NEW YORK, NY July 10, 2009 —Thousands of drivers were mired in miles-long traffic today, after a fire broke out early this morning in a construction shed beneath the Throgs Neck Bridge.

The fire closed the bridge in both directions between the Bronx and Queens. There were no reports of injuries.

Traffic was being diverted to the Bronx Whitestone and RFK bridges, while engineers determined whether there has been any damage to the bridge.

The residual traffic jams delayed two attorneys headed for the Long Island hearing on the issue of Governor Paterson's authority to appoint a lieutenant governor. David Lewis says he left Albany around five this morning, and found "the whole world ahead of us on the highway."