Traffic on the George Washington Bridge's upper level was temporarily halted as police stopped a vehicle thought to be involved in an abduction at the same time other officers were conducting a drill on the tower and cables on the nation's busiest span.
All lanes on the span's upper level were closed for about 15 minutes as police swarmed the bridge, officials said. The Holland Tunnel was also closed for about 10 minutes at the start of the evening rush for police activity.
Officials said that they were called to the bridge after getting word about a possible abduction. Police stopped a vehicle on the bridge and found a victim, made two arrests and recovered a handgun.
Meanwhile, cops were spotted in one of the bridge's towers and its cables, conducting their drill. Law enforcement officials said that the drills were being conducted Wednesday and Thursday. It's not clear if traffic lanes were normally closed for drills like the one Thursday.
The drill comes about six weeks after police talked down a shirtless man who was trying to jump off one of the towers at the height of rush hour.
According to New York City's 2015 traffic study, an average of 13,394 drivers crossed the bridge's two levels between 11 a.m. and noon every day.
