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MAY 2022VOLUME 6, ISSUE 5SR 189 improvementsboost safety and economyt Look Back: 1980Transportation WeekPAGE 4t Lead from anywherePAGE 5t Meet Tracy GarciaPAGE 6PAGE3

The INSIDELEADERSHIPMATTERSFor those of you who do not know me, my name is GregByres and I am the state engineer/deputy director at ADOT.I have been your state engineer for a little over two months.Before taking this position, I was the director of the MultimodalPlanning Division. Prior to holding my position within ourMultimodal Planning Division, I was the state roadway engineer.When I first started with ADOT a little over seven years ago, I startedas the senior project manager in the Southcentral District.ADOT DIRECTORJohn S. HalikowskiElena Diaz, Graphic DesignerFrank Rodriguez, Graphic DesignerDEPUTY DIRECTOR/CHIEF OPERATINGOFFICERKismet WeissEDITORIAL BOARDEddie Edison, HRVincent LaBella, OCISonya Herrera, ASDPAUL PATANE, MPDJames Windsor, TSMOJennifer Bowser Richards, MVDSteve Boschen, IDOLt. Brian Eckenboy, OIG/ECDCOMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLICINVOLVEMENT DIRECTORJon BrodskyGreg ByresState Engineer orDeputy Director forTransportationIn all of my prior roles here at ADOT, I became familiar with severaldifferent aspects of the agency. However, I still have a lot to learnabout all of the inner workings of the agency. I endeavor to meetand get to know as many of you as I possibly can. My current position allows me a muchbroader view of how ADOT operates and the agency’s greater role in transportation.The state is much larger than I realized in several aspects and much smaller than I expectedin others. Due to the pandemic over the past couple of years, my world seems to havereduced in size, as I have been working remotely as many of you can relate. Hence why thispromotes the feeling of a very small state.As I start traveling again, I am reminded of the vastness of our state. Traveling acrossArizona gives me a new perspective of the roads. Instead of looking at the natural beautyof our state, I now catch myself analyzing the pavement condition, signs, guardrail andbridges. I look at slopes above the roadways for potential rockfall hazards, clogged culvertsand foliage extending to the edge of the roadway. I look for and truly appreciate seeingADOT trucks, equipment and fellow employees working to maintain or construct the roadsduring my travels.My vision is simple, having the best maintained road system in the nation. Seeing that roadsacross our state are maintained and improved in the safest, most efficient and effectivemeans possible, by providing the materials and resources necessary to get that done.DEPUTY COMMUNICATIONS ANDPUBLIC INVOLVEMENT DIRECTORCaroline CarpenterNEWSLETTER STAFFKathy Boyle, AssistantCommunications DirectorLori Baker, Senior CommunicationsSpecialistAngela De Welles, SeniorCommunications SpecialistASHLEY RICHARDS, SENIORCOMMUNICATIONS SPECIALISTMichelle Fink, Administrative SupportRandy Sasaki, Graphics ProjectManagerThe Inside Lane is published monthlyfor the employees of the ArizonaDepartment of Transportation byADOT Communications.Address all comments andsuggestions to InsideLane@azdot.gov.A web version of this newsletter canbe found on ADOTNet or atazdot.gov/InsideLane. 2022 Arizona Department ofTransportationShare your bestcover shotDo you have photos showing offthe scenic side of transportationin Arizona? Share them withus and we might put yourphotograph on the next coverof The Inside Lane. It can be agreat picture of an MVD office, abeautiful highway shot or evenan artsy photo of constructionmaterials. Whatever thesubject, the photo shouldhighlight some aspect of thework happening here at ADOT.Submit your original, digitalphotographs to InsideLane@azdot.gov in JPEG format (nolarger than 10MB). Along withthe photo, please provide abrief description and yourname/title.On the coverThis cover photo, taken by ADOT VideoServices Supervisor John Dougherty, showsthe ribbon-cutting ceremony held March 11to celebrate improvements made to StateRoute 189. From left to right: Arizona StateTransportation Board Chairman JesseThompson, Santa Cruz County SupervisorRudy Molera, Santa Cruz County BoardChairman Manuel Ruiz, Greater Nogales-SantaCruz County Port Authority Chairman JaimeChamberlain, ADOT Director John Halikowski,Governor's Office Senior Advisor for Regionaland International Affairs Juan Ciscomani,FHWA Arizona Division Director Karla Pettyand Nogales Mayor Arturo Garino. See morecoverage on Page 3.22-736794The INSIDEMAY 20222

