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Repeat flooding on I-90 raises safety questions

Posted at 5:14 PM, May 02, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-03 09:50:31-04

It’s become a familiar sight, Ohio Department of Transportation workers vacuuming up water from Interstate 90 between Rocky River and Lakewood, so they can clean out clogged storm drains.

ODOT tweeted out a picture showing the right two eastbound lanes, just past the McKinley Road exit, underwater Monday morning.

One car hydroplaned and plowed into a Lakewood police car, smashing into the back end.

The officer was not hurt.

Police said the driver was taken to Fairview Hospital with minor injuries.

That crash showed that flooded highways are not just annoying, but dangerous.

“Drainage is something that we at ODOT take care of, we maintain that along the interstates. We do a lot of drain cleaning throughout the year.” said Amanda McFarland from ODOT District 12.

Last summer, ODOT cleaned out several Rocky River storm drains on I-90.

Photos given exclusively to newsnet5.com last July showed the drains clogged with litter and mineral deposits.

Cleaning out those drains appeared to be working, since on Monday that stretch of highway did not flood in Rocky River.

ODOT workers tried to find out what caused Monday’s flooding on I-90 in Lakewood.

McFarland said a half to one inch of rain fell overnight.