Rehabilitation to Hermosa Drive Bridge over I-40 in Holbrook to begin in April.

Drivers can expect weekly night work for life of project Construction on the Hermosa Drive Bridge over Interstate 40 in Holbrook will begin on April 5. Drivers can expect daytime and nighttime restrictions, including periodic overnight full closures of I-40 during the project.

The first full closure of I-40 is scheduled from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Tuesday, April 5. Additional nightly closures in April include April 7-9; April 11-15; and April 18-20.A detour will be in place using State Route 77 (known locally as Navajo Boulevard) when the I-40 full closures are in effect.

•Eastbound drivers will use Exit 286, proceed eastbound on Navajo Boulevard and then re-enter eastbound I-40 at Exit 289.

•Westbound drivers will use Exit 289, proceed westbound on Navajo Boulevard and then re-enter westbound I-40 at Exit 286.Additional overnight closures of I-40 are planned throughout the summer.

The bridge will receive a new bridge deck, guardrails and barriers. The roadway approaches to the bridge will be improved as well. The project is expected to be completed by this fall.

This bridge project continues ADOT’s commitment to invest in the I-40 corridor as a vital highway for commerce. From 2016 to 2020, ADOT invested more than $275 million on the roadway.For more information on this project, visit azdot.gov/projects and click on the Northeast District.I-40 Hermosa Drive Bridge Rehab Detour Project Map Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen factors. For more information, please call the ADOT Bilingual Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or go to azdot.gov/contact and select Projects from the drop-down menu. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, Need to know where a milepost is? Click on the “Mile Markers” icon on the map at www.az511.com. Follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Ranch Fire

CONCHO, AZ- Around 12:15 PM on March 1, 2022, reports began to come in of a fire start in west Concho, AZ. The fire quickly moved through natural grasslands towards the southeast.
Current size: Approximately 1000 acres

Incident start date: March 1, 2022

Location: about 7 miles southeast of Concho, AZ

Containment: 40% Cause: Under investigation

This fire immediately became a multi-agency response. Responding agencies include Concho Fire, Saint Johns Fire and EMS, Springerville Fire, Alpine Fire, AZ Department of Forestry and Fire Management, Timber Mesa Fire, Heber-Overgaard Fire, Airtanker 63, Vernon Fire, and Apache County Sheriff’s Office. At the request of the Incident Commander, Apache County Emergency Management, GIS, Engineering, Drones, District III Supervisor Nelson Davis and Public Works were deployed.

At this time, smoke impacts have been minimal. For more information on the fire, please keep your eye on 311info.net and Apache County Emergency Management’s Facebook page.
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Lakeside Ranger District Plans Prescribed Burn within Woodland Lake Park located within the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside

Springerville, AZ, February 25th, 2022 — The Lakeside Ranger District on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests is planning to proceed with burning within Woodland Lake Park, to the southwest of the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside

The Woodland Lake Burn Project is spread across approximately 104 acres, and smoke will be expected to be seen between March 4th to March 30th. The date of the planned burn will be dependent on when weather conditions are favorable to meet resource objectives. The planned burn is a collaborative effort between the Timber Mesa Fire Department, the Pinetop Fire Department, the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests and the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside. The project will take place on Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests lands. A closure order of the Woodland Lake area will be in effect during and post prescribed fire until conditions are assessed and deemed safe to re-open.
Smoke is expected to be visible along 260 in the Pinetop-Lakeside area but is not expected to impact travel. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and active prescribed burns can be found on Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s webpage: https://azdeq.gov/. Fire personnel will monitor the prescribed fire until it is completely out.
Prescribed burns help in the restoration of wildlife habitat and in creating safer spaces around communities.
The public can obtain additional information by calling the Lakeside Ranger District at (928) 333-6200.
Stay up to date on news from the A – S at our website https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf, on Twitter @A_SNFs and on facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs.