San Mateo Bridge is now closed for seismic retrofit work until Monday morning

SAN MATEO BRIDGE (KGO) -- Drivers who normally use the San Mateo Bridge will need to find another way to cross the Bay this weekend. The bridge will close down tonight for seismic retrofit.

The San Mateo Bridge closure will be through the weekend from 10 tonight until 5 a.m. Monday. Lanes will open gradually Monday morning with the complete reopening by 1 p.m.. It's all the result of a discovery two years ago. During a regular inspection, bridge inspectors found a crack in a wishbone-shaped girder beneath the bridge. At the time, a temporary fix was put in place.

Caltrans spokesman Bob Haus says it has held well since then.

"But in the meantime, we went back and we've designed a completely new system for where the trestle meets the incline on the bridge. So what we're putting in is 12 new sections of the bridge, and a new seismic joint that allows the bridge to move in the event of an earthquake," said Haus.

The project will cost $3 million and will be paid for with toll funds.

Drivers are advised to use the Dumbarton Bridge, the Bay Bridge, and Highway 237 as alternate routes.

Heavy traffic is expected for the Big Game, Stanford at Cal, tomorrow.

The bridge also will be closed next weekend from Friday night until Monday morning to complete the repairs.

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