Arizona Department of Transportation SR 179 Improvement Project
(800) 529-2876 www.scenic179.com pr@scenic179.com

Welcome to the State Route (SR) 179 Project Weekly Construction Update - your electronic connection to the SR 179 Project with the most current information on construction plans and activities.

What to Watch for Week of February 4

• Construction Chat
• ADOT Communication

• Bell Rock Boulevard Closed on West Side of SR 179
• Major Excavation South of the Village
• Raised Medians Taking Shape
• Cortez Roundabout Completion

Project 2

• Potholing Operations for Storm Drain Work
• Initial Activities Upcoming Near Post Office and Oak Creek

Construction Chat

The SR 179 Project Office, located at 70 Bell Rock Plaza, Suite C, in the Village of Oak Creek, will host “Construction Chat” on Thursday, February 7 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. The ADOT construction team and construction contractors will be available to go over the construction schedule and answer any questions. A short presentation will be made at 8 a.m.

Communications

Tune in on Tuesday, February 5, to Yavapai Broadcasting on AM 1600 KYBC after the 8-am news and also at 2 p.m. on 105.7 KVRD to hear the latest on the SR 179 construction. Yavapai Broadcasting also runs news updates for the following week's activities throughout the day every Monday.

Project 1

Bell Rock Boulevard Closed on West Side of SR 179

Crews plan to close Bell Rock Boulevard on the west side of SR 179 starting Monday, February 4 to work on the roundabout intersection there.  This will be the fifth and final roundabout completed for Project 1.  A detour using Verde Valley School Road will be clearly marked. Please obey speed limits on the detour route.

Major Excavation South of the Village

For the next three to four weeks, a major excavation operation will be underway south of the Village of Oak Creek to prepare for completion of the roadway there.  Traffic may be impacted from time to time for very short periods as equipment and trucks enter and exit the worksite.  Please follow instructions of flag personnel in the area.

Raised Medians Taking Shape

The raised medians are taking shape throughout the Village.  There will be designated left turn bays in certain locations, and the roundabout intersections are specifically placed to allow easy u-turns for access to destinations that are across the median.

In the next few weeks, the median from Ridge Trail to Cortez will be complete.  The median breaks in that area are at the south driveway of the Tequa Plaza, and the Jack’s/Verde Valley School Road Roundabout.  The north driveway of Tequa, along with those for Chase Bank, Desert Quail, Ranch House Square and the Outlet Mall, can easily be accessed by continuing past them, making a u-turn at the roundabout and then an easy right in or right out.  With the ease of a u-turn in a roundabout, it will be easier and quicker to access those businesses, rather than waiting to take a left in or out of a driveway under heavy traffic.

Cortez Roundabout Completion

Although the wet weather last week caused a delay to construction activities, the contractor assigned extra crews to complete the Cortez roundabout, as pictured here. This week the finishing touches will be completed.

Project 2

Potholing Operations for Storm Drain Work

"Potholing" is a process through which crews are able to determine exact locations of underground utilities by inserting a camera of sorts into the ground at various locations.  This week, a large truck will be seen on the west side of SR 179 between Ranger and the Y conducting these exploratory operations in preparation for installation of the storm drain in that location.  The large truck will temporarily block one lane of traffic, and the operation should take no more than one day.

Initial Activities Upcoming Near Post Office and Oak Creek

The work described below is upcoming within the next few weeks, however not scheduled to begin this week.

• Work is underway to design the water diversion system that will make way for the construction of the Oak Creek bridge.  With the recent wet weather, a design that was underway is needing to be revised as each time it rains, the creek changes!
  
• One of the first activities to commence will be the construction of a new post office entrance just east of the current entrance.  This work will be in conjunction with construction of the new roundabout at Brewer Road and 89A, the first to be built for Project 2.

Please note: Changes to construction plans can happen frequently due to weather, equipment availability and personnel issues. We try to anticipate construction activities a week in advance but changes may occur. Intermittent lane closures, with short delays, may not always be known in advance.

For a complete listing of freeway and highway restrictions across Arizona visit ADOT's Travel Information Site at www.az511.com or call 5-1-1.