Announcing the top 5 Haboob Haikus...

The wait is over ... today's the day we announce the top Haboob Haikus as voted for by the public.

Before you watch the video above to see if your favorite was selected, we just want to give a big thanks to everyone who participated in the 2012 Haboob Haiku challenge!

It was a very close race and we appreciate ALL the poets out there who helped us spread the message: Pull Aside, Stay Alive.

Transportation Defined: Aerial photography film

Aerial photographs are primarily used for map 
compilation for project assessments, 
design-level mapping and design concept reports. 
They may also be used at public hearings.

This item probably looks pretty familiar to any of you photography buffs out there. It’s a roll of film – a really big roll of film.

In fact, if you were to unroll it, the film would measure 9.5 inches by 250 feet!

But, what does this have to do with transportation, you might ask?

Remember yesterday when we blogged about Photogrammetry? We told you that the sophisticated maps created by ADOT photogrammetrists all start off as two aerial photographs.

The pair of aerial photos (called a stereomodel) is turned into a very accurate map that’s used for a number of purposes including helping engineers design roads.

Well, this is the film required to take those initial aerial photographs.

ADOT has a very large camera that is placed in an airplane specifically to get these aerial shots. After an area is flown and the photos are captured (about six exposures per mile for design level mapping), the film is developed.

The film is archived and kept in a
climate-controlled room.

Next, the very detailed photos are digitized by a powerful scanner (not your typical desktop scanner).

There’s a lot of information and detail in these photos so a large file size is required … one image equals about 267 megabytes for a black and white imagery.

From there, the digitized image is sent to the photogrammetrists so they can begin their work.

Transportation Defined is a series of explanatory blog posts designed to define the things you see on your everyday commute. Let us know if there's something you'd like to see explained ... leave a comment here on the blog or over on our Facebook page!

Photogrammetry 101

An example of an aerial
photograph.

When it comes to designing a road, just knowing where it’s going to be built isn’t enough – engineers have to really understand the area’s features and terrain before they can even begin to plan.

This is where ADOT’s Engineering Survey section comes in…

It is responsible for conducting field surveys, CAD operations and aerial photography. The section also is in charge of photogrammetry and mapping, which is what we’re blogging about today (but, we promise we’ll cover that other stuff soon).

What is photogrammetry?

Photogrammetry is the science of making precise measurements utilizing aerial photographs to make accurate maps, surveys and Orthophotos.

In other words, photogrammetrists, with the help of computer software, can use a pair of aerial photos (called a stereomodel) and turn it into a useful map capable of showing engineers what the surface of a particular piece of land looks like.

Not only do these maps indicate where things like existing roads, signs, wells, power poles, manholes, fences and cattle guards are, but because they provide so much information the maps can also help engineers calculate how much dirt is going to be needed or moved to build the road.

It all starts with aerial photographs. The photos are taken with a 60-65 percent overlap so photogrammetrists (again with the help of computer software and special 3D glasses) can see a three-dimensional view of the ground. From there they use a specially designed computer mouse (also known as a stealth mouse) to collect all features and draw breaklines (three-dimensional lines used to collect points) that indicate where there’s a change in terrain elevation.

Building a Freeway: Drainage

You probably don’t think much about drainage when you’re driving, but a well-designed drainage system can increase the lifespan of a highway and help keep the public safe.

We’ll blog about how these systems are designed and maintained soon, but today we just want to give you a quick glimpse of the types of drainage solutions used on a project like the Loop 303/I-10 interchange. 

You can see in the video above that a lot is required to collect and remove water from the roadway …

On this particular project the drainage system consists of storm drain pipes, concrete channels, box culverts and drainage basins. Because so much excavation work is required (more than 1 million cubic yards of dirt had to be moved on this project!), most of the storm drain work is completed early on in the project.

For more on how ADOT builds a freeway, check out some of our other videos and blog posts on the subject.

TIGER program awards grants for significant transportation projects

Transportation funding is an extensive topic and even though we’ve covered it in the past (remember this explanatory video?), there’s still more to blog about.

So, today we’re focusing on a particular funding source available for really big transportation projects – ones that, when completed, will have a significant national or regional impact.

