travel time, especially before and at the end of the holiday.

While no construction work is scheduled over the Memorial Day weekend, heavy holiday traffic is expected to back up along I-10 at the Hassayampa River bridges work zone, about 40 miles west of downtown Phoenix.

I-10 is narrowed to one lane in each direction in the area (milepost 105), with traffic sharing one bridge while the second bridge is undergoing upgrades (see above video).

Adopt a Highway to help maintain Arizona's beauty

It’s a sad truth, but trash thrown onto our state’s roadways really adds up.

That’s because it’s not just a few random soda cans, cigarettes or empty bags littering the roads and surrounding areas. In reality, more than 800 tons of trash gets picked up in Arizona each year.

We owe a big thanks to the thousands of volunteers who take on that cleanup effort through ADOT’s Adopt a Highway program.

The Arizona Adopt a Highway program, which currently has 1,577 volunteer groups on board, got its start in 1988. It came after the Texas Department of Transportation in 1985 developed the very first Adopt a Highway group in the nation.

Many states have followed and have a similar program in place that allows any individual or group to adopt a highway as a volunteer or through a maintenance provider as a sponsor.

Take a look: New signs easier to read

The highway sign on the left uses the new Clearview typeface.

The sign on the right is printed with the old typeface Highway Gothic.

Drivers along eastbound Loop 202 might notice something’s different on their Monday morning commute – but it’s going to take a very perceptive eye to catch the change.

This weekend ADOT is installing signs with a brand new typeface on the Red Mountain Freeway between Loop 101 and Country Club Drive. Although the change is slight, the new signs should be a little easier to read!

Over the past half-century road signs have utilized a font type called Highway Gothic. In an effort to make highway signs more legible without increasing the actual size of the signs, the Federal Highway Administration approved the use of a new typeface called Clearview in 2004.

The new font uses modified letter forms to increase the distinctiveness of each letter. In fact, Clearview lettering is up to 16 percent more legible than its predecessor Highway Gothic.

Research shows that it helps older drivers recognize the sign's words without increasing the actual size of the sign. Many drivers perceive the letters to be noticeably crisper and clearer.

Environmental impacts carefully studied by ADOT

The impact of roadway construction on the surrounding
environment is considered by ADOT.

ADOT can’t just construct a freeway wherever and however it wants…

Building a road actually requires a lot of careful planning, thought and exploration long before the first construction crews ever arrive on site.

A potential project gets examined from every angle, but it’s the road’s environmental impact that gets one of the closest looks – and for good reason.

Think about it … if no thought was given to a project’s environmental effect, neighbors living nearby the new road would certainly see, hear and maybe even smell the consequences -- not to mention any potential long-term impacts to the environment.

So, it’s a good thing ADOT thoroughly takes into account a project’s possible impact. In fact, ADOT has an entire team devoted to just that.

Experts working within the Environmental Planning Group provide assistance at each stage of a transportation project and they ensure every project complies with applicable environmental laws and regulations.

Working together to accomplish more

Soon, this section of State Route 260 near Payson will become
a four-lane divided highway.

Instead of holding their annual meeting in a conference room, key stakeholders in one of ADOT’s oldest partnerships took a bus tour through the Tonto National Forest to get a close look at the projects made possible by their collaboration.

And, I was lucky enough to tag along!

ADOT is involved in many partnerships, but this one is between ADOT (we build the roads), the Federal Highway Administration (they provide some of the funding) and the Tonto National Forest (they care for the forest through which some ADOT roads travel). For more on what a partnership entails, just check out this recent blog post.

On May 10, the bus left Mesa early in the morning and headed north on State Route 87.

First on the agenda: a roadway improvement project spanning about five miles between New Four Peaks and Dos S Ranch roads. Some good news for motorists … work on this one is nearly complete! In fact, ADOT crews were scheduled to remove all major traffic restrictions on SR 87 by May 14. Joel Mona of the Tonto National Forest gave an update on the $11.8 million project that started last summer and includes the addition of a third southbound lane to enhance safety and traffic flow.  

The next project we came across was about two miles north on State Route 87, also known as the Beeline Highway or Duthie-Martin Highway. This part of the project called for crews to repair some slopes and ditches and reinforce a few embankments.

