Work on the Merwede Bridge on the A27 near Gorinchem finished ahead of schedule, Rijkswaterstaat said, so the span opened sooner than planned. It was closed on Thursday evening. The closure had been originally set to last until Monday morning.Crews replaced the existing asphalt with a thinner, lighter layer, cutting about 400 tons from the bridge. The agency said the weight reduction is needed so the structure can stay in use safely while a new Merwede Bridge is built.