Emergency construction causes traffic delays on Delaware Memorial Bridge

PENNSVILLE, N.J. (WPVI) -- Emergency construction work on the Delaware Memorial Bridge caused major traffic backups from South Jersey into Delaware Wednesday morning.

Work on the suspension bridge's cables began Tuesday afternoon.

By Wednesday morning, the work had reduced southbound traffic from four lanes to just one.

That caused miles-long traffic backups on I-95 South and I-295 South in Salem County, which merge approaching the bridge.

The work was expected to be completed by Wednesday morning, but Action News is now told the left two southbound lanes will remain closed until further notice.

Motorists were being advised to find an alternate route, such as the Commodore Barry Bridge, to cross the Delaware River from New Jersey.