All lanes of damaged Delaware bridge re-open

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Delaware transportation officials say a bridge on a key East Coast interstate has fully re-opened after it was closed in early June because several supporting columns were tilting.

The Delaware Department of Transportation says the northbound lanes of the Interstate 495 bridge over the Christina River re-opened to traffic Saturday. The southbound lanes of the bridge were re-opened July 31.

The 4,800-foot bridge, which normally carries an average of about 90,000 vehicles daily, was closed June 2 after state officials learned that several supporting columns were tilting.

The damage has been blamed on a large dirt mound dumped next to the bridge by a soil contractor, apparently without the knowledge or consent of state transportation or environmental officials. Repairs have since been made.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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