Labor Day traffic stalled near Tex-Wash bridge

Drivers heading east from the Coachella Valley toward Blythe and Phoenix were stalled for 15 miles east of the Tex-Wash bridge.

“It’s horrible, just bumper to bumper,” said Jason Contreras of Corona.

“We just listen to music and try to pass the time by,” said Yanet Fierro of Garden Grove.

Traffic heading westbound was also trapped in gridlock .

“I sat in traffic for about two and a half hours,” said David Marino who had helped his family move to Arizona this weekend. “It’s frustrating when you’re running low on gas.”

It took our News Channel 3 crew about two and half hours to get to the site of the bridge. Workers there are almost finished repairing the damage from its sudden collapse nearly two months ago. The bridge gave way on July 19 during a thunderstorm, sending one driver to the hospital.

CalTrans said to expect delays on an average day to be about a half hour, but on Labor Day weekend, all bets were off.

“Miles and miles of cars just stacked one right after the other,” Fierro said. “And in this heat it’s definitely bad.”

“Seems like there are just thousands of people stuck in traffic hanging out,” Contreras said.

Some drivers who stopped for gas at Chiriaco Summit offered advice to anyone who has yet to make the trip in either direction.

“Stay at home,” Marino said.

“Drink a lot of Monsters or Red Bull,” Contreras said.

“Be patient and good luck,” Fierro said.

The $5 million bridge repair is set to be complete at the end of the month.