Oak Creek Canyon is getting a 1.5-year-long face lift starting right before Sedona’s busiest tourist season.
Despite the increased traffic during spring break, the Arizona Department of Transportation has granted an $11.1 million contract with Sand & Gravel Co. for the road improvements in the corridor for rockfall mitigation, erosion control and bridge rehabilitation on State Route 89A estimated to take from spring 2022 until fall 2023.
The Projects
“The decision was made to combine the three projects together into one project to help reduce construction costs and simplify the challenges of working on complex projects within a narrow-and-winding canyon road,” Public Information Officer for ADOT Ryan Harding said. “It will allow ADOT and the contractor to better coordinate traffic impacts required to complete the work. The contractor is being paid the contract amount to complete the three components of this improvement project.”
All three projects will be running various schedules on different timelines that are still waiting to be approved by ADOT and the contractor.
n According to ADOT, rock fall mitigation will happen at two spots on State Route 89A. This project will be working to reduce the potential of rocks falling onto the roadway.
From this, construction will work rock-removal operations with some intermittent road closures.
The first will be just north of the city’s limits on milepost 375 and the second will be in the switchback section along mileposts 388 through 389.
n The drainage and sediment control will also be in the same area, between mileposts 388 and 389. These improvements will be implemented to preserve deteriorating slopes, while also reducing downstream pollution, by installing a concrete barrier, pipes, retaining wall, catch basin and gabion mattresses and roadside drainage excavation.
n The major component of this project will be rehabilitating the Pumphouse Wash Bridge, located at milepost 388. Previously ADOT studied the area to examine if the bridge would need to be completely replaced or just rehabilitated. The engineers and contractors determined that a replacement would cause too much damage to the endangered species, specifically the narrow-headed gartersnake, as well as the stream water quality.
The bridge will be potentially the biggest obstacle in the project, as the rehabilitation could take longer than the other projects.
The bridge is a part of the National Register of Historic Places and the rehabilitation will include preservation of that.
According to Harding, these three projects in Oak Creek Canyon have been in the ADOT construction program for Oak Creek Canyon prior to any recent federal infrastructure bills, particularly the 2021 Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act or stalled Build Back Better Act. The funding is coming directly from the Arizona State Transportation Board that awarded the contract after ADOT selected the lowest responsive and responsible bid.
What This Means for Sedona
Although all three of these projects require some type of road closure or limitations, city of Sedona and the Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau staff believe that ADOT has reduced the traffic issues as much as possible through their anticipated schedule.
“We worked with ADOT to consider ways to reduce the impacts of the projects where possible,” Sedona Public Works Director Andy Dickey said. “The city will have our Traffic Control Assistants [TCA] in congested areas of the city, including Uptown … and adjust signal timing in Uptown as needed. And I know ADOT considered options for reducing the impact and ultimately ended up with the work schedule they have due to other time constraints.”
The TCAs seen around Sedona are the city’s effort to help traffic flow more efficiently. Although the TCAs cannot operate outside of city limits, these individuals will be stationed at the roundabouts and intersections throughout Uptown going into the canyon.
Currently, the city is looking to hire more traffic assistants to maintain consistent staffing through the construction, as well as the busy tourism months of the year.
“Construction is disruptive to traffic flow however, I don’t believe the SR 89A Oak Creek Canyon Improvements will weigh into people’s trip planning to Sedona or the Grand Canyon,” Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau President and CEO Candace Carr Strauss said. “There is always the I-17 alternative route available.”
According to Struass, the Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau will also be working hand-in-hand with the city and USFS to help mitigate overall traffic issues in the city through the trailhead shuttle service.
Road closures will not be allowed during weekends or state holidays, and will be limited to only some daytime lane closures and complete overnight closures. Before the roadway is narrowed down to one lane with alternating north and southbound travel, ADOT will be posting the closures seven days in advance.
Construction will begin in early spring, with an exact date to be announced soon. It is anticipated to be completed by fall 2023, with a possible break in work during the winter months.
“ADOT has been working with first responders, emergency medical service providers, city of Sedona and other local agency representatives to help ensure the least amount of disruptions,” Harding said. “Although ADOT has been working with other agencies to reduce the severity of traffic impacts, it’s important to understand there are going to be traffic impacts throughout the duration of the project due to this challenging corridor and complex nature of the projects.”
