Overnight fatal crash west of Willcox damages Highway 191 bridge over I-10

Contributed Photo/Courtesy ADOT: A serious collision caused structural damage to the bridge at the Highway 191 South interchange with I-10 west of Willcox early Wednesday morning. Westbound lanes of I-10 are closed at the New Mexico border with no timetable to reopen.

Westbound I-10 expected to remain closed for two days

Staff Reports

WILLCOX – An overnight fatal collision involving a semi-truck damaged the bridge at the U.S. Highway 191 South intersection with Interstate 10 west of Willcox early Wednesday morning. The westbound lanes of I-10 are expected to remain closed for 48 hours for repairs to the bridge.  

Contributed Photo/Courtesy ADOT: This photo shows the structural damage to the bridge.

Both directions of I-10 were closed after a semi-truck crashed into the bridge’s pillar just after midnight, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. The driver of the truck was deceased at the scene. Eastbound I-10 reopened, but the westbound lanes remain closed due to structural damage from the bridge. Highway 191 is also closed at the intersection. 

Temporary bridge repairs needed to reopen westbound Interstate 10 in southeastern Arizona, where a semi-tractor trailer crash damaged the US 191 overpass east of Willcox, are expected to take up to 48 hours, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. 

An ADOT contractor is mobilizing personnel, equipment, and materials needed to shore up the bridge. This work will begin Wednesday afternoon and will continue around the clock until ADOT can safely reopen the westbound freeway. 

The westbound closure is now at milepost 344 (Haskell Road), just east of Willcox. Eastbound I-10 is open through the area, with eastbound traffic able to exit and re-enter I-10 via the exit/entrance ramps at US 191 (milepost 331).

Westbound I-10 traffic is now detouring:

  • west on Business 10 from Exit 344 (Haskell Road) into Willcox;
  • southeast on State Route 186 (Maley Street);
  • south on Kansas Settlement Road;
  • south on US 191 to McNeal;
  • west on Davis Road to SR 80 in Tombstone;
  • north on SR 80 to SR 82;
  • west on SR 82 to SR 90 in Whetstone; and
  • north on SR 90 to I-10 Benson.