The Arizona Department of Transportation said Tuesday’s rain was “just too much” for pumps at Indian School Road and Interstate 17.
I-17 closed for five hours after monsoon storms brought heavy rain and flooding to the Valley.
ADOT said the pumps were overcome by the amount of rain, causing them to turn off after overheating.
Around 5:30 p.m. both the southbound and northbound lanes were shut down on I-17 at Indian School Road because of flood water. About two inches of rain fell in less than an hour in that area.
“Last night at Indian School and I-17 was just too much in a pinpoint location, even for our drainage system,” ADOT spokesman Steve Elliot said.
Elliot said there are four pumps in that specific location, but only three were in use that day. The fourth was in repair, and the three active pumps shut down after overheating.
Crews worked to remove the water and the interstate was reopened in both directions around 10:30 p.m.
Elliot said that ADOT is in the midst of a five-year program that will fund and refurbish pumps, which are used to prevent flooding.
