Road Runner: Vote to crown entries in ADOT’s highway safety sign contest

The Arizona Department of Transportation’s safety message contest is here once again for the public to decide which entries will light up message boards along the state’s highways.

It’s been a way for the department to spark discussions and alert motorists to remain safe on the roads where driver behavior plays a role in more than 90% of vehicle crashes, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“This is the fifth year that we’ve done the safety message contest and we love seeing all of the people who submit their original safety messages,” said Caroline Carpenter, ADOT’s assistant communication director for digital communication. “It is a contest but at the same time there is a very serious side because we do want to raise awareness of behavior out on a road, there’s a lot of things that we can all do to be safer on the road.”

In its first four years there were more than 16,000 entries sent to the department to find the best finalist. This year’s contest has added another 2,400 to the list of entries.

The department said it’s seen the annual contest incorporate pop culture subjects like “Star Wars” and current events into safety messages to encourage motorists to make better decisions when driving.

“As we have more drivers turn 16 every year and get out on the road, we’re always looking for ways to get more people involved in safety and safety on our roadways,” Carpenter said. “Whether it’s a contest or a conversation you’re having with your new driver or soon to be driver, we just really want people talking about safety and keeping it top of mind.”

It provides some residents, like a Arizona elementary school teacher, or anonymous submitters to have a say in safety messages that are displayed on some of ADOT’s 291 overhead message boards statewide.

There are 10 finalists awaiting more votes but “only a couple will find their way into the bright lights of an ADOT highway message board,” the department said.

These winning messages will be displayed soon after voting ends April 21. Regularly, motorists see those message boards displaying regular traffic information and COVID-19 safety messages.

Last year’s winners: “Signal and Ready to Mingle” and “Red Fish, Blue Fish, Speeding’s Foolish” were pulled from 12 finalists among 5,550 votes cast. In 2019, motorists crowned the creators of “Drive like the person your dog thinks you are” and “Drink and Drive? Meet police and see new bars.”

“The impact it’s had while it’s difficult to quantify that, we do know that we have 1,000s of entries every year and on social media, we see people talking about it sharing the message,” Carpenter said. “It really is creating at least a conversation around safety and helping bring awareness to how important it is to be safe on the roads.”

Interested respondents can voice their opinion at azdot.gov/SignContest

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Virtual open house for regional transportation plan

Registration is open for a virtual open house to review the Pima Association of Government’s proposed five-year transportation funding program for infrastructure improvements.

Visitors can review the program that schedules regional, state and federal funding for transportation projects over the next five years.

It includes funding for the Regional Transportation Authority’s long-range plan continuing through 2026. The 20-year plan and a half-cent sales tax to fund the plan were approved by county voters in May 2006, PAG said.

The virtual open houses will be conducted using Zoom and are scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon on April 20 and 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on April 21. To sign up visit PAGregion.com/TIP

Oracle Road construction begins

Crews will start construction from the Interstate 10 junction at Miracle Mile to Calle Concordia in Oro Valley.

For the next 10 weeks, crews work from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. on the south side of Miracle Mile to remove old concrete, new concrete curb and gutter, new driveway entrances on select driveways, and new sidewalk in some areas. Paving will occur later.

Motorists should expect intermittent lane closures.

Ina Road construction

Crews will continue paving Ina Road from North Oracle Road to North Pima Canyon Drive.

The work will last from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day until Thursday, April 22, to mill and pave the road. Minor delays are expected.