Tusayan, Arizona, serves as a gateway for visitors to the Grand Canyon. The Coconino County Flood Control District is collaborating with the town to develop a long-term flood mitigation strategy, recognizing the highway’s critical role in the region’s economy and tourism industry. In August 2023, heavy monsoon rains triggered severe flooding, submerging the downtown area under feet of water and forcing the closure of Route 64, the primary access road to the Grand Canyon’s south entrance. The disruption reinforced the urgent need to enhance flood resilience. The McDonalds store which was undergoing construction when the flooding hit, decided to act immediately to protect assets with passive flood barriers. The unpredictability of flash floods, combined with the threat of business disruption highlighted the urgent need for reliable 24/7 flood protection.
The project involved installing five FloodBreak automatic pedestrian floodgates designed to activate passively during flood events without human intervention. These gates provide 24/7 flood protection for the restaurant while ensuring pedestrian access iduring business hours. The floodgates are custom-sized to fit the specific entryways and designed to meet the 3.3′ flood elevation.
FloodBreak’s unique design ensures that the floodgates remain hidden during dry conditons but automatically deploy in the event of flooding, creating a robust barrier against flood inundation.
This installation provided the Tusayan McDonald’s with:
This is the second McDonald’s to choose FloodBreak passive automatic technology to ensure round-the-clock flood protection without human intervention. A McDonald’s store in Knoxville, Tennessee, also installed FloodBreak pedestrian gates to ensure assets were protected 24/7.
