Traffic on the George Washington Bridge has returned to its usual bustle after police removed a shirtless man who had climbed to the top of a tower on the nation's busiest span.

Steve Coleman, spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, says the man had made it to the top of the tower on the New Jersey side in Fort Lee on Friday morning before police were able to grab him.

Upper lanes of the two-level bridge, which connects New Jersey and New York, were reopened after traffic had been diverted to the lower lanes.

It's the second time this week the span was shut down during the morning commute. On Wednesday, 10 protesters chained themselves together and blocked the bridge.