TIGER Program

The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program allows the U.S. Department of Transportation to appropriate funds for transportation projects around the nation.

But, this money is not just given away – there’s a lot of competition for these funds and agencies must submit an application to even be considered for a TIGER discretionary grant.

Vote for your favorite Haboob Haiku

When Haboob Haikus made the news all the way in New Zealand, we started to realize this Twitter challenge of ours was really taking off!

Who could have guessed that #HaboobHaiku would end up yielding more than 500 stories in worldwide media outlets?

It was covered in the Arizona Republic, Washington Post, New York Daily News and the Huffington Post – not to mention being discussed on CNN, the Weather Channel and NPR’s Morning Edition.

The results were, to quote the New York Daily News (@NYDNBooks), “sort of awesome.”

They were even talking about haboobs in Minnesota – a state where, apparently, they don’t deal with much dust because local readers were instead asked for their best humidity haikus!

Besides the media coverage we heard plenty of great feedback from the Twittersphere … @BlazingLily said, “#HaboobHaiku just might be the best hashtag ever.”

We agree, because #HaboobHaiku helped us spread our duststorm safety message far and wide! 

Which brings us to the haikus themselves … today we’re asking you to help us pick a favorite!

But, don’t worry; you won’t have to go through the hundreds of poems we received on Twitter, Facebook, e-mail and the blog. We already read every single one and managed to narrow it down to the top 15 (a difficult task ... they were all great!).

You can vote once per day through next Thursday and we’ll announce the winner on Friday, June 29. We can’t promise a prize, but the winning Haboob Haiku will be featured in a special way!

Vote for your favorite Haboob Haiku!
	Woah! Mighty dust wall! / Pull over and turn off lights / Wait for clearer skies. @lindsaycat
	You're not a Jedi / This is not Tatooine, Luke. / Pull over now, man. @will_watson
	Dust blows, swirls, and grows / Roadways become danger zones / Pull over, lights off. @Lisa4LFA
	What is up ahead? / Cloud of dust I've learned to dread. / Off road! ADOT said. @idoinvent
	Look out for haboobs. / Be alert, avoid the dirt. / Wait! Arrive alive! @ChinchillaZest
	Dust storms are deadly / Pull over, turn off lights, wait / As earth becomes sky. @tmichaels1
	When dust clouds eat me / "Off: Road, lights, engine" tweets me / NO haboob beats me! @Mom_of_R
	Truckers watch for storms / Professionals pull over / Wait out blowing dust @HDTrucking
	Wham bam dust storm jam/ Can't see, don't drive pull over/ Lights out 'til all clear @katelynchphoto
	haboob o' my heart / swording day into dark night / drives me to the side @pandehuevo
	Caught in the haboob? / Do you care to stay alive? / Simply put - don't drive! @aliza123
	Signs of sand appear / Sunny day retreats in dark / Cars shift into park @kdeegs
	Would you fly a kite / in a giant hurricane? / Don't drive in haboobs @ChampPR
	Driving through THIS mess? / Fool. Haboob is like Honey / Badger: it don't care. @sgv
	It's called a "haboob" / What? I didn't insult you / Stop the car, honey. @DianeFarr
pollcode.com free polls

Building a Freeway: Portland Cement Concrete Pavement

Placing Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP) is one of the final steps involved when building a road, but it’s far from an afterthought…

Type of pavement is a consideration very early in the planning phase when designers look into various factors, including pavement design life, traffic volume and type, soil conditions and maintainability. Based on these factors the designers determine everything from the pavement's thickness to how strong it needs to be. 

 

Let’s take a look at how it’s made

Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP) consists of cement, sand, aggregate (rocks) and water. There are also admixtures – materials often added to the concrete mix to alter its properties. These admixtures can do a number of things to the concrete mix. Depending on the need, they may be added to reduce water, slow the setting rate, accelerate the setting time or add color to concrete, among other things.

State Transportation Board approves ADOT's Five-Year Construction Program

View the approved 2013-2017 Five Year Program online.

Would you say that you’re a planner, or do you adhere to more of a “let’s see what happens” approach to life?

