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Commuters warned of extreme delays because of cracked bridge

  • This photo shows the Delaware River Bridge in Bristol, Pa., Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because the bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
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    This photo shows the Delaware River Bridge in Bristol, Pa., Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because the bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
  • This photo shows the Delaware River Bridge in Bristol, Pa., Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because the bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
    2/5

    This photo shows the Delaware River Bridge in Bristol, Pa., Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because the bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
  • This photo shows the Delaware River Bridge in Bristol, Pa., Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because the bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
    3/5

    This photo shows the Delaware River Bridge in Bristol, Pa., Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because the bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
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  • A road passing beneath the Delaware River Bridge is barricaded in Bristol, Pa., Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because the bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
    4/5

    A road passing beneath the Delaware River Bridge is barricaded in Bristol, Pa., Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because the bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
  • This photo shows the Delaware River Bridge in Bristol, Pa., Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because the bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
    5/5

    This photo shows the Delaware River Bridge in Bristol, Pa., Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because the bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
This photo shows the Delaware River Bridge in Bristol, Pa., Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because the bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
This photo shows the Delaware River Bridge in Bristol, Pa., Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because the bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
This photo shows the Delaware River Bridge in Bristol, Pa., Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because the bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
A road passing beneath the Delaware River Bridge is barricaded in Bristol, Pa., Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because the bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
This photo shows the Delaware River Bridge in Bristol, Pa., Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because the bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Associated Press

BRISTOL, Pa. (AP) — Tens of thousands of drivers are being told to expect "extreme" delays for weeks because a bridge connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey had to be shut down over a cracked steel truss.

Officials say it will be two weeks before engineers fully understand how badly damaged the Delaware River Bridge is. The span connects the Pennsylvania and New Jersey turnpikes.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the New Jersey Turnpike authorities say commuters should carpool or consider working from home, changing their work hours or using public transit.

Workers with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which owns the eastern half of the bridge, spotted a broken truss last week.

The nearly 61-year-old bridge carries more than 42,000 vehicles per day. Severe traffic is expected at all other area river crossings.