THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016 Interstates are key commerce corridors fueling economic growth ADOT world stretching from Southern change our driving culture to avoid California to Texas,” Halikowski distractions, be patient and drive Updated 21 hrs ago said. “We’re reminding Arizonans, sober. ADOT will maximize and use Challenges exist as nation’s from business owners to available funding wisely to ensure interstate system turns 60 this week policymakers to the traveling public, that we get everyone home safely PHOENIX – Arizona’s interstate that interstates provide the links to through road improvements, highways are key commerce this trillion-dollar market. The technology and driver awareness,” corridors serving not only as the importance of these links cannot be Halikowski said. “Focusing on backbone of our transportation overstated.” safety and the economy in our transportation infrastructure system system but providing businesses That applies to Interstate 10, the will foster a better quality of life for and their customers with food, fuel state’s longest at 392 miles, and all Arizonans.” and other essentials. the 30 miles of I-15, Arizona’s With the U.S. marking the 60th shortest stretch of interstate. Arizona’s Interstate anniversary of the national It’s one of the reasons Halikowski Highways interstate highway system that earlier this month led efforts to Interstate 8: 178 miles President Dwight D. Eisenhower establish an Interstate 10 Corridor launched in 1956, John Halikowski, Coalition with transportation leaders Interstate 10: 392 miles director of the Arizona Department from California, New Mexico and Interstate 15: 30 miles of Transportation, said this Texas. An agreement, signed June essential infrastructure requires 2, supports innovations that make Interstate 17: 146 miles adequate and sustained travel on I-10 safer and more Interstate 19: 64 miles investment. efficient. “By carrying many thousands of ADOT also is looking to the future Interstate 40: 359 miles trucks each and every week, our by laying the groundwork for Total: 1,169 miles interstates in Arizona are a critical another interstate. Although it’s lifeline for the health of our state’s likely many years from existence, About the history of the U.S. businesses and our economic well- Interstate 11 is on the drawing Interstate Highway System: June being,” Halikowski said. “If our board as a multimodal corridor marks the 60th anniversary of the interstate freeways are not reliable, improving travel not only between law that launched the funding and high-quality corridors, Arizona will Phoenix and Las Vegas but also as construction of the nation’s 47,000- not be able to maintain our existing part of a bigger vision for mile interstate highway system. It is businesses and attract new connecting southern Arizona, at officially known as the Dwight D. business to the state.” Nogales, with the Intermountain Eisenhower National System of West region, including Nevada. Interstate and Defense Highways. With ADOT facing limited The interstate highway system was transportation funding as it Last December, Congress formally authorized when, on June 29, 1956, safeguards Arizona’s $20 billion designated I-11 through Arizona as President Eisenhower signed the investment in highways and looks part of the Fixing America’s Surface Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956. toward future improvements, the Transportation (FAST) Act. While The legislation passed by Congress state’s 1,169 miles of interstate that designation didn’t come with called for 90 percent of the funding highways anchor a reliable travel funding, it does make the corridor to come from a highway trust fund network vital to economic growth. eligible for future federal funding. that received revenue from the “Arizona is at the heart of the 10th- “When it comes to what I’ll call the federal gasoline tax. largest regional economy in the ‘state of our interstates,’ we need to