62-mile stretch of Interstate 10 reopens near AZ-NM border after dust clears

Authorities reopened a 62-mile stretch of Interstate 10 in southeastern Arizona late Monday after blowing dust settled.

The Arizona Department of Transportation closed the freeway between U.S. 191 in southeastern Arizona and Lordsburg, N.M., at 4:30 p.m. Monday as dust reduced visibility to near-zero at times.

Motorists were forced into a 110-mile detour through Safford from both the east and the west. The freeway reopened about 7 p.m.

Westbound I-10 was also closed for several hours near San Simon because of a crash involving at least two semitrailers. The site is about 15 miles from the New Mexico line. The lanes reopened early Monday evening.