Tacony-Palmyra Bridge reopens to traffic after being struck by cargo ship

The Tacony-Palmyra Bridge reopened to vehicular traffic Thursday night after it was struck by a cargo ship and was closed for hours, officials said. The bridge that connects Philadelphia and Burlington County, New Jersey, was open for ships to pass through when a boat struck it around 1:15 p.m., according to the Delaware Bay Coast Guard.Officials said two lanes, one in each direction, reopened to traffic around 8:40 p.m. They said one lane remained closed due to repairs to the pedestrian sidewalk. The pedestrian path has not yet reopened.Burlington County Bridge Commission Chair Jaclyn Veasy said Friday crews did extensive inspections to make sure the bridge was safe before reopening it to vehicles."An investigation into this incident is ongoing, but preliminary findings reveal a cargo ship made contact with a bridge abutment and rail while crossing beneath it during a bridge opening. While we are still assessing bridge conditions and making repairs to the pedestrian walkway, we are co