With a weakened economy, a decline in revenues and the legislative transfer of more than $530 million in transportation funds during fiscal years 2009 and 2010 to help plug the hole in the state budget, money for transportation services in Arizona has been reduced by 25 percent.

The Arizona Department of Transportation is facing a $100 million budget shortfall that will require further reductions in services, office closures, highway construction, highway maintenance and staff.

“We will focus on safety. Other services and programs will be eliminated, deferred or occur less frequently. We are in a perfect storm of declining revenue, a weak economy and increasing needs,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said.

ADOT’s plan to reduce its use of state highway funds will require the suspension of operations at 13 highway rest areas and closure of 12 Motor Vehicle Division field offices, deferral of $370 million in highway construction, consolidation of customer services, and a 10 percent reduction of agency staff.

ADOT has developed a roadmap to provide a snapshot of our plan for operating reductions in 2010. Implementation of the budget-reduction plan will begin this month and stretches across all of ADOT’s operational areas.

The most immediate signs of ADOT’s actions to weather the “perfect storm” will be at highway rest areas. Beginning the week of October 19, operations at 13 rest areas will be suspended leaving five ADOT and more than a dozen non-ADOT operated rest areas along the highway system.

• Deepening state budget deficit forces layoff of 115 ADOT staff
• ADOT's Roadmap for Operating Reductions in 2010
• ADOT implements $100 million plan to address budget shortfall
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• Interactive Rest Area Facilities Map
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