Workers Reopen Bridge Street Bridge

The bridge at Bridge Street was locked back into position around 6:30 pm Tuesday, a few hours after the structure got stuck in its open position, creating a headache for rush-hour commuters.

Unlike the more common drawbridge, which is raised, the Bridge Street bridge rotates 180 degrees when it’s opened to Passaic River boat traffic. The bridge was rotated open around 3 pm to allow for the passage of a vessel, said Anthony Puglisi, a spokesman for Essex County, which maintains the bridge.

But when workers tried to wheel the bridge back into place, some “gears got stuck,” Puglisi said, forcing the closure of the main artery connecting Newark and Harrison. The other main Passaic River crossing, the nearby Clay Street bridge, is closed for construction. Commuters attempting to cross to Hudson County were diverted, creating backups along northbound McCarter Highway and connecting streets.

The bridge was gently pulled back into position over the course of an hour by a four-axle tow truck connected by ropes to one end of the bridge. (See the photos above for a time-lapse view.)

Puglisi was unaware of the last time the bridge may have gotten stuck. According to Dmitrious Papas, owner of the Jimmy’s Acropolis lunch truck, which has been stationed daily near the Rutgers University campus for decades, Tuesday’s mishap was apparently a very rare occurrence. Papas was parked near the bridge waiting for it to reopen so he could continue on his way home.

“I’ve seen it open for a few minutes at a time, but in 25 years, I’ve never seen it stuck,” Papas said.