THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS COMPLETED A PROJECT DESIGNED TO SLOW TRAFFIC AND ELIMINATE LANE CHANGES ON STATE ROUTE 89 IN YARNELL, AS PART OF A COLLABORATION WITH THE YAVAPAI COUNTY COMMUNITY TO ENHANCE SAFETY FOR PEDESTRIANS AND DRIVERS. THE PROJECT WAS INTITIATED AFTER A FATAL ACCIDENT INVOLVING AN OFF-DUTY YCSO DEPUTY AND A PEDESTRIAN ON AUGUST 26TH, 2022.

THE MAIN SAFETY FEATURE OF THE PROJECT RECONFIGURED THE ROADWAY WITH NEW LANE STRIPING THAT ONLY ALLOWS ONE LANE OF TRAFFIC IN EACH DIRECTION PLUS A CENTER TURN LANE. IN ADDITION TO ELIMINATING A SMALL NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES ALONG THE ROADWAY, THIS CONFIGURATION IMPROVES VISIBILITY FOR DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS WHILE SLOWING TRAFFIC. 

ADOT MADE THE CHANGES AFTER A ROADWAY SAFETY ASSESSMENT AND PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS THAT BEGAN IN 2022. ADOT ADMINISTERED A COMMUNITY SURVEY AND HELD A COMMUNITY MEETING EARLIER THIS YEAR AT WHICH RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES SHARED CONCERNS ABOUT, AND GAVE THEIR SUGGESTIONS FOR SR 89, WHICH SERVES AS YARNELL’S MAIN STREET.

OTHER SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS BEGAN IN 2022, WITH ADOT INSTALLING NEW SPEED LIMIT SIGNS AND ADDITIONAL PEDESTRIAN CROSSING SIGNS THAT ARE MORE VISIBLE DURING DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME HOURS. THE SIGNS WERE INSTALLED FOR BOTH NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND TRAFFIC APPROACHING YARNELL ON SR 89.

THE RECENTLY COMPLETED PROJECT ALSO INCLUDED REMOVING THE TOP LAYER OF PAVEMENT AND REPLACING IT WITH A NEW CHIP-SEAL SURFACE. IN SEPTEMBER, CREWS WILL INSTALL PERMANENT LANE MARKINGS.