| Street Transportation Pavement Dashboard Earns International Award | https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/street-transportation/1511 | Street Transportation | | 9/17/2020 10:20:00 PM | https://www.phoenix.gov/newssite/Lists/NewsArticle/Attachments/1511/Newsroom_Streets_020.jpg | | Street Transportation Pavement Dashboard Earns International Award | <div class="ExternalClass319C9786EFA04E1EA2759E7D16A2ADE9"><html>
<p><span id="ms-rterangepaste-start"></span>The Street Transportation Department’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Team this month earned international recognition by the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA) which annually reviews nominations from organizations using geospatial information systems to improve service delivery. Street Transportation’s <a target="_blank" href="https://phoenix.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=330600c87dff4a8a8ac1759701d2d730&folderid=95b30070d48947d3a58617aca9fb4dac">Interactive Pavement Maintenance Dashboard</a><span id="ms-rterangepaste-end"></span> was recognized as the Exemplary Systems in Government winner.</p><p>To improve the way information about major paving projects is shared with the public, Street Transportation GIS engineers created an interactive pavement maintenance dashboard. This tool, officially launched in July 2019, allows anyone to view near real-time paving and resurfacing treatment information from anywhere with an internet connection, with versions in English and Spanish, desktop and mobile. </p><p>The system has proven useful for residents, neighborhood leaders, civic organizations, businesses and public officials who want to know when or where road rehabilitation work will be taking place. The Street Transportation Department created the system as part of its Accelerated Pavement Maintenance Program which triples the number of streets receiving rehabilitation and maintenance annually through 2023.</p><p>URISA described the interactive dashboard saying: “In summary, this is considered to be an outstanding application. It has a very focused purpose and has demonstrated significant ROI ranging from the engagement it has fostered through to the internal government efficiency it has created, as well as spreading the awareness of the power and value of GIS throughout the organization. The application was well thought out and planned, using the right technology and embracing the end-user community and crowd sourcing. It is a great example of GIS not only leading but also changing how municipal business gets done.”</p><p>Prior to the launch of the <a target="_blank" href="https://phoenix.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=330600c87dff4a8a8ac1759701d2d730&folderid=95b30070d48947d3a58617aca9fb4dac">Interactive Pavement Maintenance Dashboard</a>, the Street Transportation Department created a GIS ‘pin drop’ map to crowdsource information on street pavement in need of maintenance. People were able to add points to the map in three categories: potholes, rough roads and other pavement issues. There was no limit on the number of pins an individual could place and personal information was not required. Nearly 7,300 pin drops were captured through this application. </p><p>This community input was then overlaid with objective, scientific data obtained from a van that uses sophisticated instruments to detect pavement condition on the city’s nearly 5,000 miles of roads. Street Transportation staff used the combined data to develop the plans for each specific road and treatment type shown on the Interactive Pavement Maintenance Dashboard.<span id="ms-rterangepaste-end"></span></p>
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| Phoenix Tests Use of Cool Pavement to Mitigate Heat Island Effect | https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/street-transportation/1389 | Street Transportation | | 7/9/2020 11:16:00 PM | https://www.phoenix.gov/newssite/Lists/NewsArticle/Attachments/1389/Newsroom_Streets_019.jpg | | Phoenix Tests Use of Cool Pavement to Mitigate Heat Island Effect | <div class="ExternalClass9769686192504F419CF6F5A583CA1EA7"><html>
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<p>Something really ‘cool’ is happening in Phoenix…literally! The City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department is launching a pilot study to evaluate cool pavement treatment.</p>
<p>Asphalt collects and retains heat during the day and releases it slowly at night. Phoenix is among several cities that are experiencing the urban ‘heat island’ effect due to the retention of heat within the built environment. US Environmental Protection Agency data shows the difference in nighttime temperatures in heat island areas can be as much as 22 degrees hotter than temperatures measured outside the heat island. Higher nighttime temperatures lead to more energy consumption, more greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and other harmful effects.</p>
<p>Cool pavement is lighter in color than traditional asphalt or other seal coatings. Cool pavement reflects back the sunlight that hits it. Because the surface reflects, rather than retains heat, cool pavement has the potential to offset rising nighttime temperatures in Phoenix. It should also help cool neighborhood areas that don’t have much shade from the sun.</p>