Nothing wrong with either attitude, but here at ADOT we’re definitely planners (no surprise – we’ve blogged plenty about it!). 

One of the ways we continue to plan ahead is through the development of the Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program.

You might remember from this blog post that the five-year program acts as a kind of blue print – it details where, when and how regional, state and federal funding will be spent for future projects.

We blogged about the plan back in March when we were seeking comments from the public (nearly 600 of you responded), but today we wanted to provide an update and let you know that the State Transportation Board formally approved the plan last Friday.

More about the 2013-2017 Five-Year Program

The 2013-2017 Five-Year Program reflects a change in philosophy and expenditures for ADOT. Due to a major decline in transportation funding, the agency must shift priorities to more preservation, maintenance and modernization of our highways and infrastructure.

Dust storm danger: Will you know what to do?

Now that our Haboob Haiku challenge is coming to an end, who out there is ready for the next transportation themed poetry contest?

Got any “HOV-Lane Limericks”? How about an “Ode to the Road” or, maybe a “Cement Sonnet”?

On second thought, never mind – those are all terrible ideas.

Besides, we’re pretty certain nothing is going to top the impressive response we got with #HaboobHaiku!

Here’s a big thank you to everyone who submitted poems on Twitter, Facebook and the blog. You helped us spread the word on dust storm safety, which is exactly what we had hoped would happen (although, we admit we had no idea the message would go so far and so quickly!).

We had a lot of fun with this and hope you did, too, but as we wrap things up this week we want to remind everyone of just how dangerous haboobs can be. We’re headed into monsoon season (the official start is today) and those dusty, unpredictable storms are on their way.

So, before the next one hits, we invite you to take a look at the powerful video above. It illustrates why we all need to be aware of the havoc these storms can bring to our roads.

Stay safe and don’t forget: Pull Aside, Stay Alive.

The value of social media (aka why did we #HaboobHaiku)

                                                         Photo courtesy of Michael Olbinski 

This massive haboob hit downtown Phoenix last year.

By Nicole Sherbert

ADOT Assistant Communication Director

We've been pretty entrenched in social media this week so we thought we'd take this opportunity to answer a question we get asked from time to time... 

Why, as a state agency, does ADOT commit resources to social media?

If you're an ardent ADOT Blog follower, you know that the easy answer to that question is education.

Whether we’re educating users about their transportation system, helping our customers find needed services, explaining and soliciting input on transportation planning, showing what goes into building a freeway, or trying to explain succinctly how transportation is funded in Arizona, our primary goal is to educate and inform our readers so they’ll have a better understanding of how their tax dollars are spent.

But the potential of social media goes so much further than us delivering our message...

Building public awareness…

You’re reading this blog, so chances are you’ve seen our Haboob Haiku challenge this week.  

By all accounts, it’s been an incredibly successful effort – 100s of tweets and retweets, national media coverage, record blog views and nearly 2,000 PSA views on YouTube. But why did we do it?

As much fun as we’ve had besting each other’s creativity around the office and following the #HaboobHaiku trend on Twitter, the answer is actually very simple: It got people talking about  the dangers of driving in dust storms.

How ADOT deals with dust

Dust storm ahead!

Since yesterday we’ve received a number of really inspired Haboob Haikus. We are overwhelmed by the creativity that’s out there!

Have you had the chance to submit a poem yet?

Wait … before you hurry off to put the finishing touches on your masterpiece, we’d like to first share a little more about how ADOT deals with dust.

Like we said earlier this week, dust storms are ultimately an act of nature – they’re difficult to predict and control. But that doesn’t mean we can’t try to minimize at least the preventable dust. We shared some tips for driving in dust on Monday (the most important one being, avoid driving through a dust storm) but it seems we talk about dust a lot around here. So for today’s blog post we wanted to recap some of the things we’ve discussed before about how ADOT works to mitigate against blowing dust year round.

First off, Arizona is in the desert (a fairly obvious point, we know), so dust and sand is an issue we always consider, especially during construction of a project.

ADOT launches "Haboob Haiku" challenge

Taken last July, this photo shows an oncoming Haboob.

Our mission this week is massive and we’ve got to admit, we are going to need a little help.

