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Arizona Highways Are an Eyesore

Sedona AZ (August 30, 2014) – The following is a letter to the SedonaEye.com editor:

August 30, 2014

Representative John Kavanagh
House of Representatives
1700 W. Washington
Room 114
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Subject: Is ADOT putting the taxpayer at risk?

ADOT Interstate 17 logoDear Mr. John Kavanagh,

Per your request and my inquiry, I am sending you a partial list of the outright irresponsible actions on the part of ADOT and specifically Mr. Halikowski, Director of ADOT.

1) I do not send this message in a mean-spirited manner but with the hope that Mr. Halikowski will man-up and correct the situations that have disgraced the hard working ADOT workers, ADOT subcontractors and improve the under-performing ADOT Adopt-A-Highway program.

2) Yes, these are harsh words but, if you consider the disgrace that Director Halikowski has allowed to occur on our three Arizona veteran’s highways, we as Arizona residents should be ashamed of our veteran’s memorial highways; what message does this bring to our veterans, tourists, visitors, residents, potential new businesses, etc?

3) Over the past six years I, on behalf of many others, have reached out to Mr. Halikowski to no avail other than to put up with the “double-talking-babble” of Mr. Don Cassano, ADOT’s Ombudsman…and that’s being kind!

ADOT photo4) So if Mr. Halikowski wishes to do so, he may Google “FOX 10 Phoenix and Gary Chamberlain” and review that newscast and the following observations that should greatly trouble him and give him a opportunity to remedy problems that damage the “image and economy of Arizona and appear to show that ADOT and Mr. Halikowski have respect for our Arizona veterans, many of whom work for ADOT!”

5) In August of 2014, I photographed the following topics that should be corrected – if ADOT is guilty of littering then ADOT gives visual permission to the residents to trash our highways.

6) Numerous ADOT and ADOT subcontractors abandon, broken, thrown in the grass items consisting of pedestals with lights, sand bags, sandwich board barriers, orange flags, and 3”- 4” reflectors. What are ADOT’s and the taxpayer liability when a motorist pulling off the road hits one of these items?

7) Un-mowed highway shoulders and medians with large brush not cut back. As I understand it, several years ago a drunk driver hit one of the large bushes and was killed and his family sued Arizona for millions of dollars and won the case because ADOT didn’t meet its own requirements to keep brush with a certain diameter “X” number of feet back from the highway. As taxpayers, has ADOT set us up for another law suit?

ADOT Chamberlain Food Trash 89A 28) Why does ADOT allow the “Death Memorials” on the highway? In many cases, these highly fortified and reflective memorials have been reported to me as a hazard just waiting to happen. Don’t these items also represent a liability for the taxpayers if a motorist hits one or is distracted by their existence?

9) ADOT has always maintained that only they or an approved sub-contractor can clean the median. So how is it that in almost six years that ADOT has never cleaned the median on Highway 89A between Cottonwood and Sedona and Highway 260 between Cottonwood and Camp Verde? I can tell you who has and that would be ME!

10) Our Arizona Veterans Highway (AZ I-17) between Phoenix and Flagstaff is a disgrace! I will point out that ADOT “does” keep the median relatively clean within the Phoenix city limits on the Arizona Veterans Highway up to (North) about MP-225 which is within the Phoenix city limits as I see it. Why are our Arizona Veteran Highway shoulders and median such a disgusting mess?

11) Why did ADOT dumb-down the Arizona ADOT Adopt-A-Highway program in 2012 from requiring the ADOT “Permittees” to clean their sections of highway 3 times per year and more for a Scenic Highway to the new meaningless requirement of “as necessary or required” statement, what the hell kind of effective standard is that? Yes, these are volunteers but did they not “agree” to do something for the taxpayer in exchange for two highway signs? Is 8-12 hours per year too much to ask of these volunteers?

Gary Chamberlain Folksville clean up 312) Would it be asking too much of ADOT to raise their “Bar” for the ADOT Adopt-A-Highway program off of the ground and motivate and recognize the ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups for their performance with a paper certificate based on frequency of litter pick-ups (4X Gold, 3X Silver, 2X Bronze and 1X Lead) per calendar year, supported by the ADOT required “Activity Report” that are monitored by the eight ADOT Permit departments …… would that be so tough? Wouldn’t this performance-based award certificate be a nice way to say thanks to the ADOT Adopt-A-Highway groups?

13) I could write a book on the safety issues that ADOT presents to the taxpayer such as why do all of those ADOT trucks drive right by tire debris and other items in the highway? Is this a ADOT – taxpayer liability?

14) How about all of the ADOT workers that talk about the shortage of mowing equipment and equipment in good repair? Why should eight ADOT Districts need to “share a mower? If this equipment is in short supply and poor repair, why does ADOT waste the taxpayer’s money on the “ADOT Highway Rodeo” events? Why can’t the challenge be to see which ADOT District has the cleanest, best mowed and least amount of highway brush?

Gary Chamberlain litter 1615) I hope that Direct John Halikowski will seize these challenges and correct them while making our veterans, residents, ADOT workers and ADOT sub-contractors proud of what we see when we drive down our highways.

Hopefully we can work together on this and make Arizona the “Gold” standard for how our highways should look and our ADOT Adopt-A-Highway program performs. Philosophically speaking, Director Halikowski, you and those you employ, work for the taxpayers so make us feel appreciated and proud.

 

Gary Chamberlain, FVUSA
“America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs”
Empowering our nation’s youth
FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com
(928) 202-1186

Cc:
Office of the Governor
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer
Executive Tower
1700 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Mr. John Halikowski Director ADOT
206 South 17th Avenue
MD-100A
Phoenix, AZ 85007

For the best Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!

For the best Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!

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