Newly Elected VVCC Board members Don Mathieu and Rich Leever met with Audra Merrick, ADOT District Engineer for the Verde Valley and Eric Gudino, Special Assistant to Director John Halikowski from ADOT on Friday July 27 in Sedona. The meeting covered several areas important to road riders and ADOT was very supportive of our group.  Audra is making arrangements to line up the resources to take over sweeping of 179 in VOC.  Tentative plans are for ADOT to start the sweeping in December 2017. 

We also discussed that the VVCC wants to partner with ADOT to help keep 89A cleaner and safer for road cyclist using this route (both locals and tourist).  Audra is going to provide us appropriate contact information so we can reach out to ADOT if we see a problem on 89A that needs to be addressed (like glass that is too much for us to handle).  

We discussed a number of entrances to forest roads along 89A between mile maker 366 and 362 going south that fill up with gravel, thorns, and dirt from the vehicles exiting onto 89A.  ADOT will try to provide spot sweeping when resources allow for these areas as well as develop engineering solutions that might prevent most of the mud, rock, and thorns from dragging out onto the shoulder.  Some of the problem included:

FR 525 

FR 9570

FR 9571

We also discussed that "Share the Road signs" are not recommended by the VVCC for roads in the Verde Valley.  I have attached an image that has verbiage for the sign we like best -- 3 feet -- It's the law.  

Finally, we got great news that ADOT would be doing an overlay on 89A between Cottonwood and the high school in Sedona.  The plan is for Jan/Feb of next year weather permitting!