PHOENIX – With a focus on the annual mid-June start of the monsoon in the state, the Arizona Department of Transportation is continuing its year-round maintenance of pump stations that remove storm runoff from many sections of Phoenix-area freeways.

ADOT technicians have some help in conducting safety-based maintenance inspections of the more than 50 freeway pump stations in the Valley. A drone is now being used to monitor for cracks, leaks, worn parts or other problems within pump stations.

The drone lets ADOT examine areas that are difficult for technicians to access, including upper sections of pipes that lift stormwater from a pump station’s storage well. The drone was first tested in February. ADOT expects the device will allow technicians to more than double the number of maintenance inspections they conduct each year. 

Pump stations typically operate with three or four engines and large pumps that they power. Crews conduct regularly scheduled inspections of the engines, including oil and fluid checks. They also conduct test runs of the pumps, which can be done even if there is no water in a station’s system.

Most pumps can lift more than 12,000 gallons per minute. That means an average pump station could empty a 35,000-gallon swimming pool in less than a minute. Still, strong summer storms that drop 2 or more inches of rain in an hour can challenge any drainage system. That’s why ADOT technicians monitor pump station operations and are prepared to respond to maintenance needs.

ADOT asks drivers to secure loads and not litter along freeways because debris that collects in drainage systems can block water flow and impact pump station systems. 

ADOT last year completed a new I-17 regional drainage project between Dunlap Avenue and Greenway Road that removed smaller, outdated pump stations at cross street interchanges in the area. The improved pipelines there use a gravity-controlled system to carry stormwater to basins and a flood channel. 

PHOENIX – Picacho Peak stands out as the signature landmark along Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson. Next to the freeway, a transportation landmark entering its fifth monsoon season stands ready to activate when blowing dust dangerously reduces visibility.

During Monsoon Awareness Week, the Arizona Department of Transportation is reminding drivers how this first-of-its-system works to enhance safety with signs that can lower the legal speed limit and message boards that post urgent updates. It stretches along 10 miles of I-10 between Eloy and Picacho, an area with a history of blowing dust and storm-related crashes.

The system has operated as designed since the start of the 2020 monsoon season and has activated during an estimated 50 blowing dust events. It’s achieving positive results too: Roadway sensors show motorists are slowing down in the dust detection zone when the system automatically reduces speed limits.

Thirteen visibility sensors mounted on posts along the freeway use light beams to determine the density of dust particles in the air. Once visibility drops to certain levels, the system activates overhead message boards and the variable speed limit signs.

As drivers approach the area, they are greeted by signs saying “Caution: Variable Speed Limit Corridor.” Then a series of programmable speed limit signs every 1,000 feet can change the legal speed limit from 75 mph to as low as 35 mph. More electronic signs are posted in the corridor to remind drivers of the temporary speed limit.

Drivers will also see overhead electronic message boards in and near the corridor that alert them to blowing dust and warn them to slow down. Speed feedback signs will inform drivers of their real-time speeds. An important reminder: The variable speed limits are enforceable, meaning drivers can get cited for exceeding the temporarily reduced speed limit.

This technology cannot replace common sense when it comes to driving in dust storms. While drivers will get almost instant warnings about hazardous driving conditions within the 10-mile corridor, the safest decision drivers can make is to delay travel if a severe storm is on the move. If caught in a dust storm, drivers should take the next exit if possible. When no exits are nearby, drivers should pull off the roadway, turn off lights and take their foot off the brake. 

For additional information on dust storms and safety, please visit PullAsideStayAlive.org.

PHOENIX – A wall of dust that towers on the horizon. A heavy downpour of localized rain. These weather occurrences that happen during the monsoon season can rapidly reduce visibility and create unsafe driving conditions.  

With the monsoon season rapidly approaching – officially, it runs June 15-Sept. 30 – ADOT is reminding motorists during Monsoon Awareness Week (June 9-15) how to stay safe and be prepared for the extreme weather that monsoon season brings.

