Washout on 10 Freeway, east of SR-177 leads to delays and closures

Caltrans is reporting traffic delays on the I-10 east of State Route-177 due to heavy rains that caused a washout on the roadway. 

"A portion of Interstate 10 was completely washed out due to inclement weather, leaving the eastbound side impassable east of Corn Springs Road," Caltrans District 8 said in a press release on Thursday. "At the same time, the alternate route of State Route 177 was blocked by downed power lines, making it impassable also."

Initially, Caltrans tweeted that both directions of the 10 Freeway were closed because of flooding and an overturned big rig, but later updated that report, saying westbound lanes were open, though traffic was moving slowly. 

Officials said that eastbound lanes of the 10 Freeway, east of SR-177 will remain closed until further notice because of the washout. 

Caltrans suggested drivers delay their travel or use an alternate route, from State Route 62 to the 10 Freeway in Whitewater. Commuters hoping to get to Blythe, Ariz. were advised to use State Route 86/111 from I-10 or I-15 to I-40 heading towards Needles, Ariz.

Naturally, the washout has caused a lot of obstacles for big rig drivers with shipments and a destination to get to. 

"I have to pick-up my load in Moreno Valley and I have to take it to Phoenix," Reggie Eastern told CBSLA Reporter Jeff Nguyen on Thursday.

Eastern said he now has to go through Barstow and eventually Kingman, Ariz., in order to get to Phoenix.

At around 7:30 a.m. Thursday, crews opened one lane heading eastbound on I-10, though still advised that major traffic delays were to be expected. 

The agency also has SR-177 from the 10 Freeway to SR-62 closed for unknown duration because of flooding and downed power lines. At around 10 p.m., Caltrans tweeted that maintenance crews were working to clear mud and water from SR-177 and that Edison crews were responding to reports of downed power lines. 

They had no estimate as to how long it would take crews to clear the downed lines from the roadway. 

While Caltrans crews work to repair the damaged interstate that gets a lot of traffic daily, a scientist at UCLA said the washout is likely a result of climate change. 

"This has been a summer of hydro climate extremes, with pretty wild swings between drought on the one hand and flood on the other," UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said.

Unfortunately, Swain said that the only way to preventing extreme natural incidents like the washout in eastern Riverside County is to cut carbon emission. 

"The earth is warming because of the carbon we're getting into the atmosphere. The earth will essentially stop warming almost immediately when we stop putting that additional carbon into the atmosphere," Swain said.