Tacony-Palmyra Bridge cargo ship collision disrupts Route 73 traffic on the Delaware River

A cargo ship hit the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge over the Delaware River on Thursday. The crash affected travel between Palmyra, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. State Rep. Ed Neilson said the impact stopped the bridge from closing. Neilson also said no injuries have been reported.

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The US Coast Guard said the cargo vessel is now tied up at a Kinder Morgan facility. The site is in Bristol, Pennsylvania. The Coast Guard said an inspection team is present. The agency has not yet shared details about the ship’s owner or operator.

Tacony-Palmyra Bridge collision disrupts Route 73 traffic

Neilson said the bridge being stuck open caused long delays. The backup was heavy on the Philadelphia side, Neilson said in a news release. The steel bridge carries Route 73 traffic. It links Palmyra with the Tacony area in northeast Philadelphia.

The Coast Guard said the drawbridge was raised when the collision happened. The time was about 1:15 pm. The bridge stayed open after the strike because another vessel needed to pass. The Coast Guard said the span later came back down.

Tacony-Palmyra Bridge closure and lane details

The bridge has three vehicle lanes. Two lanes go into Philadelphia, and one goes into New Jersey. Estimates from 2025 say it can handle up to 76,200 vehicles daily. A phone call on Thursday afternoon to the Burlington County Bridge Commission was not answered.

The Burlington County Bridge Commission owns, operates and maintains the bridge. A recorded message said the bridge is closed to vehicle and foot traffic. The message said the closure would stay "until further notice\". It also said an update would come before the evening rush hour.

Tacony-Palmyra Bridge condition ratings before the incident

The Tacony-Palmyra toll bridge opened in 1929. Federal Highway Administration data from the 2026 National Bridge Inventory listed it as fair. Inspectors rated the deck as good. They rated the substructure as fair and the superstructure as fair.

Officials have not reported injuries linked to the crash. The Coast Guard inspection in Bristol is still under way. Traffic impacts continued as agencies assessed the damage and bridge status. Further details about the vessel and bridge operations were not provided in the available updates.

With inputs from PTI