The Arizona Department of Transportation is working to make sure you have a smooth ride when monsoon storms hit the Valley.
ABC15 got an inside look at one of ADOT's 59 pump stations around the Valley. These stations are used to clear water from Valley freeways. According to ADOT, each pump can clear 12,000 gallons of water every minute.
In past years, some pump stations have either been overworked or had engines overheat.
"If you have two inches of rain falling in less than an hour, that is going to tax any drainage system out there," said ADOT Spokesperson Doug Nintzel.
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Nintzel also told ABC15 improvements are planned in the coming years.
ADOT hopes to remove pump stations along a stretch of the I-17 south of Bell Road and replace them with a gravity-controlled system the agency deems more efficient. That project could get underway within the next year, Nintzel said.
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ADOT is also reminding drivers not to litter. They say trash often clogs drainage gates and can wind up inside the pump stations.
Overall, Nintzel told ABC15 they are ready for the heavy rains, noting the pump system undergoes year-round maintenance.
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