This Bridge In New York Is Stuck Open Due To High Heat| VIDEO

On Monday afternoon, the Third Avenue Bridge—which spans the Harlem River and links the Bronx and Manhattan—became stuck in the open position. According to officials, the metal on the bridge expanded due to extreme heat about 3 p.m. and caused it to become stuck open.

Significant traffic delays are being caused by the mishap in the South Bronx near East 138th Street and the Major Deegan Expressway. Officials claim that thermal expansion of the steel is what caused the bridge to become stuck in the open position. How long it will take for the bridge to function correctly and allow traffic to resume is unknown.

Not only is the city experiencing extreme heat, but on Monday, Central Park reached the highest temperature of the year at 95 degrees. In an attempt to cool the steel, personnel on a few boats were seen in web videos splashing water over the bridge from the river below. It was reported that DOT and FDNY crews were there.

Boat crews have been pouring water over the bridge for hours in order to cool the metal and realign it with the road deck. Major traffic bottlenecks during the evening commute were created by the bridge. As of right now, there’s no news on when traffic will resume on the bridge.

Previously, a $517.5 million project to rebuild two bridges along the Bronx River Parkway in the Bronx, New York, has started construction. The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has provided the project with financing totaling more than $200 million.

Governor Kathy Hochul of New York stated: “Building a transportation network that fosters opportunities for all users, including bikes and pedestrians, and modernizes our infrastructure to meet the needs of the twenty-first century involves strengthening the interconnections between communities.