A section of Interstate 10 in eastern Arizona will be closed for an estimated two days after a semi-truck slammed into a bridge pillar and caught fire in the middle of the night on Wednesday. The driver was killed in the accident.
The truck was heading west around midnight when it veered off to the right and struck a guardrail and ultimately ran into a pillar under the U.S. 191 overpass just west of Willcox. The driver has not been identified.
The impact from the accident buckled a support pillar of the overpass, and a structural review determined bridge needs to be repaired. The work is estimated to take 48 hours.
An ADOT contractor is mobilizing personnel, equipment and materials needed to shore up the bridge. This work began Wednesday afternoon and will continue around the clock until ADOT can safely reopen the westbound freeway.
Eastbound I-10 is open through the area.
Westbound I-10 traffic is detouring:
- south and east on State Route 80 from Roadforks, New Mexico, to US 191 in Douglas;
- north on US 191 north to Davis Road in McNeal;
- west on Davis Road to SR 80;
- north SR 80 through Tombstone to SR 82;
- west on SR 82 to SR 90 in Whetstone; and
- north on SR 90 to I-10 Benson.
Real-time traffic conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, the AZ511 app, calling 511 and through ADOT’s Twitter feed, @ArizonaDOT.
