A report of a suspicious device on a Bay Bridge off ramp caused a full closure of the bridge Friday afternoon.
Crews were able to clear the device quickly, but the damage was done. A ripple effect from the 30 minute closure made for a traffic nightmare for Friday night commuters.
Bay Area roadways were already expected to be jam-packed tonight because of sports and music events.
Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake were playing at Candlestick Park and both the A's and the Giants hosted home games Friday night.
Along with the usual commuter traffic, nearly 150,000 additional vehicles were expected to use the bridge to get to San Francisco and Oakland for the events. Aaron Siuda, vice president of Live Nation Northern California, said that between the Legends of the Summer tour at Candlestick Park, a John Mayer concert at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, and A's and Giants home games, "it's a really big week for the Bay Area."
The CHP said at 12:52 p.m. a suspicious device was reported on the eastbound Interstate 80 off ramp to Treasure Island. A bomb squad was called in and traffic was stopped on the busy bridge right as the Friday afternoon commute was beginning around 2:45 p.m.
Traffic cameras showed all lanes stopped at the toll plaza. Cars were parked in the lanes with some drivers getting out of their cars.
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Lanes reopened at 3:15 p.m. The CHP said they could open the bridge because the bomb squad had moved the device.
The CHP said no more shut downs were anticipated, adding the scene had been cleared.
