A comprehensive research program for the characterization of storm water runoff from an Arizona highway was conducted from January through December 2007. The study area covered a portion of the Loop 202 freeway west of Mesa Drive to a retention basin east of Lindsay Road in Mesa, Arizona. Storm water samples were collected from two storm water detention basins and a discharge point to the Salt River. The study was conducted by manually collecting storm water samples with passive automatic samplers and analyzing them for various roadway constituents. A primary objective of this research effort was to establish baseline values of constituents in ADOT highway runoff, aiding in the evaluation of related best management practices. A total of 16 storm water samples was collected from the research area between January 2007 and December 2007.

There are many factors that affect the durability of Portland cement concrete (PCC), including the mix design and the materials used, the quality of construction, and the environment. Durability is not an intrinsic property of the concrete, but instead is related to how the material interacts with the environment. Durability-related deterioration is referred to as materials-related distress (MRD). Common MRDs include those caused by physical processes, such as freezing and thawing, or chemical processes, such as alkali-silica reactivity (ASR) and sulfate attack. This research project was undertaken to determine whether concrete used in the ADOT system is experiencing, or is potentially susceptible to, ASR or sulfate attack, and if so, to what degree.