1. Continue reviewing your business and financial needs. Develop or update an operations, marketing and communications plan for your business based on the Arizona Department of Transportation’s current project information.

2. Check www.azdot.gov/tucson10widening on a monthly basis for project updates.

3. Add adot@service.govdelivery, and gordleygroup.com to your email server permissions list (so you can receive traffic alerts and updates for businesses).

4. Add your email address to the project email list for important updates by providing it to the project team contacts listed below.

5. Create or update your business website with current project information and maps. Help your business neighbors by keeping your website information current.

6. If you anticipate a unique need, such as a special event, please contact B.J. Bartlett from the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) business outreach team at 520.327.6077.

7. Display, post and distribute the completed project rendering. Make time to explain the end benefits of the project to every employee and customer.

8. When updated traffic flow maps are available, hold meetings with employees to review routes and develop talking points for customers.

9. Talk with employees about the project and what to say about this project, as well as communication to avoid with customers.

10. Actively communicate your suggestions and ideas with the project team by emailing or calling the business and public outreach team.

11. Get to know your neighboring businesses. Support each other and share ideas that are working well for your business.

12. Partner with the ADOT project team and contractor by being the eyes and ears in the field. Business input is vital to a successful project for all.

What to say about the project
Please note: construction sequencing, traffic control, closures and traffic flow maps are subject to change.

1. Keep the end project benefits front and center - especially the improvements to traffic congestion at I-10/Prince Road and the Union Pacific Railroad double tracking and increasing train traffic through Tucson.
2. Be realistic and positive about impacts:
1. Unlike city street projects, customers do NOT drive through construction for interstate projects – construction is completely separated from the driving public and restricted primarily to the I-10/Prince Road traffic interchange.
2. While the project is scheduled to take 26 months, it will be completed in two major phases of about 12 months each, with construction primarily on the west side of I-10, in the first phase followed by work primarily on the east side of I-10 in the second phase. This phasing allows each side of I-10 to have the bulk of construction-related impacts reduced to about one year.
3. Construction will NOT impact the vast majority of business access points. In the cases where it does, businesses have been working with the ADOT project team for many months in preparation for these impacts.
4. Access will be maintained to all businesses during construction, even those with direct impacts.
5. Three lanes of I-10 traffic in each direction will be maintained during construction.
6. Alternate routes like Miracle Mile and Ruthrauff Road I-10 access will be open and available for motorists to use for the duration of the project.
7. Prince Road will remain open on the east side of I-10.

Communication to avoid

1. Negative comments or expressing your fears in front of employees or customers.
2. Rumors and inaccurate information. Get your information from official ADOT sources. Refer customers to the project website at www.azdot.gov/tucson10widening.
3. Sympathizing with employees or customers. “Oh, yes. The traffic is terrible!” Instead, empathize and offer to help. “I’m sorry you’re frustrated. Let me help by telling you the easiest way to get here. I know it is difficult now, but there is a benefit to you when the project is completed."

Please note: Final plans, including construction sequencing, traffic control and closures, are subject to change depending on weather, equipment failures or other variables. Current traffic flow maps are subject to change.