Tacony-Palmyra Bridge back open after reported cargo ship strike

New developments tonight. The Tacony-Palmyra Bridge is back open this evening. Just hours after a cargo ship crashed right into it. The bridge sustained some minor damage and you can see crews are evaluating the bridge. Drivers were forced to take detours. Action News reporter Brianna Smith is near the bridge with a closer look at the damage and the traffic impacts. After being closed for more than six hours and causing major disruptions, the bridge is back open and as you can see, traffic is moving smoothly. Officials say one lane remains closed so crews can fix the pedestrian sidewalk. It was one heck of a day. What would normally be a two hour commute home to Northeast Philadelphia for Rebecca Halper turned into five hours. It was unbelievable. By the time we got there, there was so many cars behind us. There was really a lot of traffic. The Tacony-Palmyra Bridge unexpectedly closed to vehicles and pedestrians on Thursday after Burlington County officials believe a cargo ship struck the bridge. They say the incident happened around 1 in the afternoon when the bridge was open for marine traffic. I'm almost positive I seen the back end hit that thing. And then all of a sudden the bridge ain't closing. So something happened. The closure forced drivers to turn around to find a new path to Pennsylvania or New Jersey as workers thoroughly inspected the structure. Officials say it had minor damage on the railing and brick column while the drawbridge was not impacted. It's scary. It really is. Thank God they're all okay. There was no injuries. Crews remained on site for hours to complete repairs and conduct mechanical tests to ensure the bridge was safe to reopen. However, Halper plans on finding an alternate route in the near future. I don't know if they need a new bridge, but I'd be a little nervous right now, a little skeptical. But that's just the way I am. Officials say the cause of the collision is under investigation. Again, two lanes remain open for vehicles only while workers fix the pedestrian sidewalk. In Tacony, Brianna Smith, Channel 6 Action News.