Updated at 7:00 a.m. on 12/10:
Lanes are open now, but road closures yesterday caused major traffic delays for Morongo Basin residents, as a closure on I-10 at Desert Center rerouted traffic through our community was compounded by a complete shut down of the Morongo grade when a produce truck tipped over on Highway 62.
Early yesterday morning, a truck collision in the westbound lanes of I-10 were entirely closed at Desert Center and traffic was rerouted to State Route 177 then through State Route 62, known locally as Twentynine Palms Highway.
This influx of additional traffic, including a large number of trucks with trailers, caused major delays for local drivers.
The situation was compounded when at 9:45 a.m. a large truck with a trailer tipped over into the westbound lanes of traffic at the midway point of the grade.
No injuries were reported.
Both sides of the four lane highway were closed throughout the morning, and while the eastbound lanes and one westbound lane were open by 12:30 p.m., traffic was backed up heading down the grade to Yucca Valley.
Many Morongo Valley residents reported feeling trapped in their homes as traffic stood at a standstill on the highway, and the Morongo Unified School District cancelled bus service to the area in the afternoon. Another collision occurred on the highway in Morongo Valley at around 1 p.m., though no injuries were reported.
The California Highway Patrol announced that all lanes were fully reopened last night at around 7:00 p.m.
Westbound lanes in I-10 have mostly reopened this morning.
Previously Reported:
A truck tipping over on the Morongo grade has added to an already troublesome traffic day for Morongo Basin commuters, closing westbound lanes of the stretch of road connecting Morongo Valley and Desert Hot Springs.
Earlier this morning, westbound lanes of I-10 were entirely closed at Desert Center on account of a truck collision, with traffic being rerouted to State Route 177 then through State Route 62, known locally as Twentynine Palms Highway. This influx of additional traffic was already causing major delays for drivers, a situation that was compounded when at 9:45 a.m. a large truck with a trailer tipped over into the westbound lanes of traffic at the midway point of the grade.
Z107.7 has received reports that traffic is backed up along Twentynine Palm Highway to Covington Park and Morongo Valley, with patches of bad traffic as far east as Twentynine Palms.
This is a developing story, stay tuned to Z107.7 for updates.
