San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Eastbound CLOSURE: Labor Day Weekend 2006

As part of its West Approach Seismic Retrofit Project, Caltrans will perform major demolition work on the Bay Bridge over Labor Day weekend. The eastbound direction (the lower deck from San Francisco to the East Bay) of the Bay Bridge will be closed to traffic from 11:59 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1 through 5 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5. The closure will be in the eastbound direction only. The upper deck will remain open to westbound traffic coming into San Francisco throughout the weekend.

Travelers are advised to use BART to travel between San Francisco and the East Bay. BART will provide all-night service to a limited number of stations Friday night into Saturday, Saturday night into Sunday, and Sunday night through 1:00 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5. Regular BART service resumes at 4:00 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5. BART will run regularly scheduled service to all its stations during normal operating hours. This includes operating on a Saturday schedule on Sept. 2, and a Sunday/Holiday schedule on Sept. 3 and Sept. 4.

The Alameda-Oakland Ferry and the Vallejo Baylink Ferry will offer expanded services throughout the weekend.

For those who must drive, alternatives to the Bay Bridge include U.S. 101 south to the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge, or U.S. 101 north across the Golden Gate Bridge to Interstate 580 and the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.

The Bay Bridge closure may result in significantly increased northbound traffic across the Golden Gate Bridge. If this occurs, motorists should also expect southbound delays across the Golden Gate Bridge, as the roadway may be shared by heavy traffic in both directions — likely resulting in three traffic lanes for each direction. Typically on Labor Day weekends, the Golden Gate Bridge is configured to accommodate high southbound traffic volumes with four southbound lanes and two northbound lanes. For transit options to/from the North Bay, go to 511.org or call 511 and ask for "Golden Gate Transit" at the first prompt.

The westbound direction of the Bay Bridge will remain open throughout the weekend. Motorists headed into San Francisco via the Bay Bridge will no longer encounter a traffic split near the Fremont/Folsom off-ramp. Four lanes of freeway traffic will continue westbound while the two right lanes exit onto the Fremont/Folsom off-ramp. Treasure Island will remain accessible throughout the weekend, via specially scheduled bus service to/from San Francisco and regular vehicle traffic to/from the East Bay.

Updated closure information is always available at baybridgeinfo.org.