The footbridge over the M20, which runs southeast of London, collapsed on Saturday when a westbound truck struck a pylon.
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A message on its website said: “All emergency services are en-route or in attendance”.
Saturday was expected to be the busiest single day for motorists embarking on leisure journeys, with 10 million drivers predicted to be getting behind the wheel.
One motorcyclist was injured and taken to hospital with suspected broken ribs.
Highways England said the M20 closure would be in place for “some time” as police turn queuing traffic around.
It is thought the accident was caused when cargo fell from the back of a lorry causing another to swerve across the lanes before striking the bridge.
“The motorcyclist was laying down underneath his bike”.
Highways England and its contractors have been working around the clock to remove the vehicles involved in the incident, and to cut up and remove from the scene the section of bridge which has fallen on to the carriageway.
Traffic approaching on the M25 anti-clockwise wishing to travel to Dover is advised to continue on the M25 and use junction J2 to join the A2 and M2.
Meanwhile on the London-bound side of the road, there was a truck carrying bulldozers on the hard shoulder, and the other half of the bridge came down on another truck that was overtaking it. The M26 is also likely to stay closed until the area is completely cleared. “It really shook us up”.
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According to TV footages, the lorry was squashed when it passed under the footbridge, bringing down parts of it on the motorway. While we concentrated on reopening the road as soon as possible to help drivers, it was imperative this was done safely.
