AASHTO Journal, 24 July 2015
When fast-moving storm waters undermined a desert bridge in California and led to its July 19 collapse, the disruption to traffic on Interstate 10 quickly rose in concern both for that state and Arizona and became a rallying point on the U.S. Senate floor for a new highway bill.
Within days, the U.S. Department of Transportation also made $2 million available from the Federal Highway Administration’s emergency relief funds to help cover California’s repairs costs.
At first, authorities said traffic on that section of I-10 near the small town of Desert Center – about 50 miles west of the Arizona border – was suspended indefinitely. And besides the bridge that broke apart over a dry wash, inspectors were giving other area bridges a close look as well.
That review found lesser scouring damage to two others. The California Department of Transportation soon had contractors making repairs to all those bridges, and Caltrans said it expected quick work to reopen the collapsed I-10 bridge by July 24 to limited traffic.
A pickup truck that was driving over the eastbound section of the bridge was caught when the deck pavement fell into the wash, and the driver was injured. The AP said the collapse also damaged the roadway in the opposite direction and stranded “numerous other” drivers.
The event rapidly ballooned in importance. As drivers moving between Los Angeles and Phoenix faced reported detours of perhaps three hours, Caltrans said “I-10 is a major goods movement route and carries local destination, domestic trade, as well as some longer haul international cargoes. It is one of the largest arterial roadway systems to play a critical role providing ‘last mile’ connections to regional ports, manufacturing facilities, intermodal terminals and warehouses, and distribution centers.”
USA Today reported that the disruption, if it lasted for long, had the potential to add sizable shipping costs to long-distance trucks moving to and from the big Pacific Ocean ports in southern California.
In Washington, D.C., Sen Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., was negotiating to finalize a long-term highway bill with Republican leaders, and used the new I-10 collapse to help argue the case for fast Senate action.
That bridge was listed as functionally obsolete. Boxer said it was carrying much more traffic that it was designed to handle, and that only by passing a “robust” bill could Congress help states bring their bridges up to date.
“How many more bridges have to collapse before we come together and pass a 6-year, robust transportation bill?” she asked colleagues in floor remarks July 21.
By then, Caltrans had awarded an emergency contract, and planned to reopen the Tex Wash Bridge at noon local time on July 24.
“Crews will strengthen the westbound side of the bridge in order to allow two-way traffic – one lane in each direction,” its announcement said. “Once I-10 is opened, minor work will be performed on the westbound side and work will commence on the eastbound side of the structure to get it operational.”
