WEDNESDAY, July 22, 2026|
Photo – Semi hit bridge support in median – Courtesy WHP
Traffic will continue to be detoured around Monday’s crash site while state officials determine if the bridge can be repaired.
Around 9 o’clock Monday morning, a loaded semi‑truck crashed into the Higley Boulevard bridge south of Rawlins at Exit 214. The truck was traveling westbound on Interstate 80 when the driver drifted off the pavement and into the median, hitting the concrete bridge supports and completely destroying one of the four pillars. The other three columns were also damaged in the crash.
After striking the bridge supports, the tractor separated from the trailer and was nearly cut in half by the pillars. Wyoming Highway Patrol reported that the driver and co‑driver suffered non‑life‑threatening injuries. The cause of the crash remains undetermined.
WYDOT District One Senior Public Relations Specialist Jaxon Penfield said state engineers are determining if the bridge is stable enough to hold traffic. If so, temporary shoring will be installed until a more permanent solution can be found. Penfield said ideally, the bridge would be opened to a single lane of traffic to allow motorists to reach the southern portion of Higley Boulevard, but further testing is needed to ensure the structure can support the weight.
Rawlins Public Information Officer Mira Miller wrote that with the bridge closed, motorists heading south on Higley Boulevard to the T/A Travel Center or the Wyoming State Penitentiary face significant challenges, as they must get onto I‑80 at Exit 211 on the west side of the city and then travel east to Exit 214 to reach their destination.
WYDOT District One Senior Public Information Officer Jaxon Penfield said either way, the incident will be costly in both time and money. Engineers are determining if the bridge can be repaired or if the damage is severe enough to require replacing the entire structure.
Penfield said officials will know more about the condition of the bridge early next week, information they’ll use to determine what, if anything, can be done to save the Higley Boulevard bridge.
