After the unexpected, Bay Bridge back open

Closing down the Bay Bridge for four days was anything but routine. Then came the unexpected. As crews were executing a scheduled deck-section replacement, a crack in the eastern span’s steel link, or eyebar, was discovered.

Caltrans anticipated the worst and announced that the bridge would be closed for an additional two days. Then came the unexpected surprise—everything was back to normal at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

“Through the night, the crews have worked non-stop, for almost 70 hours, and were able to complete repair work on the damaged eyebeam,” Caltrans Director Randy Iwasaki told the San Francisco Chronicle. “The bridge has been inspected and it is safer than what it was when we closed it.”

Materials to repair the crack, which was not related to the scheduled section replacement, arrived to the site on Sunday by plane, and after some modeling the necessary saddles and rods were put in place.