State Route 189: Ramping up for the futureRepresentativesfrom ADOT, the city ofNogales, Santa CruzCounty, the Arizona Governor’soffice and the Federal HighwayAdministration gatheredon March 11 to celebrateimprovements made to StateRoute 189 in Nogales.ADOT Director John Halikowskikicked off the ribbon-cuttingceremony by acknowledgingeveryone involved in the 134-million collaborativedesign-build project.“Thanks to a joint effort from allof our partners at the federal,state and local levels, we arestanding next to an amazingproject that was designedto improve traffic, speed upinternational commerce andkeep drivers safe,” he said. Angela DeWelles, Senior CommunicationsSpecialist“This project started right after the pandemic hit the UnitedStates. One week we were in a meeting room with dozens ofstakeholders, and then the next week we were on a stay-athome order. We had to quickly think on our feet as a teamto figure out how to design and build a project with little tono in-person communication. But in the end, like all otheroperations at ADOT, we found a way to be successful.”“The SR 189 projectis unique becausethe community andstakeholder supportwas unprecedented.Instead of the calls andemails with questionsand concerns, wereceived calls ofgratitude, thanking usfor doing this project. Itwas incredibly excitingto be a part of a projectthat will not onlyimprove traffic flowand safety, but also willincrease trade betweenArizona and Mexico andhave lasting effectson the stakeholders,the community,and beyond.— ADOT CommunityRelations ProjectManager JoannaBradley— ADOT Senior Resident Engineer Chris PageImprovements mean big impact for community, international trade A new roundabout at SR 189 and Target Range Road was constructed, and the newflyover ramps connecting SR 189 to Interstate 19 were built.“(During this project), we faced manpower issues andmaterial supply issues. We had to plan activities differentlyby ensuring enough lead time for materials and schedulingof workers. We also had to increase our communicationwith each other to make sure issues were being resolvedtimely since social distancing was in place.” Drainage was improved and new traffic signals were installed.— ADOT Assistant District Engineer Jeremy Moore Three miles of SR 189 were widened from just north of the Mariposa Port of Entry tothe intersection with Grand Avenue.John Dougherty, Video ServicesThe INSIDEMAY 20223

For as long as there have been roads in Arizona, there have been people who plan, build and maintain them. It’s those skilled women and menwho have made this state’s transportation history a remarkable one. From 1912, when the Arizona Highway Department was first established,to right now, right here at ADOT, state employees have continuously done the work necessary to keep Arizona moving. Take a look back atsome of their stories.LOOKBACKADOT on display during 1980Transportation WeekBack in May of 1980, ADOT marked National Transportation Week with this outstandingexhibit that was displayed inside Phoenix's Central Library. From the three-dimensionalfreeway models behind glass to those nifty pennants up top, this thing is pretty impressiveeven four decades later.But beyond appearances, the display really seems to be getting a message across. With headingslike “ADOT: A National Leader in Research” and “ADOT: Constructing Roads While Fighting Inflation,” theexhibit boards are helping tell ADOT’s story to those library patrons.We broke out our magnifying glass to see what is written on that top right panel. Here’s what we wereable to decipher:ADOT Constructing Roads While Fighting InflationEmbracing terrain ranging from living desert to breathtaking vistas of Arizona’s Northland, the6,000-mile State Highway System leads motorists through some of the most gorgeous sceneryin America.The roads that all of us take for granted, however, have become more expensive to build andmaintain in the face of double-digit inflation. A Five-Year Transportation Construction Programupdated annually helps the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) meet the basic needs ofone of the fastest growing states in the nation.The 1,660-mile Interstate System in Arizona is now 97% complete, progress continues on theSuperstition Freeway in the Mesa area and projects are identified for improvements statewide –funds permitting.Every aspect of Arizona’s present and future depends on the efficient movement of people andproducts. Indeed, transportation is the state’s “lifeline” — contributing to our collective growthand happiness.Things may have changed a lot in the last 42 years, but ADOT employees still work to communicateimportant messages to the public. Angela De Welles, Senior Communications SpecialistThe INSIDEMAY 20224