The temporary bridge connecting Lynn and Saugus, Massachusetts via Route 107 has reopened earlier than expected, days after it was closed for repairs.

The bridge was suddenly shut down Wednesday evening after a field inspection found cracking on bridge deck panel assemblies. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) said crews "worked around the clock" to replace or repair the 16 affected deck panel assemblies. The bridge officially reopened to traffic Friday at noon.

After the bridge closed, drivers on the North Shore were stuck in heavy traffic and gridlock because of detours. The drawbridge remained open to marine traffic, along with sidewalks on the bridge for pedestrians and cyclists. Delays were originally expected through the weekend.

"It took me literally an extra hour just to get back home," Lynn resident Marissa Devine said on Thursday.  

"MassDOT appreciates the patience of Lynn and Saugus residents impacted by the bridge closure," the agency said in a statement Friday.

The bridge is in place while a new one is constructed to connect Lynn and Saugus over the Saugus River. That new bridge is set to be completed in the summer of 2026.

The bridge project was the subject of an WBZ-TV I-Team investigation back in 2022. The report uncovered that MassDOT trucked asbestos contaminated soil and debris from the construction site to an area behind Chelsea Housing Authority homes.

Both Lynn and Saugus are in Essex County on Boston's North Shore.