Update: Caltrans announced this morning that repairs to the crack discovered over the Labor Day weekend were completed and the Bay Bridge reopened at 7:00 AM, well before their latest estimate of 5:00 AM on Wednesday the 9th.
During the Labor Day weekend inspection crews on the already closed Bay Bridge discovered a 2 inch wide crack. The crack located on one of the eight steel links holding up a section of the bridge was scheduled for immediate repair before the opening of the bridge on Tuesday, September 8th at 5:00am. The repair required a part which needed to be ordered and shipped to the repair crew which has created a delay in opening the bridge to Wednesday, September 9th at 5:00 am.
The crews discovered the crack while inspecting and replacing a section of the bridge as part of a long planned seismic upgrade. During the closure the California transportation workers performed a top-to-bottom bridge inspection to ensure that the 260,000 cars which travel the bridge on a daily basis are safe. The Bay Bridge, which is 73 years old and inspected every 2 years for safety and seismic upgrades is the main connection between San Francisco and the East Bay. Although the bridge may be closed longer than expected public transportation agencies are committed to continuing the additional service offered during the last 4 days of closure. San Francisco tourism companies are prepared for the closure and will be conducting business as usual during the possible additional closure of the Bay Bridge. Extranomical Adventures will still offer all tours with the exception of pick ups in Oakland, instead tourists are asked to take BART into San Francisco. For more information regarding the Bay Bridge closure please see baybridgeinfo.org.
