Interstate 10 between California and Arizona closed after bridge collapse

Traffic going from California to Arizona was interrupted over the weekend when a section of a bridge on Interstate 10 collapsed on Sunday.

The Associated Press reported the bridge that collapsed was for eastbound traffic and it was 15 feet above a wash that is usually only dry. It caused the water in the wash to flood, leaving the road blocked for traffic.

Terri Kasinga with the California Department of Transportation said, “Interstate 10 is closed completely and indefinitely.”

The freeway’s westbound section was also left closed near the town of Desert Center since the flooding caused some damage and probably just needed to undergo some rebuilding.

I-10 is the direct route of travel for people going from Phoenix and sections of Southern California, which includes Los Angeles.

The Desert Sun reported the collapse left one person injured. People wishing to travel between the states of California and Arizona will need to use Interstate 8 or Interstate 40, which is hundreds of miles out of the way.

There was no timeframe established for how long it would take for the freeway to reopen. Crews had been on other projects when they were brought in to look over the site. Kasinga reportedly said, “They won’t even be able to begin assessing the damage until Monday.”