It's official: The new eastern span of the Bay Bridge will open on Tuesday, Sept. 3 - the day after the Labor Day holiday.
The Toll Bridge Program Oversight Committee unanimously approved the decision to open the new span, after earlier approving a temporary retrofit for a broken-bolt problem. Now the pressure is on to finish the work on time.
In July, transportation officials had said the opening would be postponed because they were concerned about the bridge's safety in the event of an earthquake. But they reversed course, as the San Jose Mercury News reported, after "multiple outside experts agreed that the installation of temporary shims in rocker bearings would make the new span safe enough for motorists." Meanwhile, permanent seismic retrofit work will continue.
Before the opening of the new span, the Bay Bridge will be closed for five full days, from the night of Aug. 28 to the morning of Sept. 3.