The Valley is likely to see monsoon activity over the next several days. If you find yourself behind the wheel when a dust storm or heavy rain hits, the Arizona Department of Transportation recommends pulling over until visibility improves.
“Exit the highway as soon as possible, but if there’s not a close exit nearby — let’s say you’re on a rural stretch of the highway — pull off the paved portion of the roadway and get as far right as you possibly can,” said Kelsey Mo, a spokesperson for ADOT.
Mo said once you stop you should also take your foot off the brake, set the parking brake and turn off all of your vehicle’s lights.
“You don’t want any lights on in your vehicle, because other vehicles behind you might use those lights as a beacon and possibly crash into you,” Mo said.
Other tips for monsoon season driving from ADOT:
- If traffic lights are out, treat an intersection just like a four-way stop.
- Avoid sudden braking on wet roads, which can cause your vehicle to slide on the wet pavement. To slow down, take your foot off the gas pedal and brake slowly.
- Don’t risk crossing flooded roads, even if the water does not look deep. Even a few inches of running water poses a serious risk.
- Stay alert in areas prone to falling rocks — storm runoff can loosen rocks on slopes above highways.
-
The Phoenix Area Modernization Project is a proposal by the FAA to consolidate air traffic to set routes. As drafted, it would increase noise from air traffic by as much as 6 decibels. -
The highway will be closed between the towns of Superior and Miami amid the ongoing Queen Creek bridge replacement project. -
If it feels like you’re spending more time sitting in traffic on Valley roads, you probably are. New data from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute finds the average Phoenix commuter spent 76 hours sitting in traffic in 2024. -
The landing fee program, which the city council says is to fund the airport, has been the subject of scrutiny since it was first approved in March. Two flight schools have sued alleging the fees are illegal, and the FAA is investigating the program. -
The four-mile extension is expected to help relieve traffic on I-10 and set up an eventual connection with a new planned freeway — State Route 30 — which is scheduled for construction from 2027 through 2046.
