Montecito Neighborhood Group

8/14/00 MEETING WITH ADOT

Aug 15, 2000

Last night a representative from ADOT talked for 45 minutes about ADOT's plans for SR-51 (Squawpeak freeway). What it boils down to is that since ADOT acquired this feeway sort of as-is from Phoenix and no federal money is spent on it (it is a SR, state route) it will never have to meet federal standards. However, they are going to add HOV lanes in approximately 2003 (money has been funded) from McDowell to Glendale. In order to do this they have have set a tenative schedule for a new sound study in 2001 based on the new criteria of 64 db instead of the old 67 db. Then the design of the required changes (road, walls, width, etc.) based on modeling of the sound study and the 65 mph speed of the traffic in 2002. The remodeling of this section in 2003 is also to include rubberized asphalt surfacing which is also to quiet things down. After the new construction is completed ADOT assures us that another sound study will be done to verify that we are under the 64db mandate.