An early morning accident on the George Washington Bridge that killed the driver of a car and injured his passenger had traffic at a standstill for nearly four hours, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey said Wednesday.

A tractor trailer and a car crashed on the upper level at about 5:20 a.m., a Port Authority spokesman said, killing the driver and injuring the passenger. The passenger was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center. Her condition is unknown.

Westbound traffic on the upper level was stalled until about 9:15 a.m., when all lanes were opened, the Port Authority said. The accident backed up lower-level traffic on the bridge too because of the higher volume of vehicles.

Some westbound bridge traffic used a detour at West 181st Street, and trucks were sent to the Tappan Zee and Verrazano bridges.

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What's in store with the weather ... Exploring LI's complex web of transit options ... Out East: Critterville Farm Sanctuary Credit: Newsday

Newsday Investigates: Girl was absent, late in half the school days in months before death ... Families left with uncertainty after Nepal ends flood rescue ... This surprise for a little boy doesn't stink! ... Let's Go: Catskill Mountain Railroad

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