The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge opened Tuesday after damage
to part of the structure was repaired, bridge officials said
Tuesday morning.
By Li Lou, McClatchy News Service
SACRAMENTO
The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge opened Tuesday after damage to part of the structure was repaired, bridge officials said Tuesday morning.
“They have completed all the work,” said Tom Wood of Caltrans’ Traffic Management Center.
The bridge between the East Bay and the San Francisco peninsula had been shut in both directions since Thursday night as part of a major seismic project and was expected to reopen for Tuesday’s morning commute.
However, discovery Saturday of a large crack in a steel beam forced emergency repairs requiring the bridge to remain closed and leading to predictions that the bridge would not be ready to carry traffic until Wednesday.
But crews worked nonstop to repair what was described as a “significant” crack in the bridge’s east span near Yerba Buena Island and completed the work early this morning.
Traffic on the Bay Bridge continues to flow, possibly lightened by commuters using other spans to get into San Francisco as well as public transit.
Westbound traffic leading into the Bay Area has been heavy because of crashes, the California Highway Patrol said.
“But the opening of the Bay Bridge certainly makes it a lot better,” said CHP Sgt. Trent Cross.
Traffic on the San Mateo and Golden Gate bridges was heavy Tuesday morning because of commuters choosing those routes over the previously closed Bay Bridge.
“People who had already been on the way (to work) and got no chance to listen to the news didn’t know about the opening the Bay Bridge,” Cross said.
Caltrans officials said some detours would remain in place.
