Director's visit shows what keeps freeway pumps working

By David Rookhuyzen / ADOT Communications

What does it take to keep Valley freeways from flooding?

As our director, John Halikowski, found out in this video of a recent inspection of a freeway pump station, the answer is 247 pumps, 161 industrial engines, a variety of certifications and dedicated Arizona Department of Transportation employees. And that doesn't get into the vast network of drainage systems that don't involve pumps.

The station he toured is just one of the 59 along all freeways in the Phoenix metro area to remove water from low-lying areas.]

RELATED: Litter can hinder freeway drainage systems

The director's visit featured in this video is a Gemba walk, a term derived from the Japanese term for going where work is done. It’s part of the  Arizona Management System, a results-driven system championed by Governor Doug Ducey that focuses on improving productivity and better serving customers.

RELATED: Arizona Management System Spurs innovation and cost savings across ADOT

As our director says in the video, "If you're the owner of a business, you want to know how your business is running and you want to be running it as efficiently as possible. For me it's the same way. ADOT really is my business, and so I want to make sure my employees have what they need (and) that they understand the direction were moving in."

To learn more about how the Arizona Management System works at ADOT, please visit azdot.gov/AMS.