New webpage offers the latest US 89 details

Visit www.azdot.gov/US89 for the latest US 89 closure details.

Wow … we’ve certainly received a big response to all of the videos, Tweets, blog posts and news releases related to the closure of US 89 south of Page.

A huge thank-you goes out to everyone who has helped us spread the word!

Just to give you an idea of how far the message has gone, listen to these stats: US 89 photos from the ADOT Facebook page have been shared at least 7,100 times, so far, and this video has been watched more than 32,000 times (don’t even get us started with all of the comments, likes and retweets)! 

While we’ll continue to use social and traditional media to give updates on the situation (and we hope you keep on sharing the information with your family and friends), we do want you to know there’s an additional resource now available to you when you’re looking for US 89 closure details.

ADOT’s new webpage, www.azdot.gov/US89, is a one-stop site that’s dedicated to keeping the public informed about the latest news and alternate routes. Visit the page and you’ll not only find current and past news releases, but you can check out videos, photos, detailed detour maps and blog posts.

If websites aren’t your thing, you can also get information on the closure by calling the ADOT Project Hotline, toll-free, at 1-855-712-8530 or by sending an email to projects@azdot.gov.

ADOT recognizes how critical US 89 is to the region and our engineers are very busy gauging the damage and considering what steps to take next. It’s too early to know what the fix might be, or when it will be ready for drivers, but we will work hard to keep you informed and ensure that all motorists are able to safely travel to all destinations.

Now, go check out our new webpage (and tell your friends while you’re at it!).

A new special license plate option is now available

By now, you ought to know plenty about license plates…

We’ve blogged about how they’re made and the awards they’ve won. We’ve even attempted to answer all your questions relating to the “blue cloud” plates (a sequel to that post is coming soon – stay tuned!).

So, for today’s post, we’ll keep things fairly short and just let you know there’s a new specialty plate that’s available for purchase in Arizona (learn more about special license plates in these previous posts).

The new plate is: Keep Arizona Beautiful.

Like other special plates there’s a $25 initial application fee and a $25 annual renewal fee to consider – $17 of the fee goes to the litter prevention and cleanup special plate fund. This plate has no special requirements and is available to everyone. It may be personalized with a maximum of six characters and is also available with a disability symbol.

For more information on special plates, visit the MVD site.

ADOT Twitter reaches milestone: #20,000 Tweets

ADOT recently Tweeted for the 20,000th time!

Don’t know how closely you’ve been tracking ADOT’s Twitter feed lately, but something big just happened over there.

At about 7 a.m. today, ADOT’s 20,000th Tweet went out to the masses!

In light of this milestone, we thought it’d be fun to revisit some of our favorite Tweets from recent months. Before we get to that, though, let’s take a very quick look at how ADOT has been able to use Twitter as a powerful communication tool...

Since launching in 2008, ADOT’s Twitter account has been used to inform and update its followers (right now there’s 18,210 of them, but that number just keeps rising!). Whenever there’s an incident that’s going to have an impact on the highway – crashes, vehicle fires, weather events, etc. – you can bet ADOT will be Tweeting about it. ADOT also has been able to use Twitter to promote key safety messages (remember the ‘Pull Aside, Stay Alive campaign? #HaboobHaiku) and answer questions directly from drivers.

Now, as promised, here are just a few of our favorite Tweets from recent months – a mix of informative and humorous! After you're done reading them here, head over to Twitter and see what our next 20,000 Tweets will be about!

• Way too much red tonight on this traffic heat map. Gotta have more green and the only prescription is...cowbell? (Nov. 30)
• Cow caravan: On US 60, about 5 miles west of SR 72, we have a report of cows walking along the roadway. (Dec. 24)
• Emergency kits for a holiday drive should include things you'll need if there is an unexpected delay: Water, snacks, blankets, flashlights. (Nov. 21)
• Can't wait to return that horrible sweater from Grandma? Before going to the mall, check road conditions first! (Dec. 27)
• That's not NAU graduation confetti in Flagstaff - that's snow! (Dec. 14)
• Mother Nature took out the white paint brush this morning in the Painted Desert. This pic is on I-40. #azwx (Jan. 7)
• Looks like there's an upside to the Mayan #Apocalypse: Very light rush hour traffic this morning! Who knew? (Dec. 21)
• It's a zoo on the roads today in Apache County! Watch for llamas on Route 264 at milepost 457, and horses on Route 191 at milepost 409. (Jan. 5)
• Making a holiday road trip in Arizona? If so, check out our handy map of Arizona rest stops. (Nov. 28)
• What is going on today? In the last hour, drivers have lost a fridge, Christmas tree and hay bale on AZ highways. Secure your loads, folks! (Dec. 8)