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Repair work continues after desert flooding washes out 10 Freeway
Those looking to go to Arizona for the weekend will need extra patience and more gas as repair work continues on the 10 Freeway.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. - Repair work continues after raging floodwaters washed out a section of the eastbound 10 Freeway in Riverside County near the Arizona-California border.
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VIDEO: Flash flood destroys section of 10 Freeway
A flash flood damaged a portion of the eastbound side of the 10 Freeway in Riverside County near the AZ-CA border. The roadway has one lane open as of Thursday morning.
Caltrans shared photos of the washout on social media that showed a huge piece of the road collapsed. The roadway was damaged after a monsoonal surge struck the area and brought thunderstorms with heavy rain, gusty winds, and dust.
Drivers should expect major delays on the 10 Freeway east of Highway 177 near Desert Center. The closure won't impact those going to Palm Springs as the closures start east of Indio. By 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Caltrans announced one eastbound lane reopened.
Initially, Caltrans said both directions of the 10 Freeway were closed due to flooding and an overturned big rig. The westbound lanes eventually reopened late Wednesday night, although traffic remained at a crawl.
Caltrans maintenance crews worked through the night to clear mud and water from Highway 177 and some drivers were left stranded.
Drivers may continue to face major delays and Caltrans suggests using an alternate route, including taking Highway 62 to get back onto the 10 Freeway in Whitewater. On Friday afternoon, Caltrans said some of the eastbound lanes are expected to reopen early next week.
Below are the detour roads suggested by Caltrans:
- SR-86/111 to I-8 or SR-78
- SR-177 to SR-62 into Arizona
- SR-177 to SR-62 to US-95, head south to Blythe and connect back onto I-10 into Arizona
- I-15 to I-40 into Needles and Parker, Ariz
- I-15 to I-8 into Arizona
It’s unknown when all eastbound lanes will reopen.