The Frederick Douglass Bridge over the Anacostia River has reopened to traffic Sunday after its turning span became stuck open.
D.C. Police tell News4 that crews were doing routine testing on the bridge in the early hours of Sunday morning. The work was supposed to be finished by 9 a.m. However, police say that due to technical issues that came up during the testing, the bridge became stuck in the open position.
Traffic for the bridge was diverted down M Street to the 11th Street Bridge. Inbound traffic was sent back on to Interstate 295 and Martin Luther King Avenue. The issue was eventually resolved and the bridge was re-opened to traffic shortly after 1 p.m.
The bridge is a swing bridge, in which the turning span rotates 90 degrees to allow water traffic to pass, as opposed to a drawbridge, in which both halves of a span raise to accommodate water traffic.
Photo Credit: Seth Lemon