Westbound bridge on I-70 reopens after repair

BALTIMORE (AP) — Highway crews have reopened a westbound bridge on Interstate 70 after repairing a cracked beam that was discovered under the structure.

The State Highway Administration reopened the bridge Sunday about 4 p.m. The agency ordered the bridge closed Friday just before rush hour. The bridge goes over the Patapsco River at the Baltimore County-Howard County line. It carries an average of 100,000 vehicles a day. Drivers have been forced to take alternate routes.

A crew painting underneath the bridge Friday noticed a crack in a metal beam and notified state officials. The highway administration says engineers bolted and welded steel plates to the bridge beam as a permanent repair.

Inspectors examined the remainder of the bridge and determined it was in acceptable condition and did not require any additional repairs.

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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