Let’s start with dust storms. The best thing to do if you see a dust storm? Don’t drive into it. But what if you encounter low-visibility blowing dust or a dust channel and aren’t able to exit the highway? Act quickly and follow the “Pull Aside, Stay Alive” tips:

• Check traffic around you and begin slowing down.
• Pull off as far right as you can and exit the highway before visibility becomes poor.
• Do not stop in a travel lane or in the emergency lane. Look for a safe place to pull completely off the paved portion of the roadway.
• Set your emergency brake and take your foot off the brake.
• Turn off all vehicle lights, including emergency flashers. You do not want vehicles approaching from behind to use your lights as a guide and possibly crash into your vehicle.
• Stay in the vehicle with your seatbelt buckled and wait for the storm to pass.

Although Arizona is known for its heat and desert climate, the monsoon can produce sudden, heavy rainfall. Make sure you regularly check your windshield wipers and replace them if needed – our dry climate can destroy rubber wiper blades. If you’re caught in rainy conditions, remember to:

• Turn on your headlights.
• Reduce your speed and maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you.
• Avoid sudden braking, which can cause you to slide on the wet pavement. 
• Avoid areas where water is pooling in travel lanes.

And because summer is road-trip season, ADOT recommends motorists prepare for unplanned delays by packing a summer emergency travel kit that includes plenty of extra water, snacks,  sun protection (hat, umbrella, sunscreen, etc.), flashlight, extra batteries and a fully charged cell phone.

Drivers and passengers can get real-time travel conditions and access to highway cameras at ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov or by downloading the AZ511 app.

PHOENIX – It can seemingly happen in an instant: A wall of dust blows across a highway and blinds drivers. Heavy rain then covers the roadway in water. It’s nearly impossible to drive – and surely unsafe.

In a panic, overwhelmed drivers may be unpared to safely navigate the powerful forces of a monsoon storm.

The solution is simple: Pull Aside, Stay Alive.

With Thursday, June 15, marking the official start of the monsoon season, the Arizona Department of Transportation has simple tips to help drivers stay safe when summer storms pack dust and heavy rain.

The surest defense when dust storms are brewing is to not drive into one. Yet because storms can form and move quickly, motorists need to know how to act quickly if they find themselves in the thick of a blinding dust. ADOT’s Pull Aside, Stay Alive safety campaign offers these additional tips:

• If in a dust storm, check for traffic around your vehicle and begin slowing down.
• Pull off the roadway as soon as possible – completely, if you can – without waiting for visibility to worsen.
• Turn off your engine.
• Turn off all vehicle lights. Vehicles approaching from behind could use your headlights as a guide and potentially crash into you.
• Take your foot off the brake and set the emergency brake.
• Stay in your vehicle and remain buckled up until the storm passes.

Those who travel Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson should also be aware of ADOT’s dust detection and warning system. Active along a 10-mile corridor between Eloy and Picacho Peak, this automated system can lower the speed limit from the normal 75 mph to as low as 35 mph depending on visibility. The reduced speed limits are enforceable.

The clearly marked corridor includes overhead message boards that feature safety warnings when the system is activated. While the system was designed to help drivers move through the area more safely during dust storms, it does not replace common sense. As is the case anywhere in Arizona where dust storms pop up, drivers should be prepared to pull over even with the additional safety features in the area. 

ADOT routinely services the equipment in the corridor for reliability, just as the agency works year-round to maintain more than 55 pump stations along Phoenix-area freeways. Those stations can include up to four pumps driven by powerful engines capable of lifting more than 12,000 gallons of stormwater per minute.

Still, localized storms that drop more than 2 inches of rain per hour can tax any drainage system, and ADOT focuses on having technicians ready to respond if issues occur with any pump stations. If freeway flooding does occur in a low-lying area, avoid driving into the water and wait for emergency responders to provide assistance. 

Motorists should also be prepared to slow down any time rain has fallen on freeways or local roadways. Allow extra room between vehicles to provide a safe stopping distance.

More information on dust storm safety is available at PullAsideStayAlive.org, and safety tips for driving in rain storms are posted at azdot.gov/monsoon.