New highways help make connections

When a new section of highway opens, we here at ADOT celebrate right alongside the local communities, citizens, contractors and stakeholders who all played a part in getting the road built.

We could just quietly open the roadway and know a few thousand people will happen to notice since they live nearby – instead, we choose to celebrate the achievement! That’s because a brand new section of highway is a fresh connection, certain to have an impact on many more people and businesses throughout the state.

Sure, the drivers who are closest to the new road likely will notice an immediate improvement to their commute – don’t get us wrong, that’s a great benefit – but the advantages don’t stop there…

On May 7, many Valley residents turned out for the open house/dedication event celebrating the new, 14-mile stretch of Loop 303 in the West Valley (see video above and photo slideshow after the jump). Already, employment centers are opening or are planned in Peoria, Surprise and Glendale. The new 303 corridor presents additional opportunities for business and economic development.

Partnering: The way ADOT does business

State Route 87, above, extends through Tonto National Forest.
Learn about ADOT's partnership with the forest later this week.

If you’ve ever worked on any sort of team you know it takes a lot of trust, communication and cooperation from everyone to achieve what the group is working toward.

You’re probably also aware of what happens when that cooperation isn't there ... it can be a bad experience for everyone!

Now, imagine the large-scale projects that ADOT works on with other agencies, municipalities and organizations. There are so many stakeholders that you would think getting everyone to agree on anything would be near impossible -- but it’s not.

ADOT uses an effective technique to work with other groups, agencies, organizations and even internally. It’s called partnering and was first used by the agency in 1991.

Basically, partnering is a formal way for groups to work together and resolve issues. Partnering documents aren’t legally binding contracts, but rather agreements among all the parties involved. They spell out what’s expected of everyone and (most importantly) dictate how to solve problems if they arise.

ADOT employees awarded for going above and beyond

Frank Gidney and Lonnie Baca, right, earned awards
for their heroic efforts this winter.

A call to the Arizona Department of Transportation might not be the first you’d make during an emergency ... but in some situations, an ADOT crew could be your best hope for help.

Take for example a call that came in to the Show Low highway maintenance dispatch office back on Dec. 31 at around 10:30 p.m. An Arizona Department of Public Safety officer's vehicle was stuck in the snow on Highway 191 in the far southeastern portion of the state.

ADOT highway operation tech Frank Gidney was on duty, so he and his snowplow headed out in that direction.

Once Gidney reached the scene he learned the DPS officer had actually been called to help a family – stuck in the snow and out of fuel.

Frank’s snowplow started to clear the way again as he and the officer took off toward the family’s reported location. They soon were joined by ADOT highway operation tech Lonnie Baca, who also was driving a snowplow.

At about 3:30 a.m. the three men made it to the stranded family, which included five young children. Weather conditions at that time were very severe ... it was about -24 degrees and the snow was roughly four feet high.

Miraculously, everyone was okay.

Getting a closer look at the Loop 303

Come out to Saturday's event to see how much  Loop 303 has
changed since this photo was taken near the start of construction.

Wondering what to do Saturday morning?

How about taking ADOT up on the rare opportunity to walk, jog, skate or bike along the new segment of Loop 303 before it opens to traffic.

This week you’ve learned how the 14-mile stretch was landscaped, paved, checked for smoothness and even what’s in store for its future … now is your chance to see the road up close.

The free open house and dedication event is Saturday, May 7, from 7 to 11 a.m., on the Loop 303. For parking, enter at the northbound Loop 303 on-ramp at Happy Valley Parkway (west of Lake Pleasant Parkway) in Peoria – volunteers will be on hand to direct drivers to the parking areas.

The event, which is hosted by ADOT, the city of Peoria and the Maricopa Association of Governments, is set to include a 9 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring remarks from Governor Jan Brewer and local officials.

The future of Loop 303

This week we’ve focused on the newest stretch of Loop 303 (maybe that’s because we’re really excited to see it open next week!). But, there is so much more planned for the entire freeway and today we want to give you a look at what to expect.

