Popular travel stop once again sees needed business with I-10 reopening

Interstate 10 has been shut down between Coachella and Blythe since Monday, but one community in particular has felt the pain the most.

“Yeah, we’ve felt very, very isolated and alone a few times, yeah,” said Heather Garcia, manager at Chiriaco Summit.

Chiriaco Summit’s the travel stop between the two cities and has been practically empty since the Tex Wash bridge collapse haulted any traffic east and westbound on the interstate. According to Garcia, businesses in Chiriaco Summit have lost a substantial amount of revenue because of spoilage of goods and not getting any customers.

But the area finally got some relief on Friday around noon when the damaged bridge area in Desert Center was reopened and traffic started flowing both ways on I-10. Cars piled into the popular travel stop within minutes and businesses were eager to help customers who have been absent for four days.

“Yeah, it’s crazy. I heard about [the lack of business for Chiriaco Summit]. It’s got to be a loss for them,” said Ivan Hernandez, a traveler from Arizona.

In anticipation of the reopening, Garcia and her mother ordered special signs Thursday night and put them on display on Friday. One of the makeshift signs read “Welcome back I-10 travelers” with a picture of the collapsed Tex Wash Bridge. Underneath the picture, it said, “We missed you! Chiriaco Summit”. The other was a thank you sign, listing all the names of individuals and organizations that helped during the ordeal.

“It just takes a lot of people to get this job done,” Garcia said. “And it’s a big job, it’s a big interstate. And even though we’re out in No Man’s Land, it’s really vital that travelers stay safe on it.”

And with customers once again filing into the travel stop, Garcia couldn’t hide the smile from her face.

“Oh, just super happy, super thankful,” she said. “Please everybody, keep traveling. Please keep the road open and safe and stop in whenever you can.”