A dust detection system designed to improve safety along a hazardous stretch of Interstate 10 in Arizona has been in place for five years. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) reports that the system has activated dozens of times since 2020, helping drivers slow down in dangerous conditions.
The system operates along a 10-mile section of I-10 south of the Valley, an area prone to dust storms. It uses visibility sensors to monitor dust density and triggers message boards to warn drivers.
ADOT advises motorists to follow the “pull aside, stay alive” protocol by exiting the road or pulling over with lights off and feet off the brake if caught in a storm.
Despite the system’s success, a key component remains underutilized. The Doppler radar system, intended to provide early storm warnings, has not been fully integrated due to delays in an intergovernmental agreement between ADOT and the National Weather Service.
If the system can reach full operation, it would combine freeway sensors, programmable speed limit signs and ground-based Doppler radar in a pilot project.
Officials say the agreement is in its final stages, awaiting approval.
The project, launched in response to a dangerous section of I-10 between Tucson and Phoenix, was funded by a $6.5 million federal grant. It was recognized with a Gamechanger award in 2021 by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
While the system has effectively reduced crash risks, local emergency responders were surprised to learn that the radar is not yet operational. Fire officials stress that early warnings would enhance safety for both motorists and first responders.
Source: AZFamily.com, ABC15.com
