It could be late next week before an overweight excavator that crashed through the deck of a covered bridge in Quispamsis on Wednesday morning can be safely removed, according to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.

The excavator, which remains suspended between the deck of the Hammond River No. 2 bridge and the embankment below, has been secured to a service truck to mitigate the possibility of it falling or slipping further until it can be freed, DTI spokesman Shawn Berry said in a statement.

"A design is being prepared for additional support to stabilize the bridge so that the excavator can be removed. The design will require the approval of WorkSafeNB before work can begin," said Berry.

It's unclear when the bridge will reopen, he said. The damage is still being assessed.