The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge was back open this morning, a little less than a week after damaged rods fell on traffic during the evening rush hour.
According to the Associated Press, a line of California Patrol Cars led the first pack of commuters.
Two rods and a crossbar were replaced on the bridge after 5,000 lb of steel broke lose on Oct. 27. Crews installed the new rods on Saturday, but a test showed the rods were rubbing against metal, which could cause them to fail. According to the AP, the repair includes anti-vibration dampeners and measures to prevent parts from falling on the bridge if they do fail in the future.
The closure was the longest on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.
“I know that it has been difficult, but we are happy to be returning the Bay Bridge to public service,” Bart Ney, spokesman for Caltrans, told the AP. Ney has not returned several phone calls placed by Roads & Bridges magazine.