Commuters faced hours of gridlock on the Bay Bridge Saturday after an incident prompted lane closures and a heavy emergency response.
Motorists reported seeing police and EMS crews on the south side of the bridge, eastbound, roughly halfway between San Francisco and Treasure Island. Witnesses said responders were gathered near the edge of the bridge, though officials have not released details on what prompted the activity.
Social media posts quickly fueled concern, with one user, Jennifer Mansfield, sharing that her uncle had taken a photo showing what appeared to be a structural shift near one of the bridge’s pilons on the Ocean City side, westbound. “Looks as if one of the pilons that hold the bridge or the bridge itself is shifting bad,” she wrote, adding, “It’s been reported!”
Other drivers, however, described the situation as primarily a traffic control issue. A commuter under the username lulueverything noted that the farthest lanes on both the right and left were closed, forcing cars into the middle two lanes. “It flows again after it becomes four lanes again,” the user explained.
Many drivers expressed frustration as traffic stalled for more than two hours. One motorist said it took “2.5 hours to get over the bridge” while another described hearing police use megaphones to instruct reckless drivers to pull over.
So far, Caltrans and local authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the cause of the lane closures or the reports of potential structural concerns.
The Bay Bridge, a critical commuter link between San Francisco and the East Bay, carries hundreds of thousands of vehicles daily. Any disruption quickly causes ripple effects throughout the region’s traffic network.
Authorities are urging drivers to remain patient and cautious as investigations continue. More updates are expected as officials release further information.