Doyle Drive Demolition on Schedule

People by the hundreds have gathered along the bridge to watch and cheer as sections of the elevated roadway come down.

The Doyle Drive demolition project is going well and on schedule according to Caltrans officials. 

"They are not encountering any unexpected issues and it's proceeding really well," Caltrans spokeswoman Molly Graham said.

The bypass is supposed to be open by the 5 a.m. Monday morning commute.

After the closure, traffic will be transferred to a temporary bypass that connects to a newly constructed southbound tunnel. The tunnel will accommodate traffic in both directions until 2015, when crews construct a northbound tunnel.

The demolition has become the event of the weekend in the City as hundreds of people turn out to watch it come down piece by piece. Each section's fall is met by cheers by a crowd of people.

Doyle Drive has been the road of choice for locals and tourists alike for the past 75 years.

But it has long since past the point of safe driving. It is often among the first places listed when it comes to roads that are unsafe in an earthquake.

This weekend, crews are using a fleet of 40 demolition hammers which have been brought in from sites around the country. The hammers are systematically crushing the old bridge.

The chipping away of Doyle Drive will continue for weeks, but will only happened during daytime hours after the weekend is over.

For the most part, drivers are avoiding the area. The Golden Gate Bridge saw a 50-percent drop in drivers when compared to last weekend.

REGIONAL DETOURS DETAILS:

  • Northbound traffic should use I-80/San Francisco - Oakland Bay Brid ge to I-580/Richmond - San Rafael Bridge.
  • Southbound traffic should take I-580 to I-80 to I-280 towards the San Francisco Peninsula.
  • Highway One/Park Presidio Boulevard to and from the Golden Gate Bridge will remain open, however, motorists ar e asked to avoid this route as it will be heavily congested.

Extra ferries are running for people who want to avoid roads altogether.

For locals, the following two maps show what city leaders recommend when it comes to detours.

The new drive comes in at 1:50 into the following animation.

This is a more detailed map showing ways to avoid the Doyle Drive closure.

There is a good animation that explains the changes at this link.

Doyle Drive replacement fact sheet can be found here.

STARTING MONDAY:

After the roadway reopens, motorists will travel on the completed bridge and tunnel and a temporary bypass roadway. The temporary driving condition will have five lanes managed by a moveable median barrier to accommodate shifts in traffic demand. Expect delays as motorists adjust to the new driving experience.

Below is a high res animation that takes you through the entire process, including a driver's-eye view of what commuters will find come Monday morning. 

View more videos at: http://nbcbayarea.com.

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