Monsoon season in Arizona is synonymous with intense rainstorms that used to bring the Interstate 17 corridor in Phoenix to a halt. But since the completion of a new drainage system, it looks like commuters can breathe a little easier. MAG News reported that the new $49.5 million gravity-controlled system has replaced the obsolete pump stations and is keeping the flood-prone underpasses from Peoria Avenue to Greenway Road dry.
The system overhaul was funded by Proposition 400 – a Maricopa County sales tax initiative passed in 2004. An extensive construction effort stretched over three years, featuring elaborate trench work and the challenge of tunneling under one of the busiest interstates while keeping it open to traffic. Despite the complexity, this infrastructure facelift has proven its mettle. "Our engineers designed this system to better handle significant storm events," said ADOT Senior Resident Engineer Jimmy Naujokaitis in a statement provided to MAG News.
Before the upgrade, the Interstate's defense against inclement weather was reliant on a quartet of pump stations dating back to 1964 a testament to a bygone era's engineering. Now, the improved system utilizes angled pipelines which carry stormwater away to two large retention basins and towards the Arizona Canal Diversion Channel, located north of Dunlap Avenue. "We haven't experienced any significant buildups of standing water since the new system went into operation last summer," added Naujokaitis, highlighting the effective performance of the drainage infrastructure.
The upgrades have undoubtedly improved safety along the I-17 corridor, having been thoroughly tested since its completion in June 2023. But in the face of nature's might, caution is still the order of the day for Arizona motorists.