We’re trying to spread the word on monsoon and dust storm safety and we want to reach as many people as possible, which is where you come in!

After kicking things off yesterday with some driving tips and that cautionary video, we’re launching a “Haboob Haiku” challenge on Twitter today and we’d like you to help us educate others.

Let us explain.

Besides being fun to say, ‘haboob’ is another word for a dust storm and a Haiku is a type of poetry that conforms to a certain syllable structure.

Put them together and you’ve got a Haboob Haiku!

Pull Aside • Stay Alive

At ADOT we always want to give drivers a warning of what’s coming up on the road ahead...

Whether it’s an impending freeway closure or a new type of traffic signal, we try our very best to get the word out ahead of time so motorists know what to expect.

But, sometimes something will impact our roads (and the ability to drive them) quickly and without much notice, making it all the more difficult to get the message out.

Dust storms absolutely fall under this category.

As you can see in the video above, these weather phenomena arrive suddenly and bring a blinding dust that can quickly reduce visibility to near zero. They make driving conditions hazardous and can cause crashes that may involve chain collisions and massive pileups on highways.

Ultimately, dust storms are an act of nature. While we don’t get much advance notice that they’re on the way, we can at least learn about these storms and know what to do when we encounter one.

Which brings us to this week’s theme: Pull Aside - Stay Alive.

AAA expects 7.9 million stranded motorists during summer travel season

We recently shared some important tips for motorists to keep in mind as they hit the road this summer season, but safe driving can start before you even leave the driveway.

That's why we're bringing you this guest blog post today from our friends at AAA of Arizona. It provides some great information on the three basic maintenance checks all drivers should perform before taking off on a summer road trip.

We don't want your car to strand you on the side of the road ... either does AAA of Arizona. Read on for the steps you can take to prevent it from happening!

By Linda Gorman
AAA of Arizona

The summer travel season has officially begun, bringing with it scores of stranded motorists. In fact, AAA estimates it will come to the rescue of 7.9 million stranded motorists between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Being stranded on the side of the road can put a dent in anyone’s travel plans, but with a few preventative measures, drivers can dramatically lessen their chances that it happens to them.

Three basic maintenance checks motorists should perform prior to embarking on a summer road trip include:

US 60 pedestrian signal project starting June 11

Click for larger view.

Think you know all there is to know about traffic signals?

Let us introduce you to the Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon. It’s not your traditional traffic control device (different configuration … two lights side-by-side on top, with one below), but it is similar to what drivers are familiar with.

In fact, most motorists have probably already encountered a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon. They’re not brand new to the world of traffic control devices – PHBs have been used to improve service for pedestrians throughout the country, including the Tucson and Phoenix metro areas. However, ADOT will be installing its first PHB next week at US 60 and High Street in Globe.

PHBs are a type of device used to warn and control traffic at unsignalized locations to assist pedestrians in crossing a street or highway at a marked crosswalk. It will signal traffic to stop (with a red light), but only when necessary for pedestrians to cross.

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport named 2012 Airport of the Year

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport was
recently named Airport of the Year.

This is a blog post about the 2012 award for Airport of the Year – an honor presented annually to an airport that accomplishes much in the areas of community relations, airport management, maintenance activities and innovative programs.

But, before we get too far along, you might want to re-read this blog post that outlines ADOT’s role in aeronautics and airport development around the state. (People sometimes forget ADOT does more than build and maintain freeways!)

OK, now that you’ve got that background information, on to the award.

And, the winner is…

ADOT has named Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport the 2012 Airport of the Year. The award was presented to airport managers and staff last month at the Arizona Airports Association Conference in Tucson.

US 93 improvements continue

If you’ve ever driven between Arizona and Las Vegas, you’re probably pretty familiar with US 93. It’s the stretch of road traveled by countless motorists each day and it is in the midst of a major update.

A little bit of an overview
ADOT has dedicated nearly half a billion dollars since 1998 to widening and improving US 93 all the way from Wickenburg to the Hoover Dam. The long-term vision is to transform this route into a four-lane divided highway through its entire 200-mile stretch.

To turn this vision into reality, it was necessary to split the entire project into a series of smaller projects, including the one we’re blogging about today.