SR 179 Project Construction Update

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.

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.

What to Watch for Week of September 17

Traffic Switch Near New Ranger Station and Paving in the Village of Oak Creek

Watch for traffic to be switched onto new pavement south of the Village of Oak Creek so work can commence on the opposite side of the road. Traffic switches will occur from south to north as paving is completed. Paving is scheduled to begin this week through the Village of Oak Creek. The asphalt is applied in two layers that are about 3 inches thick each. The asphalt also is tested, and when it passes inspection, traffic is allowed on it.

Traffic within the Village should be switched to the east side of the road within the next few weeks, at which time work will commence on the west side. Once both sides are completed and paved, work will occur down the middle of the road on medians and roundabouts.

Driveway Work in the Village of Oak Creek

Crews are scheduled to work on the completion of the Ace Hardware, Kokopelli Inn, Giant, and Tequa driveways.

Storm Drain Work North of Bell Rock Boulevard

Crews are continuing work north of Bell Rock Boulevard to install pipes that will carry storm water across SR 179 from the west side into the main underground storm drain recently installed along the east side of SR 179. ADOT representatives are continuing coordination with the businesses at that location to ensure that their businesses remain accessible.

Utility Work in the City of Sedona

Canyon Drive to Kings Ransom Hotel
Arizona Water’s contractor, Tiffany Construction, will continue working at night to install the new 16” water line. Traffic in this area will be restricted to one lane with a flagger. Crews also will be working up to Schnebly Hill Road to install new fire hydrants. The water line installation is scheduled to be complete by mid October.

Schnebly Hill Road to Portal
APS crews will continue working at night to install underground conduit. Traffic will be restricted to one lane with a flagger. The APS work is scheduled to be completed mid October. All temporary overhead poles and wires have been relocated.

Qwest
Qwest will be working on their relocations between Painted Canyon and Copper Cliffs along with miscellaneous relocations up to the Y until the end of December. As the work progresses, the Project Team will provide additional information

ADOT Makes Refinements to Address Tree Concerns for SR 179

In close collaboration with the Sedona community, ADOT has made refinements to address concerns recently raised about the displacement of trees along State Route 179. These refinements do not change the Preferred Planning Concept for State Route 179 (SR 179), which was selected by the Sedona community in May 2004.

ADOT has met with community groups such as Keep Sedona Beautiful, the Sierra Club, Sedona Save the Trees, the Village Business Association, the City of Sedona and a variety of media outlets over the past few weeks, to hear their concerns, update them on the status of the project and the refinements being made. The refinements are:

ADOT will relocate the highway storm drain to the center of the road in front of Tlaquepaque to further protect root systems of the trees at the Tlaquepaque wall.
ADOT will temporarily stabilize the western Oak Creek bank (within the temporary ADOT right-of-way) during construction to protect the Sycamores along the bank adjacent to the Tlaquepaque parking lot.
ADOT will relocate the sidewalk opposite Portal Lane to avoid removal of the largest Sycamores within ADOT right-of-way

On Tuesday, September 11, the City of Sedona City Council unanimously approved “supporting the changes as outlined at the September 11th Council meeting to the S.R. 179 construction plans. Further we recognize and appreciate ADOT good faith attempts at working with the community in resolving the environmental concerns on the S.R. 179 construction project."

At this time, fewer than six trees with a trunk diameter of greater than 18 inches are slated to be removed for the construction of the second phase of improvements. Smaller trees that will be removed for construction will be replaced with new plantings that exceed in number those removed according to a habitat mitigation plan for SR 179, which has been approved by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and the US Army Corps of Engineers. More than 80 trees will be planted in the Oak Creek area and the City of Sedona and a variety of grants will fund more than $2 million of landscaping (which includes the placement of eight 24” box Sycamores within ADOT right-of-way in front of Tlaquepaque).

ADOT's design team has retained a certified arborist to ensure that great care is taken to preserve the root systems of trees that are to remain in place. The design team and arborist are currently reviewing plans in the area of the large trees in question to ensure that everything possible is being done to protect and minimize impacts on the trees and their root systems. APS has also hired an independent arborist that arborist's recommendations are being implemented as utility companies proceed with relocations funded by the City of Sedona in the area. The utility relocations near the Oak Creek Bridge are proceeding at night to reduce impact on traffic, a joint agreement between the City of Sedona and ADOT.

If you have information for the Scenic 179 construction updates, please send it to pr@scenic179.com or fax to 928-204-9835. To change your e-mail address, add someone new, or request a text version of this update, please e-mail pr@scenic179.com.