The A19 was closed overnight after a car ploughed into a lamppost which fell onto the carriageway.
Emergency services were called in the early hours of Saturday morning to the northbound stretch of the A19 between Castle Eden and Peterlee after a car had struck a lamppost.
The lamppost then fell onto the road and blocked the carriageway.
It is currently unknown if there were any injuries as a result of the incident.
Durham Police swiftly closed the road to traffic with diversions being put in place for drivers via the B1280 and the B1283.
Highways England contractors were called out to repair the damaged lamppost and clear the debris.
The road reopened again at around 2am after the vehicle involved in the collision was recovered.
A Highways England spokesman said: "The A19 in County Durham was closed northbound between the A181 (near Castle Eden) and the B1320 (near Peterlee) due to a collision involving a car which has struck a lamppost which has fallen onto the carriageway.
"Emergency services including Durham Police attended alongside Highways England contractors who repaired the damaged lamppost and cleared any debris on the road.
"The incident was cleared at around 2am and the road is reopened."
