The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) announced that online updates on traffic and freeway conditions in Arizona will extend to Mexico for the first time during the Thanksgiving weekend.
Through a partnership between the governments of Arizona and the Mexican state of Sonora, ADOT will share real-time updates on national holiday weekends for the route between Lukeville, Arizona, and Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point), Sonora.
ADOT will use AZ511.gov to provide updates beyond Arizona State Route 85 in Lukeville, extending onto Mexican Federal Highway 8, which spans about 60 miles in Sonora before ending in Puerto Peñasco at the Gulf of California.
How the New Program Works and What Travelers Can Expect
The pilot program, in collaboration with Sonoran officials, will relay real-time traffic conditions to ADOT’s Traffic Operations Center. Information about Mexican Federal Highway 8 will be displayed online at AZ511.
Puerto Peñasco is a major tourist destination for both Arizonans and Mexicans. “ADOT’s vision is safely connecting people and empowering the economy, and this joint effort with our partners in Sonora helps us expand that vision during peak travel times to and from Puerto Peñasco,” said Jennifer Toth, director of ADOT.
The Arizona Office of Tourism sees the partnership as an opportunity to enhance travel safety for residents on both sides of the border. “Visitors from Mexico love coming to Arizona to visit family and shop during the holidays, and AZ511 helps make the international travel experience as enjoyable and efficient as possible,” said Lisa Urias, director of the state’s tourism office.
Announcement of the Partnership
The program was announced on Friday at the Arizona-Mexico Commission conference in Hermosillo, attended by Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs and Sonora Gov. Alfonso Durazo. Durazo emphasized the creation of a new bilateral model to improve the quality of life in both societies.
The program is a partnership among ADOT, the Arizona Mexico Commission, the Arizona Office of Tourism, and the State of Sonora’s Comisión Sonora-Estados Unidos. While updates for Mexican Federal Highway 8 will only be available on national holiday weekends, AZ511 already provides real-time freeway conditions across Arizona.
The ADOT-run service is available online at AZ511.gov, accessible from web browsers on desktop and mobile devices. Travelers can also download the AZ511 app for Apple and Android devices.
Source: AZ Central
