The damage to the Marsa bridge was still being assessed yesterday, a day after a trailer incident caused traffic chaos and delays at the airport.

Works to repair the damage caused to the footbridge will be carried out over the coming weeks, Transport Malta said in a statement shorn of detail.

The pedestrian bridge above the busy Aldo Moro Road, which remained closed on Friday, was open yesterday. The road itself had reopened on the day of the collision.

Traffic proceeded smoothly yesterday in stark contrast to the aftermath of the incident in which an excavator being carried on a trailer hit the bottom of the bridge, clogging the arterial road that leads to the south of the island.

Marsa mayor Francis Debono said the footbridge crossing lacked clear signage indicating the maximum vehicle height.

"Since the bridge was built about 10 years ago, we've never had such an accident... As far as I remember the bridge never had clear signs indicating its height to drivers," Mr Debono said.

Friday's accident happened just before 1 p.m. when the trailer was being driven in the direction of Valletta.

Motorist Carmel Pule, who witnessed the incident, said: "I was about 25 metres behind and I saw the jib of the machine hit the bridge - the whole machine swung to the left and, as the truck kept going, the machine slid to the left on to the ground.

"I saw the bridge shake and a lot of concrete fell down on to the road. I swerved to the right driving close to the truck... The driver looked so dismayed when he realised what had happened. Luckily he was driving very slowly," Mr Pule added.

After the collision, the ensuing traffic on the road left people in a frustrating wait of up to four hours.

Six Air Malta flights were delayed as passengers and crew were stuck in traffic on the road leading the airport and Matsec exams also had to be postponed.