<p>Cool pavement is not a paint treatment. It is a water-based asphalt sealant that is applied on top of the existing asphalt pavement. It's made with asphalt, water, an emulsifying agent (soap), mineral fillers, polymers and recycled materials. It contains no harmful chemicals and bonds with the asphalt layer underneath.<span id="ms-rterangepaste-start"></span><img style="margin:5px;width:250px;vertical-align:auto;float:right;" alt="Side-by-side temperature readings" src="/streetssite/MediaAssets/Cool_Pavement_04_72DPI.jpg" /><span id="ms-rterangepaste-end"></span></p>
<p>University researchers will be taking measurements and collecting data over several years to evaluate the results and determine if cool pavement helps mitigate the heat island effect and if those effects are sustainable over time.</p>
<p>Because the Phoenix area climate is unlike other major cities, the study team will also assess how the material holds up against 300 days of sunshine, monsoon storms, high temperatures and daily traffic.</p>
<p>Esteban Park at 32nd Street and Roeser Road was the first site to receive cool pavement treatment. Eight other locations where streets were in good condition but were due for a surface treatment were selected in consultation with the Mayor and Council offices.</p>
<p>To learn more about cool pavement, please visit phoenix.gov/streets/coolpavement.</p>
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| Signal Timing at HAWK Pedestrian Signals Modified to Improve Safety for Pedestrians and Bicyclists | https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/street-transportation/1350 | Street Transportation | | 6/18/2020 8:50:00 PM | https://www.phoenix.gov/newssite/Lists/NewsArticle/Attachments/1350/Newsroom_Streets_018.jpg | | Signal Timing at HAWK Pedestrian Signals Modified to Improve Safety for Pedestrians and Bicyclists | <div class="ExternalClass22060BC3843049B3A39E8F614D11E28A"><html>
<p>To help increase safety as more people are walking and riding bicycles, the Street Transportation Department reprogrammed its HAWK pedestrian signals to minimize time people spend waiting to cross the street at its HAWK signals. HAWKs are traffic signals that allow people to cross the road safely and operate in a YELLOW–RED–FLASHING RED sequence to alert drivers that there are people who need to cross the road. All HAWKs will be programmed to minimize wait delays by as much as 50 percent. </p><p><br>“What this means is that people seeking to cross the road will have shorter wait times before the HAWK signal begins alerting drivers to stop. In many cases, when people activate the signal by pressing the ‘Walk’ button, they will not experience a wait before the signal cycle starts,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said.</p><p><br>“More and more people are getting outside for recreation and as the weather heats up, this is a step we can take to keep people moving comfortably and safely around the city,” Mayor Gallego added.</p><p><br>Some HAWK signals had a 60- to 90-second delay between activations. The gap between activations at most HAWKs will now be only 30 to 40 seconds.</p><p><br>“With fewer cars on the roads, decreasing the wait time for people walking or riding bikes will discourage people from crossing the road without the signal,” said Councilwoman Thelda Williams, who chairs the Transportation, Infrastructure and Innovation Subcommittee. “The reprogramming of the HAWKs will be a permanent change to help improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.”</p><p><br>HAWKs that are programmed to coordinate with nearby traffic signals will continue to work in a coordinated fashion but wait times were also improved at these locations. </p><p><br>The changes resulted from close collaboration between the Street Transportation Department’s Office of Pedestrian Safety, the Active Transportation Program and pedestrian and bicycle advocacy groups. </p><p><br>“As an organization, we are more effective when we work together with community members and elected officials,” Street Transportation Director Kini Knudson said. “Monthly meetings between our staff and pedestrian and bicycle advocates are resulting in good, actionable ideas to improve safety throughout the city.” </p><p><br>Unlike standard traffic signals, HAWKs only operate when a person pushes the crossing button. Vehicles are free to move when the signal is dark and no one is waiting to cross the road. </p><p><br>Phoenix currently has 65 HAWK signals and they have all been updated in recent weeks. For a map of the HAWK locations or to learn more about how to use HAWK signals, go to <a href="/streets/hawk" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(38, 114, 38);">phoenix.gov/streets/HAWK</span></a>. The user guide is available in English and Spanish.</p><p><br>Learn more about the Street Transportation Department at <a href="/streets" target="_blank">phoenix.gov/streets</a> and follow the department on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/StreetsPHX" target="_blank">@StreetsPHX</a>.</p><p style="text-align:center;">###</p>
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