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Partnering with ADOT

gary chamberlain partnering 2Sedona AZ (July 1, 2015) – The purpose of publishing these photos with comments is to continue indicating safety and image issues that can be remedied by an informed and active citizenry. All photographs were taken on Arizona State Highway 89A between Cottonwood and Sedona by Gary Chamberlain for SedonaEye.com.

“Partnering” is an ADOT message.

The Arizona Department of Transportation is tasked with the responsibility and funding to keep our highways litter free.

Look at the photographs.
gary chamberlain partnering 1
What you will see is a compilation of images reflecting a less than adequate government highway maintenance and anti litter enforcement program. Lackadaisical administrators, tasked with the responsibility to maintain Arizona highways, often fail to hold accountable managers of its Adopt a Highway program, a taxpayer funded state agency with less than stellar visible results.

As seen in the top right photo, there is an accumulation of glass on our Arizona highways from traffic accidents and discarded bottles. And no, Politicians, the answer is not to ban glass.

Is there public service messaging ADOT can send via the media to improve this violation of travelers safety? If ADOT will not clean our highways and police the shoulders, must we ask our brave accident responders to bring a broom or our highways will continue to glitter?
gary chamberlain partnering 4
Isn’t a broken reflector encased in uncut shoulder brush a waste of taxpayer money? To make it easier to locate for ADOT personnel, I took the time to tie it with an orange “danger” ribbon. This is definitely a safety hazard.

ADOT, paperwork shouldn’t be required, initiative should.

Numbers peeling off signs that are encased in cement do not safely breakaway if hit by a cyclist or motorized conveyance? And is this an unnecessary mileage information sign? And why cannot the two signs pictured be incorporated into one? Two signs benefit sign manufacturers, not travelers or our scenic views.
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Nor do two signs benefit taxpayers pocketbooks.

The post without a reflector highlights a potential hazard to the undercarriage of a car or an opened passenger car door when pulling off onto the shoulder of the highway. It is obvious from the tire tracks nearby, this is an often used pullover area.

This post needs to be removed and again, it has been marked with orange safety string to aid in ADOT’s location effort.

gary chamberlain partnering 3The first photograph on the left is another abandoned signpost, and, worth repeating, a potential hazard to the undercarriage of a car or its passenger when pulling off onto the shoulder of the highway.

Why has it remained to rust for so long? This must means it served no purpose, it wasn’t missed, and it doesn’t need to be replaced. What if a police or fire vehicle needed to traverse that terrain? What if a motorcycle or bicycle ran off the road and struck it head-on? What effect will this hazard have on an ADOT mower if it ever tends this area?

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A damaged high voltage box near Immaculate Conception Parish in Cottonwood is in need of attention. The hazard here is visible and self-explanatory. The condition speaks, like the sign posts above, to its neglect.

Wood boards splinter and this one is lying on the shoulder, but there are more in the nearby median. ADOT sweeping and cleaning these areas with the proper equipment would eliminate this issue, a health and safety problem for cyclists, motorized vehicles and walkers.

Let’s remember these boards often have dangerous protruding nails and, after an impact with asphalt at a high rate of speed, shatter into many dangerous splinters!

Secured tarps or other hold downs on open bed haulers will eliminate many issues with unsecured loads. Too many times, unsecured loads have resulted in severe injury and death for travelers. These are preventable accidents.

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gary chamberlain partnering 13Four to five miles of the “Pipe to Nowhere” has been removed by others yet much still remains. The bright orange string has been added by the writer just in case ADOT tries to find it.

It’s been years, ADOT, since you were first notified of this issue with corresponding photographs.

Years.

Taxpayers, ask that your Arizona Department of Transportation be responsive to your health and safety concerns. Highway safety is your responsibility, after all, you pay for it.

This SedonaEye.com article by Gary Chamberlain, Folksville USA and BagReadyJobs.

Read www.SedonaEye.com for daily news and interactive views!