Right now the 303 only traverses about 21 miles between I-10 in Goodyear and Happy Valley Parkway in Peoria. It is primarily a two-lane roadway between I-10 and US 60 (Grand Avenue) and it becomes a four-lane divided highway from US 60 to Happy Valley Parkway.

But, eventually, Loop 303 will be a six-lane (three lanes in each direction) freeway that crosses more than 40 miles of the West Valley.

Ultimately it will extend from the proposed State Route 30 (previously known as State Route 801 -- the future I-10 reliever freeway) a few miles south of Interstate-10 in Goodyear all the way up to Interstate-17, near Lone Mountain Road, two miles south of State Route 74 (Carefree Highway) in Phoenix.

The Smoothness Factor

Nobody likes a bumpy ride.

In fact, ADOT goes to great lengths to make sure Arizona’s roads are as smooth as possible…even when that means walking hundreds of miles of roadway!

To measure the smoothness of a road, ADOT uses a machine called a profilograph that surveys the road for any lumps, bumps or dips. (Recently it was used to identify any imperfections in the newest stretch of Loop 303 before it opens this month – see video above.)

Basically, a profilograph is a highly sophisticated computer system attached to a large metal frame, 12 small wheels and an ordinary bicycle tire. The entire contraption, which is 25-feet long and weighs about 350 pounds, is pushed by hand over the full stretch of a roadway several times to provide the road’s “smoothness factor.”

The bicycle tire, which simulates the travel of a vehicle, indicates to the computer any dip or bump in the road greater than 3/10 of an inch. The resulting data details each imperfection in the road letting the contractor know what areas they need to go back and either fill or grind down.

To get an up-close look at just how smooth a new road can be, consider checking out the Loop 303 dedication event/open house 7-11 a.m. on May 7.

Enjoy the view - trees and cacti replanted to maintain the scenery on Loop 303

This slide show gives an idea of how many cacti and trees were replanted along the new stretch of the Loop 303 last September. The steps involved in removing just one saguaro from the on-site nursery and replanting it next to the road could sometimes take more than one hour.

Who says constructing a freeway through a beautiful desert expanse has to spoil the view?

Once the new stretch of Loop 303 opens this month, motorists will see for themselves that great care was taken by ADOT and its project partners to keep the scene as pristine and seemingly untouched as possible.

Native desert plants that lived in the path of the new freeway were not just pulled up and thrown away – they were uprooted, cared for during freeway construction and then replanted alongside the new road.

Crews began by taking an inventory of all the plants surrounding the 14-mile stretch of highway. There were saguaros, barrel cacti, several other cactus varieties, ocotillo, mesquite, ironwood and palo verde trees to contend with.

Landscapers decided which plants to salvage based on a variety of factors, including the plant’s species, size, health and aesthetic qualities. The saguaros and some of the other cacti are designated by law as protected, which means they cannot be allowed to succumb to construction projects.

A total of about 6,900 cacti and nearly 1,000 trees were tagged, dug up in such a way to preserve their roots and carefully replanted in three nurseries located on the construction site – the nearby location was good for the plants because they were already used to the site’s soil conditions.

Paving the newest stretch of Loop 303

A look at the new stretch of Loop 303.
The final concrete pavement is 10 inches thick.

The countdown is on!

It won’t be long before drivers in the West Valley get to experience the newest section of Loop 303, otherwise known as the Bob Stump Memorial Parkway.

Stretching between Happy Valley Parkway and Interstate-17, the 14-mile segment opens this month and represents just the start of improvements slated for Loop 303. Later this week we’ll delve deeper into what the future holds for this freeway, but for now, we want to focus on one of the steps involved in the detailed process of building a road … today we’re talking about concrete!

This four-lane segment of the 303 contains almost 800,000 square yards of concrete pavement in just the roadway alone. But instead of purchasing and hauling concrete from an outside source, contractors on this project mixed their own on site using three portable concrete plants.

Portable plants are a huge time and money saver. They require only one person to operate (typically a few people will assist in loading material), and once the plants are fired up, they produce roughly 300 cubic yards of concrete an hour. According to one estimate, mixing on site saves about 20 percent over what it would cost to purchase from a commercial plant.