Motorists in Philadelphia faced a headache on I-95 North after a truck, hauling what appeared to be a large, rusted cylinder, slammed into the Conrail Bridge on Monday, triggering an immediate closure of a portion of the vital artery, police are digging into the incident and have confirmed that the truck was following an approved route accompanied by a police escort when the mishap occurred, according to CBS News Philadelphia.

The 37-year-old driver was unharmed in the collision that took place near the Betsy Ross Bridge/Aramingo Avenue Interchange, police vehicles were escorting the oversized load during its transit authorities have said that the collision has spurred inquiries into how the approved route and the pre-trip safety measures in place did not prevent the accident, which happened a little past 1 p.m., reported 6abc Action News.

A PennDot spokesperson pointed out that "the applicant is responsible for verifying the load parameters and adjusting their permit application based on those factors," adding that particular steps, including the use of an extended pole to measure clearances both before the trip and during movement by the escort, are mandatory for certain types of loads, as per Inquirer report. The current predicament has resulted in detours for traffic and the anticipated repair work for the bridge is aimed for completion by the weekend, facing potential delays from recent heavy rainfall.

While the route was officially sanctioned and the truck’s journey was under police supervision, certain details about the destination and origin of the truck or the specific nature of the cargo have not been disclosed, the cargo that led to the strike resembled a massive, rusted pasta tube the scene has been disrupted since Monday with detours rerouting traffic onto Aramingo Avenue and Adams Avenue to access the ramp to I-95 northbound, according to The Inquirer.

As the repairs to the critical infrastructure unfold, PennDOT advises drivers to steer clear of the affected areas, cautioning about the potential for serious traffic delays, a resolution to the traffic turmoil hinges not only on swift repairs but also a closer examination into the approval and escort procedures that failed to prevent this disruption.