I-10 to reopen after California bridge collapse

LOS ANGELES, July 24 (UPI) -- A section of Interstate 10, a main thoroughfare between Southern California and Phoenix, will open Friday afternoon nearly five days after it collapsed in a flood, paralyzing interstate commerce and causing hours-long detours.

The California Department of Transportation announced it will divert all traffic onto the westbound lane of the Tex Wash bridge after the bridge's eastbound lanes collapsed July 19 in a torrential downpour. The speed limit will be reduced to 45 miles per hour in the area.

The bridge collapse caused a major traffic headache for motorists and interstate commerce, which depends on the roadway to move items across state lines. By the time it's reopened, some 100,000 motorists will have used alternative routes, which tack an extra hour or two on the already four-hour drive from Southern California to Phoenix. The reopening will still mean delays because it will be one lane in either direction.

Last year, the Federal Highway Administration gave the 50-year-old bridge an 'A' rating, indicating it should have withstood the floodwaters that brought it down.

Many feared the roadway would be shutdown for weeks or months. The state transportation department credits the quick reopening to repairs by the contractor.