Read www.SedonaEye.com for daily news and interactive views!

9 Comments

  1. david says:

    Gary, don’t you get it? They just don’t care……..

  2. Donna Varney says:

    Thank you Gary! You are awesome and I greatly appreciate all that you do.

  3. Dear David,

    The Flagstaff and Prescott ADOT districts have been somewhat responsive even though most of the issues associated with these recent photos haven’t been resolved …. I have high hopes that they will get’r done especially if they know that the taxpayers are seeing these stories and photos.

    ADOT management is starting to care and it really would help if other folks that care post comments to these stories and phone the elected official noted below along with your state representative.

    Donna, it take a team of many voices to reverse bad habits, thanks for your support.

    David, if you and 100 state taxpayers called these folks believe me they would care, do you care enough to make the calls or post comments to the SedonaEyE.com or other publications?

    I send all of the stories and comments posted in our local media to the Governor and ADOT on a regular basis, will you be part of the solution by speaking up and out?

    As taxpayers we get just exactly what we deserve for our efforts!

    IF you’re a veteran that is unhappy with the trash on our three Arizona veteran’s highways (Arizona Veterans Highway I-17, Purple Heart Trail I-40 and Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway I-10) please let these individuals know so they may help restore the honor to our veteran’s highways.

    Veteran’s, if you don’t care about your memorial highways then who will?

    Photograph’s sent with your comments to all of those noted support the statement “A picture is worth a thousand words!”

    Media support is critical, send your stories and photos to local and statewide newspapers, radio and television stations. Veterans, let your voice be heard for if you don’t care then who will?

    Office of the Governor
    Arizona Governor Mr. Doug Ducey
    Executive Tower
    1700 West Washington Street
    Phoenix, AZ 85007
    DDucey@AZLeg.gov
    Engage@AZ.gov
    (602) 542-4331

    Office of Superintendent of Public Schools
    Ms. Diane Douglas
    1535 West Jefferson Street (Bin#2)
    Phoenix, AZ 85007
    adeinbox@AZED.gov
    (602) 542-5460

    Mr. John Halikowski Director ADOT
    206 South 17th Avenue
    MD-100A
    Phoenix, AZ 85007
    JHalikowski@AZDOT.Gov
    (602) 712-7227

    Patricia Powers-Zermeno ADOT Adopt-A-Highway Coordinator
    C/O Mr. John Halikowski Director ADOT
    206 South 17th Avenue
    MD-100A
    Phoenix, AZ 85007
    PPowers-Zermeno@AZDOT.Gov
    (602) 712-4620

    Thanking you in advance for your efforts.

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

  4. Even facing implied adversity as in silence from certain community leaders, you continue to diligently march forward with your commitment to win the battle against litter bugs. Good for you and remember that some of us really do appreciate your efforts. Thank you, Gary. Keep the faith.

  5. people throw stuff out of a car window, dirty diapers left on the rocks & people crap on trails & soda pop tabs in streams & plastic bags of food not thrown away. Some of the forest camping areas are so filthy and disgusting when people leave that it’s infuriating. Hate hiking on trails because flies are everywhere because people crap and don’t cover. These volunteers do more for our Sedona than any other worker. Businesses need to support them. Take care of America & clean up after yourself today!

  6. Roger says:

    People are pigs when given the unsupervised opportunity. Can you just imagine what a Sedona Creek Side Park would turn into. Anyone stupid enough to think it wouldn’t be a convenient drop-off alternative to Oak Creek Canyon are completely out of touch with reality. Wise up you pie-in-the sky dreamers and sober up.

  7. Kenny says:

    Got it Roger & Arianna

  8. AS OF YESTERDAY,

    All of the items and hazards identified in this story are unresolved as of yesterday.

    Are the taxpayers of Arizona being exposed to risk and damage to their vehicles and business operation by ADOT?

    Some of these items have been unresolved for many months.

    Gary Chamberlain
    “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs”
    Empowering our nation’s youth
    FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com

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