Arizona Department of Transportation

The combination of a winter holiday weekend and recent snow can be a magnet for those looking to ski, sled or toss a few snowballs.

If you’re heading to play in the snow, be ready for the possibility that you’ll see heavy traffic and delays, especially on the trip home, in popular areas such as US 180 northwest of Flagstaff.

Snow or ice has been reported on at least two Arizona roadways, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

State Route 389 has snow or ice from mileposts 0 to 32. This is from the Utah state line at Colorado City to past Kaibab, Arizona. State Route 264 has snow on the pavement from mileposts 430 to 445. This is near Steamboat Canyon in eastern Arizona.

ADOT recommends drivers be prepared to slow down or stop in these conditions.

Coordinating efforts with tribal governments and federal partners, the Arizona Department of Transportation is working to reopen a section of US 89 severed by flooding about 60 miles north of Flagstaff between State Route 64 at Cameron and US 160.

With the remnants of Hurricane Rosa bringing a rainy forecast to Arizona this week, motorists should slow down, avoid tailgating and sudden braking, and expect the unexpected.

The Arizona Department of Transportation has safety tips available at azdot.gov/safety (follow the Weather link). Among them:

While working at ports of entry to ensure that commercial vehicles have the proper permits and can operate safely on state highways, Arizona Department of Transportation officers have to be ready for situations in which they’re called upon to help save a life.

That’s why nearly 100 officers, part of ADOT’s Enforcement and Compliance Division, have been trained so far to identify opioid overdoses and administer a drug to reverse the effects.

A semi fire and brush fire have closed both directions of Interstate 40 about 40 miles east of Holbrook, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. The closure is at milepost 326.

There is no estimated time to reopen either direction of I-40.

Drivers should consider delaying travel, as there are no nearby alternate routes.

The northbound lanes of State Route 87 have reopened after a brush fire near Sunflower, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. One southbound lane also has reopened. The other southbound lane remains closed near milepost 222.  

There are long traffic delays and motorists should consider delaying or altering their travel plans.

State Route 87 was closed in both directions earlier today six miles north of Sunflower due to a brush fire.

“We want everyone to make it home safe,” said Governor Ducey. “Paying attention when driving through work zones will keep safe the men and women who build and maintain Arizona’s roads as well as everyone traveling through work zones.”

Being alert and paying attention to signage in work zones is especially important for motorists because national statistics show that vehicle occupants account for more than 80 percent of traffic fatalities that occur in work zones. In 2017 in Arizona, nearly 1,300 crashes occurred in work zones, resulting in 11 fatalities and 30 serious injuries.

With another snowstorm forecast Tuesday afternoon in Arizona’s high country, keep in mind that the safest option while snow falls is delaying travel until Arizona Department of Transportation snowplows have had time to clear state highways.

A highway can close suddenly due to crashes and fast-accumulating snow. During recent snowstorms, northbound Interstate 17 climbing out of the Verde Valley toward Flagstaff and a steep section of eastbound Interstate 40 at Ash Fork Hill, just west of Williams, have closed temporarily as conditions deteriorated.

With snow forecast Friday in Arizona’s high country, please don't take lightly the power and unpredictability of a winter storm as well as the potential for it to leave you stranded on a highway.

Arizona Department of Transportation snowplows will be out in force, but driving conditions are hazardous during winter weather. A highway can close suddenly if enough snow falls in a brief period or if there are crashes, slide-offs or both. That happened during Monday’s snowstorm, when northbound I-17 climbing out of the Verde Valley closed for several hours due to a serious crash.