Middle Thorofare Bridge reopens to traffic after motor issue fixed

CAPE MAY COUNTY, N.J. (CBS) -- The Middle Thorofare Bridge/Two Mile Bridge in Lower Township is back in use on Wednesday, just three days after officials warned it would be stuck and inaccessible to traffic for several days or weeks.

The bridge connecting Wildwood Crest to Cape May got stuck in the fully upright position after a major mechanical failure on the motor that raises and lowers the movable deck to make room for boat traffic, officials said.

With drive-shaft motors not readily available, the county warned it could be several days or weeks before cars, bicycles and pedestrians could cross the bridge again.

"Best case scenario for the auxiliary motor being in place and this bridge fully operational, absolute best with all the dominoes falling our way, seven to 10 days," Kevin Lare, the executive director of the Cape May County Bridge Commission, said earlier this week. "Worst case scenario – four weeks. Primary motor is 20-25 weeks to have it built."

However, things turned out better than best case – staff from the county and the commission were soon able to find an auxiliary motor and install it.

The bridge reopened to traffic at 2 a.m. Wednesday.

This temporary replacement motor will take longer to raise and lower the bridge than what drivers may be used to.

"The bridge is capable of completing a complete cycle, open and close, in less than 10 minutes," Vare told CBS News Philadelphia in an email on Wednesday. That's about four minutes longer than it took before.

Cape May County commissioner director and Sea Isle City mayor Leonard Desiderio gave this statement:

On behalf of the Cape May County Board of County Commissioners, I want to extend my heartfelt and sincere thanks to our County public works, bridge commission staff, and consultant electrical engineers for their efforts to source a new motor and for working long hours to repair the system that resulted in the reopening of the Middle Thorofore Bridge. Under the leadership of our County Administrator and Bridge Commission Director Kevin Lare, we took a best-case multi-week closure scenario and made a miracle happen. With that said, the dedication and commitment of our County team to restore the bridge to full functionality is truly commendable.