Richmond-San Rafael Bridge lane closures planned
Maintenance work on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge will close lanes overnight next week, Caltrans said.
The work is set for 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Friday on the westbound upper deck, closer to Contra Costa County. Crews will close lanes No. 2 and No. 3 on the eastbound lower deck each night. Lane No. 2 on the westbound upper deck will be closed from 8 p.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Thursday.
Motorists should expect delays and seek alternative routes, the state agency said.
Failing concrete on the upper deck at midspan sent crews scrambling to make emergency repairs this week, setting off an afternoon commute meltdown on Monday.
Maintenance crews that morning discovered “unsound, spalling concrete” of the eastbound lower deck near pier No. 25, which is closer to the Marin County end of the span, Caltrans said. Spalling is when the concrete breaks apart.
After an initial evaluation, crews cut a 42-inch-by-20-inch section around the damaged area, replaced rebar and filled the hole with concrete to patch the road.
“The closure on Monday has been addressed temporarily,” said DeNise Harding, a Caltrans spokesperson. “Permanent repairs will be done within the next two weeks. At this time, no additional damage has been identified elsewhere.”
The upcoming maintenance work was previously scheduled and is unrelated to the incident Monday, though it is addressing a similar problem, Harding said.
Crews will chip away unsound concrete, replace damaged rebar, add reinforcement and pour fresh concrete, Harding said.