I-10 closed at collapsed bridge in Desert Center

UPDATE: Caltrans has announced that Interstate 10 will re-open to two-way traffic on Friday. More details can be found here. Our original story, written before the re-opening date was announced, is below.

A bridge collapse east of the Coachella Valley late Sunday afternoon forced the closure of Interstate 10 – the main roadway between Southern California and Phoenix – injuring one man and stranding hundreds of motorists backed up for miles.

The Tex Wash bridge, built on the eastbound I-10 in 1967, was listed as functionally obsolete in the 2013 National Bridge Inventory released last year. Essentially, the bridge was listed as no longer adequate for its task, though it was not listed as having known structural problems that needed to be fixed.

A black truck was driving east on I-10 when the bridge crumpled beneath it about 4:45 p.m. Bystanders used straps from their cars to tie the truck to a guardrail and prevent it from washing away in the running water below. The passenger was able to get out but the driver had to be rescued. Firefighters went into rapidly rising water with asphalt and debris falling around them to pull the driver out by 7 p.m.

Following the bridge collapse, reported about a half-mile east of Eagle Mountain Road about 4:45 p.m. Sunday, firefighters rescued one motorist with moderate injuries.He was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs according to the California Highway Patrol.

All I-10 traffic was closed near Eagle Mountain Road. Eastbound traffic was closed at Chiriaco Summit and westbound traffic was closed at Corn Springs.

"There's no end to the cars that are backed up," said Pamala Browne, a Flagstaff, Arizona, resident who was stuck in I-10 traffic.

The 53-year-old was driving with her daughter west on I-10 to Palm Desert when the pouring rain and flooded roads brought them to a halt. The Tex Wash – typically dry – looked like a river.

Drivers who were trying to head west past the bridge were being rerouted to drive back east on I-10 to Blythe, where they would then take Highway 78 to El Centro to come back north to Southern California. The detour would add about 2.5 hours to the Brownes' drive.

However, Highway 78 was temporarily closed due to rain. Around 9 p.m. Sunday, Browne decided to get a hotel room in Blythe and just spend the night there.

As it collapsed, the Tex Wash bridge struck the bridge adjacent to it on the westbound side. Both lanes of I-10 will be closed until a California Department of Transportation engineer deems at least the westbound lane safe. That could take days, leaving I-10 closed.

While officials had deemed the Tex Wash bridge on eastbound I-10 "functionally obsolete," its westbound bridge – also built in 1967 – was listed as "not deficient." Another bridge, built over the wash in 1932 along the parallel Ragsdale Road, was also deemed "not deficient."

There's no estimation on when the eastbound bridge will be repaired, but CalTrans officials gave the go-ahead to begin the process of repairing the westbound bridge, where most damage was to its dirt foundation.

Crews will ultimately use a "crossover configuration" to divert eastbound traffic onto one westbound lane at the Tex Wash, said Philip Havins, spokesman for CalTrans District 8.

"It's indefinite, but work is going to take place shortly," he said.

Until the freeway reopens, business will continue dropping at the Chiriaco Summit Travel Center, which was empty Monday.

Whereas there are usually 75 to 100 people having lunch at its coffee shop, there were only two employees Monday.

"We're really, really worried," said Manager Heather Garcia. "It's really weird for us not to hear any noise. It's just mind boggling to think about."

Less than 24 hours earlier, the travel center was filled with travelers who were stuck on I-10 shortly after the bridge collapse. Garcia said the coffee shop stayed open an hour late to accommodate everyone.

"There were people who were a little frustrated," she said.