San Mateo Bridge Closure Ruins Mother's Day Weekend Commute
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Bay Area traffic this Mother's Day weekend looked more like a congested weekday due to the San Mateo Bridge closure.
Commuters were forced to take different routes after Caltrans closed all lanes in both directions of the bridge for resurfacing Friday night.
By Saturday, it looked like the Bay Bridge bore the brunt of it, with heavy traffic well beyond the maze, and gridlock along all the approaches.
Traffic remained heavy at the toll plaza and was slow across the span.
This was the first time since the San Mateo Bridge opened that the road is getting some care. Caltrans said many years of wear and tear were really beginning to take their toll.
"It's the original surface from 1967... at least 50 more years if not longer," said Caltrans spokesperson Gidget Navarro.
So far, resurfacing work is moving on schedule and the bridge will reopen Monday morning at 5 a.m.
East Bay drivers should consider using an alternate route along the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge to get into San Francisco. The Dumbarton Bridge is another option, but it was sluggish off and on all day Saturday.
Unfortunately, commuters will probably have to suffer through one more holiday with unusually heavy traffic. Caltrans plans to close the San Mateo bridge over Memorial Day weekend to wrap up all the work.
