Bucks County Courier Times reports, “The Delaware River Bridge that connects the Pennsylvania and New Jersey turnpikes reopened Thursday night [March 9] after being closed for almost two months.” The report adds, “Two improperly drilled holes — each about one inch in diameter and filled with weld material — were identified as the primary factors in the fracture, Bradley Heigel, the PA Turnpike Commission’s chief engineer, confirmed Thursday. The holes were likely not the only triggers, according to bridge experts. Air temperature, high winds and heavy loads traveling over the bridge also could have contributed to the fracture.” In a joint news release, Pennsylvania Turnpike CEO Mark Compton said, “Without a doubt, this incident was a bad dream for the two turnpike agencies and the contractors and consultants on our team, but a nightmare for customers and neighbors.”
