A semi-truck crashes into bridge near MS-LA state line again, causing hours of delays

The right lane of Interstate 10 westbound closed Thursday morning near the Mississippi-Louisiana state line in Hancock County after an 18-wheeler crashed on the East Pearl River Bridge — again.

The crash occurred at 5:30 a.m. It caused no injuries and involved a single vehicle, said Mississippi Highway Patrol spokesman Calvin Robertson.

The lane reopened by 8:55 a.m., MDOT said.

Drivers in the area said on Facebook at the time that some debris spewed onto the interstate and warned others traveling from the Coast into Louisiana to leave early and expect congestion.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) estimated at about 8 a.m. that delays would last for three hours. Robertson said traffic was slow and congested in the area.

The bridge recently reopened after ongoing repairs caused traffic in the area for weeks. It is unclear the extent of damage the crash had on the bridge.

Wrecks have plagued the state line for years. In July, authorities briefly closed the interstate to airlift a driver from the scene of a crash between a box truck and a semi-truck near the two-mile marker in the westbound lanes of Interstate 10. In 2022, a semi-truck carrying BMWs crashed in a fiery wreck, another 18-wheeler caught fire after it crashed into the bridge railing and a pileup of four cars and an 18-wheeler sent six people to the hospital.

This story was originally published August 3, 2023 at 8:18 AM.