Interstate 10 closed at 43rd Avenue due to floods despite lifted lane closure

PHOENIX — Typically when heavy rain and flooding occurs, corresponding road closures become commonplace.

The opposite was the case on Saturday morning when heavy rainfall hit the Valley. A scheduled lane closure was lifted to accommodate traffic trying to avoid the heavy flooding, giving vehicles more lane options on the Interstate 10.

It still didn’t stop the rain from flooding both directions of I-10 at 43rd Avenue.

The Arizona Department of Transportation advised all motorists to exit I-10 before the 43rd Avenue exit both east and westbound.

Westbound I-10 restrictions were lifted between 27th and 43rd Avenues on Saturday despite planned lane closures scheduled until 4 p.m. on Sunday, @ArizonaDOT announced on Twitter.

Good news! Because of today's heavy rain, crews are lifting the I-10 westbound lane restrictions between 27th and 43rd avenues. It'll take a little time to have all the lanes open. (The restriction was scheduled until 4 p.m. Sunday.) #PhxTraffic pic.twitter.com/GH4IUtdjFi

— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) October 13, 2018

Due to the planned closure, ADOT first needed to remove cones blocking the lanes on the road, which was expected to slightly delay the reopening. 

More than 0.25 inches of rain were recorded in downtown Phoenix as of 10:45 a.m. and 0.47 inches of rain was recorded in Estrella Village, just southwest of the area where the restrictions were lifted.

As of 1:45 p.m. that number had risen to 2.60 inches.

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