MIAMI VALLEY — May 21, 2014, a day some local motorists will never forget. Flooded interstates caused hundreds of drivers to become trapped in their cars on I-75 and I-70. Motorists were without food, water and restroom facilities for hours.
Flood waters covered all lanes of I-70 near State Route 201 (Brandt Pike) in Huber Heights. Ohio Department of Transportation traffic cameras showed frustrated drivers began making u-turns and driving in the wrong direction on the interstate to exit and find another route. Other motorists could be seen exiting their cars and walking on the interstate.
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Huber Heights Battalion Chief Keith Knisley said a swollen creek caused the flooding on the interstate. He said it was over a retaining wall that is over 4 feet high.
The situation was similar that day in Miami County on Interstate 75 between Tipp City and Piqua. High water and disabled vehicles made the interstate impassable in the north and southbound lanes near State Route 36 and Farrington where the Great Miami River runs near the interstate. Traffic was also at a standstill on both sides of I-75 just north of Tipp city.
Ohio Department of Transportation crews used snow plows to push water and debris out of the way to allow cars to move again on I-75.
In Clark County, at height of flooding, county Engineer Johnathan Burr said water was 2-1/2 feet deep across Ridgewood Road east.
"The rain just came down so fast and so hard, the roads were overwhelmed," Burr said.
So much rain fell in some locations that the storm was the equivalent of a 1,000-year flood, ODOT said in a report.
“Another way to say it would be the probability of that amount of rain in that duration has the probability of happening, 0.1 percent chance in a year’s time.”
The highway agency based its analysis on records kept by the Miami Conservancy District and other weather trackers. Total rainfall in the area of flooding was approximately 4.5 inches in roughly a two-hour time period.