The Tacony-Palmyra Bridge is partly back open after a cargo ship struck it Thursday afternoon and left the drawbridge stuck open for hours.
The bridge reopened to vehicles around 8:40 p.m. Thursday, with one lane running in each direction. A third lane stays closed for repairs, and pedestrian access is still restricted as of Friday morning.
The strike happened around 1:15 p.m. Thursday, while the draw span was open for marine traffic on the Delaware River. The ship was the Strategic Alliance, a 591 foot Singapore flagged cargo vessel built in 2013. It has been moored at a Kinder Morgan facility in Bristol, where Coast Guard inspectors are assessing its condition.
No injuries were reported. The bridge sustained minor damage, according to the Inquirer, and inspectors and engineers are still assessing the extent of it.
The Burlington County Bridge Commission, which owns and operates the bridge, calls it a “potential collision” and says the investigation will determine the extent of the damage. The commission has not given a date for a full reopening.
State Rep. Ed Neilson, who represents Northeast Philadelphia, first flagged the closure publicly on Facebook Thursday afternoon. He said the drawbridge could not close after the strike, and traffic backed up on the Philadelphia side. Roads around the bridge were gridlocked into the evening.
It is not clear what caused the strike. Officials have not said whether the severe weather played a role. Thursday brought severe storms and flash flooding across the Philadelphia area as the nor’easter moved through.
For Northeast drivers, this is the closest river crossing to South Jersey, and losing even part of it hurts. The bridge carries Route 73 between Tacony and Palmyra, New Jersey. With one lane each way, expect delays, and the nearest alternates are the Betsy Ross Bridge, which carries Route 90 to Pennsauken, and the Burlington-Bristol Bridge farther north.
People who cross on foot or by bike have it worse. Neither the Betsy Ross nor the Burlington-Bristol Bridge has a pedestrian or bicycle crossing, so the walkway over the Tacony-Palmyra is the only way across on foot. While pedestrian access stays restricted, anyone who normally walks or bikes the bridge should check transit options before setting out.
The bridge has connected Tacony and Palmyra since 1929. Its steel arch and double-leaf drawbridge open regularly for ships on the Delaware, and this time the span would not come back down.
Check 511PA and New Jersey travel information before choosing a route, and expect delays at the other crossings while repairs go on.
This story will be updated as the commission releases more information.
