While no significant rain has fallen in Tucson since February, the Tucson Department of Transportation is setting up to help Tucson residents prepare for the upcoming monsoon season.
Residents worried about flooding in their homes or businesses have a couple of options.
Free sand bags will be available every Wednesday starting on June 13, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the north parking lot of the Tucson Rodeo Grounds, 4823 S. Sixth Avenue. The free distribution concludes in mid-September, a press release said.
A self-serve sandbag site will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week starting Monday, June 11. The sand will be in the east parking lot of Hi Corbett Field, 700 S. Randolph Way near Reid Park. Bags will be provided by Tucson Department of Transportation, but residents will need a shovel. There is a 10-bag limit per vehicle.
Tucsonβs rainy season officially starts June 15, which will be a welcome change for some residents. Last monthβs average temperature was more than 2.5 degrees above normal.
Emily Carpenter, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Tucson, told the Star that residents should not get complacent and should remain aware in the weeks ahead.
The Department of Transportation hopes to protect travelers on city streets with the installation of more than 500 barricades at 150 dip crossings. The installation began Sunday and will last through Friday, June 8.
The department notes that all low-lying areas in the city are subject to flooding during the monsoon season. Dip crossings may be barricaded by crews with the goal of preventing travelers from entering into dangerous situations.
As waters recede, crews will clean the roadway of any hazardous debris, making them safer for Tucson drivers.
