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to ADOT’s East Valley eNewsletter
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FINAL SECTION OF LOOP 202 (RED
MOUNTAIN FREEWAY) NOW OPEN
The last stretch of Loop 202 , which completes the entire Red
Mountain Freeway between downtown Phoenix and the East Valley,
is open to traffic. Crews finished the last of the work needed
in order for the freeway to be ready for drivers on Monday morning,
July 21.
The Red Mountain Freeway between Power Road and University Drive
is the last freeway project to be funded under Proposition 300,
which Maricopa County voters approved back in 1985. Under that
program, 137 miles of freeways have been built in the Phoenix
area, including all of the Loop 101 and Loop 202.
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GOVERNOR CELEBRATES ROUNDIN’
OUT THE RED MOUNTAIN
Governor Janet Napolitano signs the plaque commemorating the
Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway). Looking on are ADOT Director
Victor Mendez and Policy Advisor Shannon Scutari.
Arizonans of all ages joined ADOT and its partners to celebrate
the completion of the last link in Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway).
Keynote speaker Gov. Napolitano captured the emotion of the
celebration. “You can tell the story for generations to
come, that you were here, on this spot, when this historic moment
occurred.”
The enthusiastic crowd of more than 10,000 residents poured
over the new pavement, enjoying the exhibits, entertainment
from The Skyline High School band, and relished the opportunity
to learn about the range of services provided by the cooperative
efforts of ADOT,
Maricopa
Association of Governments (MAG), the City
of Mesa and the Federal
Highway Administration.
Educational literature, videos and DVDs featuring driving instructions
for Arizona's Modern Roundabouts were distributed to an eager
crowd.
Highway Hawk high-fived his way down the 4.5 mile celebration
route, delighting kids of all ages with ADOT “hardhats”
and other mementos of the event.
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Revelers
traveled the rubberized asphalt on bikes, stilts, unicycles,
rollerblades and all manner of wagons, carts and skateboards.
The 34,000 bottles of water, snacks and sunscreen donated
by the two dozen sponsors provided welcome respite from
the typical summer monsoon weather. |
Sponsors for event included:
City of Mesa
Arizona Department of Public Safety
A-Z Rentals
Banner Baywood Medical Center Heart Hospital
Bark Busters
Brown Evans Distributing Company
Cartridge World
Casino Arizona
Costco Wholesale #481
Discount Cab
DMJM Harris
Falcon Field Area Alliance
The Flying Scotsman
Frito Lay
GarageFloorCoating.com
Grace Church
Longbow Business Park & Golf Club
Mommy Perks
Mountain Bridge/ Blandford Homes
Pulice Construction
Reddy-Ice
Southwest Ambulance
Southwest Urgent Care
Sparkletts Bottled Water
Town & Country Foods
Zep Chemical
Exhibitors distributed everything from free hotdogs and barbeque
to fresh flowers and gas cards. Popsicles were a big favorite
as temperatures reached the 105º mark.
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Victor
Mendez, Director of the Arizona Department of Transportation,
likened the segment's completion to "a golden spike
of our regional freeway system."
The completion of this final segment of Loop 202 completes
the Red Mountain Freeway and represents the conclusion
of Proposition 300, the largest public works project in
Arizona history. Maricopa County voters approved Proposition
300, a half-cent sales tax increase, in 1985 to fund the
Regional Freeway System.
More information:
Regional
Freeway System History
Proposition
300 Regional Freeway System Map |
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LOOP 202 (RED MOUNTAIN FREEWAY)
MODERN ROUNDABOUTS
DESIGNED TO SMOOTH TRAFFIC FLOW
The new roundabout entrances to the Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway)
eliminate waiting at four way stoplights, and expedite the flow
of traffic. While new to the East Valley, many cities in Arizona
have roundabouts in use to ease the flow of traffic, reduce
travel time, cut carbon emissions and minimize serious accidents.
The rules for driving roundabouts are simple, but they require
the driver to
Plan Ahead, Slow Down, and Yield.
Plan Ahead
Drivers
must anticipate which lane to enter before approaching
the roundabout:
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Right turn = Right Lane
- Thru
Traffic = Right Lane
- Left
Turn = Left Lane
- U-turn
= Left Lane to circle the roundabout
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Slow Down
Traffic
must slow to 15-20 mph approaching the roundabout
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Be prepared to stop and yield to the traffic already
in the roundabout.
- Look
to the left before entering the roundabout.
- Enter
only when a break in the traffic provides adequate
time to enter the pre-selected lane.
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Yield to Traffic Already in the Roundabout
Drivers
in the roundabout have the right of way
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Wait until a space appears in your pre-selected lane
- Do
not expect drivers in the roundabout to let you merge
- Follow
large trucks and busses; do not pass in a roundabout
- Obey
one way signs
- Watch
for pedestrians and bicyclists
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Armchair motorists can learn more about Arizona's Modern
Roundabouts on the ADOT
Web site. A number of educational tools are
available:
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A video overview of the advantages of Modern Roundabouts.
- Animations
that illustrate several possible scenarios drivers
can encounter when navigating one of Arizona's Modern
Roundabouts.
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Our
Valley freeway system is part of the 2004 voter-approved
Regional Transportation Plan. We are working hard with
our transit partners to implement the voters’
vision and are committed to quality, safety, open communication
with our neighbors, and minimal inconvenience to the
traveling public. |
This
is your electronic connection to ADOT activities in the East
Valley.
This email list will not be shared for non-ADOT purposes.
Since the 2004 voter-approved extension of the ½ cent
transportation tax, ADOT has been working diligently with
local and regional governments to implement the Regional Transportation
Plan.
The Regional Transportation Plan is a comprehensive, multimodal
20 year regional plan that provides the blueprint for transportation
investments in the Maricopa County region through 2025. You
can view the Regional Transportation Plan at www.mag.maricopa.gov
This archived eNewsletter is presented as historical information.
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East Valley Transportation Projects
Arizona Department
of Transportation
Communication and Community Partnerships Division
Copyright
Arizona Department of Transportation 2008.
All Rights Reserved.
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