Two tie rods came loose from the Bay Bridge at 5:30pm today, falling onto the upper level of the bridge where one person was injured and three cars were hit. The upper and lower levels have both been closed to traffic and a construction team is currently at work on the bridge.“People should be prepared for the bridge to be closed for at least 24 hours,” said John Goodwin, spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. “At this point, the word is indefinite.”
Goodwin said that BART had longer trains in service tonight to help commuters during the evening rush hour, and will continue running longer trains tomorrow morning. Ferries will also be running across the bay on the same schedule they followed during Labor Day Weekend.
The bridge was shut down after strong gusts of wind loosened two tie rods from the bridge. The broken tie rods were part of the September repairs that shut down the bridge completely for four and a half days. CalTrans spokesman Bart Ney said that the bridge could now potentially be closed for that long again as the construction crew must wait for new tie rods to be delivered.
“The parts have been ordered, we just need to get them on site,” said Ney. “It’s going to be a similar supply chain as we saw over Labor Day weekend.”
The bridge malfunction came after the CHP issued a wind advisory Tuesday morning, which said that motorists on the Bay Bridge and the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge “are advised that gusts reaching 50 mph are forecast for both roadways today.” Strong winds continued into the night, gusts which Ney said could slow the repair process.
“Wind is always a challenge. We’re working through it as much as we can,” Ney said. “Safety is our primary concern. Not only for the public, but for our workers as well.”
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