Wednesday, June 26, 2019
The Arizona Department of Transportation is set to use a $54 million federal grant to widen sections of I-10 and implement a project that would reduce dust-related crashes. The project includes long-range radar set near Picacho Peak that can detect approaching dust storms from 50 miles away.
The Arizona Department of Transportation recorded 85 dust-related crashes along the busy freeway from Phoenix to Tucson from 2010 to 2015. According to a 2016 report by the National Weather Service and the UA, dust is the third-leading cause of weather-related deaths behind extreme temperatures and flash floods.
Mari Jensen, Senior Science Writer, UA College of Science