Caltrans Confident Bay Bridge Bolt Fix Will Be Ready Before December

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - Caltrans officials working on a fix for the broken bolts on the new Bay Bridge now say they are increasingly confident the bridge will re-open well before the announced date of December 10th.

Caltrans sources told KCBS a temporary fix involving the installation of shims to provide the strength to hold down the bridge that was lost when the bolts broke is moving forward rapidly.

Contractors are simultaneously vetting the shim fix and fabricating them. The shims could be ready for installation between three and six weeks from now, according to the sources.

If the shims are installed and appear to be doing the job, then Caltrans could move forward with plans to complete the roadway work and open the span. A Labor Day closure could still be accomplished, Caltrans sources said, but it is more likely the closure would come later in September.

A more permanent fix involving the installation of a saddle to do the job of the broken bolts could be competed while the bridge is in use.

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