Arizona DOT to consolidate operations in streamlining move

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) said this week that it plans to become more efficient in operating the state's transportation system through new streamlining measures.

ADOT will fold several core functions into the Transportation Systems Management and Operations Division (TSMO) to help ADOT to better manage infrastructure while it explores new technologies to improve the reliability of roads and highways.

TSMO is responsible for a wide range of operational and safety programs, including traffic-signal systems, roadway-safety improvements, crash response and pavement conditions. The division also uses technology such as overhead message boards, traffic-flow sensors and closed-circuit cameras to help it monitor traffic congestion.

“Governor (Doug) Ducey has challenged state agencies to adopt practices for daily improvement, and this is one of our answers,”ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “By proactively maximizing the capacity of our entire system, our efforts stretch the investment taxpayers are making in transportation. By focusing on the whole system, rather than individual corridors, movement and safety are optimized along today’s and tomorrow’s highways, especially with emerging technologies that will move us into the future.”