(WJW) — Video obtained by the FOX 8 I-Team shows how drivers struggled through really high water on Monday morning, practically shutting down Interstate 90.
So many of you had a problem on your morning commute, we investigated.
The Ohio Department of Transportation told us it’s finding a growing problem is causing this: litter on the highway; big pieces of trash.
Monday morning rush hour turned into traffic barely creeping along in Cleveland where Interstate 77 dumps into I-90.
Heavy rain fell and it didn’t drain off.
That led to a lane being closed and a dramatic slowdown of traffic.
ODOT said it has seen more and more problems like this caused by trash clogging highway drains. In this case, a hubcap.
But often, the clog gets caused by much more than that.
“It’s really hard to prevent. It’s reactionary. Litter is the primary cause of backing up our drainage structures — anything from lifejackets, to undercarriages of cars, to large pieces of debris,” said ODOT spokesman Brent Kovacs. “We’re not talking about little rocks or candy wrappers.”
We’ve frequently seen lots of high water problems in Bratenahl after heavy rains. But not this time.
ODOT recently started testing covers on some highway storm grates aimed at letting water in, but not trash. That testing is going on near the Interstate 271 split.
