TREASURE ISLAND, Calif. -- Caltrans spokesman Bart Ney announced Sunday afternoon that
the San Francisco- Oakland Bay Bridge will not reopen in time for the Monday morning commute, and urged Bay Area drivers to plan alternate routes.
"We want to let motorists know that unfortunately they need to plan that the Bay Bridge will not be in service for the morning commute," Ney said Sunday.
Caltrans crew members, material providers and inspectors have been working for nearly a week to repair a section where two rods and a crossbar fell onto the upper deck of the eastern span of the bridge Tuesday evening.
Ney said crews were still working on the repairs and that stress tests would be performed on the bridge later Sunday night.
Until they know the results of those tests, Ney said authorities cannot predict when the bridge will reopen.
"I know that's frustrating for motorists, but we don't want to make a false prediction, and we want to put safety first," he said.
Ney said crews performed stress tests Saturday, and that "engineers didn't get what they were looking for." In other words the test failed.
Bay Bridge To Remain Closed For Monday Morning Commute - News Story - KTVU San Francisco
Add to that an oil spill in the bay and you've got a recipe for a frustrating week.
Oil spills into S.F. Bay south of Bay Bridge