As part of the Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Program, the Arizona Department of Transportation constructed eight Specific Pavement Studies 9 (SPS‐9) test sections on Interstate 10 near Phoenix is an overlay project and is accordingly given independent analysis and documentation in this report separate from Arizona SPS‐9B projects located on US 93, which were new construction and are documented in a separate report. The SPS‐9A project studied the effect of asphalt specification and mix designs on flexible pavements, specifically comparing Superpave binders with commonly used agency binders. Opened to traffic in 1995, the project was monitored at regular intervals until it was rehabilitated in 2005. Surface distress, profile, and deflection data collected throughout the life of the pavement were used to evaluate the performance of various flexible pavement design features, layer configurations, and thickness. This report documents the analyses conducted as well as practical findings and lessons learned that will be of interest to ADOT.

The report provides a suite of recommended strategies to reduce single-occupant vehicle traffic in the urban areas of Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, which are presented as a travel demand management toolbox. The toolbox includes supporting research on how to deliver, monitor, and fund implementation of the strategies, and a framework for the development of performance measures to assess their effectiveness. The research effort included studies of travel behavior in Phoenix and Tucson, reviews of best-practice measures nationally, and those in use in Arizona today, and interviews with local and national TDM professionals.

Land Use and Traffic Congestion is an investigation into the links among land use, travel behavior, and traffic congestion. Researchers focused on four transportation corridors in the Phoenix area: three older neighborhoods with relatively mixed, higher density land use, and one suburban area with lower density but high traffic volumes. The analysis suggested that the higher density corridors exhibited less congestion due to the greater mix of uses, shorter trip lengths, more travel by transit and non-motorized modes, and the presence of a secondary street grid system.

The state government general fund shortfall in the current fiscal year is projected to be between about $550 million and $1 billion. This shortfall will need to be eliminated through spending cuts and/or revenue enhancements. The Legislature has demonstrated a preference for spending cuts. However demand does not decline during a recession for most public-sector services, including university services. Any reduction in funding for universities will have a negative and direct effect. A reduction in state government spending for universities of around $200 million would cause direct and indirect job losses of approximately 4,000. A substantial decrease in state government funding for universities will have negative consequences beyond these short-term effects.