Detroit air travel stymied by flooding Thursday with highway access questionable for near future
ROMULUS, Mich. (FOX 2) - It felt more like the precursor to holiday travel than a normal Thursday morning when crowds streamed into the Detroit Metro Airport terminal, trapped by floodwaters that had grounded flights but also stymied car travel.
Some missed their flights while others were stuck with their luggage.
The surreal scene was caused by overnight storms that soaked Southeast Michigan. I-275, a main route to the airport was underwater at I-94. It wasn't the only road that was closed to travel Thursday.
Video from the south tunnel that connects the McNamara and Evans terminals was also flooded, cutting off vehicle access for hours. Both tunnels at the airport had reopened around 4 p.m.
"It's been very rough for us today, so just trying to make it through as you can see," said Willie Holman.
Holman, holding his child, was among the hundreds of travelers stuck in lines. While areas at the ticket counter were shoulder to shoulder, sections near the baggage carousel were empty.
A separate but similar story was told by Pamela Booth, who had planned on taking a lifetime trip to Japan. She missed her flight by minutes.
"We're coming back tomorrow, we're going to try and make it tomorrow," she said, tears in her eyes. "They've been good at the counter. Everyone's frustrated."
From the sky, the frustration was evident. While airlines were parked at their gates, the media helicopter caught several vantages of floodwaters over the surrounding streets and beyond.
According to Detroit Metro Airport, all roadways around the terminals have reopened. The flooding was tied to the amount of rain that fell. After that, a pump station at the airport lost power early in the morning, though it's unclear how much of an impact it had on flooding, a spokesperson said in a statement.
"The Airport Authority will continue working to identify and address the root cause. We appreciate the patience of our customers and employees throughout the day," read the statement.
With another system on its way Thursday evening, it may not be the end of flooding.
MORE: Severe weather may not be done with us as Thursday storms ramp up
The Michigan Department of Transportation said they were monitoring the drains at I-275 and I-94. A spokesperson told FOX 2 that while they believe the catch basins are clear enough for water to pass through and the pumps are working, there's nowhere for the water to go.
Water in the McBridge Drain, where the pumps send water to, is full and keeps sending it back onto the road. Until the rain completely stops, flooding will continue to be a risk in the area.