Sedona 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.

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?

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.

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.

The 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?

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.

Four 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.

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