Arizona Department of Transportation officials say they've got a new message for motorists regarding dust storms that dramatically reduce visibility on highways.
Instead of focusing on what to do if caught in a dust storm, the current messaging approach is to emphasize that the best thing to do is not to drive into a dust storm.
The Arizona Daily Star (http://bit.ly/VFgy09 ) reports that department officials also say they're being more aggressive in monitoring dust and shutting down highways when visibility is poor.
Assistant Communication Director Timothy Tait says workers are being assigned at critical times to report blowing dust so highways can be closed when visibility plummets.
Problem areas for dust include Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson, Interstate 40 east of Flagstaff and I-10 near the New Mexico line.
soricobob posted at 8:01 am on Mon, Mar 11, 2013.
OK, now I want to know who got paid what for that bit of advice, because if it was more than a dollar, then: 1. Don't walk through a bad neighborhood; 2. Don't play golf in a lightning storm; 3. Don't drive through fresh tar; 4. Don't walk into a lion's cage. But. look, you don't have to do an article on my advice, and no one has to pay me. Obvious, common sense things, which most people take for granted should neither make headlines nor be topics of conversations in State agencies. And, if they are, we are wasting our tax dollars!
bubba posted at 2:12 pm on Mon, Mar 11, 2013.
soricobob...You beat me to it.
AZgirl9000 posted at 7:40 pm on Mon, Mar 11, 2013.
Thanks, ADOT! Never would have thought of this without your help. Does anybody at ADOT know if it would be a good idea to drive over the edge of the Grand Canyon? Maybe we can pay for a study on that and you can get back to us ASAP.
Seriously, though, if you're caught south of Phoenix while driving to Tucson and the storm is heading north right at you, it's not like you can avoid it. I can definitely see pulling over and waiting for it to pass. I guess it depends on whether you want a big rig to hit you or to sit there by the side of the road sucking in Valley Fever spores while you wait it out.
hillstreet posted at 10:40 am on Tue, Mar 12, 2013.
Wonder how many staff meetings it took the brainiacs at adot to come up with this blinding flash of the obvious. Our tax dollars at work.