Bay Bridge Closure Ends Seven Hours Early, New East Span Welcomes First Cars

The closed San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge came to life late this Labor Day afternoon as a ceremonial procession of classic and contemporary cars holding officials and special guests made a ceremonial first crossing of the bridge’s new East Span — led by a battalion of California Highway Patrol officers riding in formation on motorcycles. Then, after a pause of a few hours, the bridge was fully opened to traffic starting shortly after 10 p.m. -- nearly seven hours earlier than the planned 5 a.m. Tuesday opening.

The ceremonial procession capped a Labor Day afternoon event to mark the opening of the new East Span. The event was sponsored by the Toll Bridge Program Oversight Committee, which has been overseeing the East Span project and is made up of the heads of the Bay Area Toll Authority, Caltrans and the California Transportation Commission. Held in a recently renovated historic building adjacent to the Bay Bridge toll plaza, the event featured a series of moving speeches by a parade of prominent officials from local, regional and state government as well as representatives of the construction companies and labor. From there, guests were ushered to the toll plaza, where Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom reenacted the chain cutting that marked the opening of the original Bay Bridge in 1936.  

A highlight of the event was a surprise appearance by the now-famous Bay Bridge Troll, recently rescued from the old East Span, which already is being demolished. The hand-crafted metal troll has lived on the old Bay Bridge ever since the span was restored to service after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and was intended to exert a protective force on the span.

Later this evening, the tradition continued as a new troll was quietly unveiled in a warehouse in the bridge construction staging area, and temporarily installed on the new East Span just minutes before the new span opened to traffic. Forged out of iron by a local craftsman, the new troll stands more than two feet tall and carries a hammer in one hand, and a torch in the other.

Even as officials were gathering for the opening event, crews were putting finishing touches on the bicycle/pedestrian path that traverses the eastbound direction of the span. The path is set to open by midday on Tuesday, September 3, 2013.

— Brenda Kahn