Third Avenue Bridge in the Bronx reopens to traffic after malfunctioning due to high heat
NEW YORK -- The Third Avenue Bridge, which connects the Bronx to Manhattan over the Harlem River, has reopened to traffic after getting stuck in the open position earlier Monday.
Officials believe the bridge got stuck open at around 3 p.m. because of high heat expanding the metal.
Video from the scene showed FDNY boats spraying water onto the span and bottom of the open bridge in an effort to cool it.
When workers tried to move the bridge it failed to line up with the locking mechanism on the Manhattan side of the span, CBS New York's Dan Rice reported. That problem has since been remedied.
The Third Avenue Bridge opened in August of 1898 and is a one-lane structure, meaning vehicular traffic only flows from the Bronx into Manhattan. It also does not have tolls so many vehicles use it on a daily basis.
The malfunction caused major traffic delays in the South Bronx along the Major Deegan Expressway and East 138th Street and residual delays are expected to continue Monday night.
The incident happened on the hottest day of the year so far in New York City.