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Brutal Commute Awaits SF as Bridge Remains Closed

By Will McCahill,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 7, 2009 8:00 PM CDT

(Newser) – An unexpected hiccup means the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge will remain closed through tomorrow—and a potential nightmare commute for the 260,000 who use the span daily, the Contra Costa Times reports. The bridge was closed Thursday night so workers could replace a 300-foot section, but during the project they found a crack in a steel link, and needed to make the repair immediately. The bridge was scheduled to reopen at 5am tomorrow.

Engineers must install two 9,000-pound steel saddles to support the cracked link; those were made overnight in Arizona and flown to Oakland today. Local transit authorities say they’ll add ferry service and more cars to the cross-bay subway system.

A replacement section slides into place connecting the new detour route during the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge seismic retrofit, Sept. 5, 2009.
A replacement section slides into place connecting the new detour route during the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge seismic retrofit, Sept. 5, 2009.   (AP Photo)
Sections of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge are swapped out, Sept. 5, 2009, over Yerba Buena Island, Calif.
Sections of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge are swapped out, Sept. 5, 2009, over Yerba Buena Island, Calif.   (AP Photo)
Sections of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge are swapped out, Sept. 5, 2009, over Yerba Buena Island, Calif.
Sections of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge are swapped out, Sept. 5, 2009, over Yerba Buena Island, Calif.   (AP Photo)
The Bay Bridge is seen empty, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009, over the San Francisco Bay, Calif. The new span is at lower right.
The Bay Bridge is seen empty, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009, over the San Francisco Bay, Calif. The new span is at lower right.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
kyleleitch
Sep 9, 2009 6:03 AM CDT
I stand corrected: assES. This bridge collapsed once. Do you think people WANT that to happen again?
Kookey90
Sep 8, 2009 5:40 AM CDT
Praise the lord and for goodness sakes, pass the hat around.
Circusdog
Sep 8, 2009 5:04 AM CDT
TV evangelists soon will be preaching this is God's punishment for SF'ers.
 

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