Caltrans demolition crews on Friday began removing the second of five truss spans on the old eastern portion of the Bay Bridge, trying to get all the work done in one day because of the rainy weekend forecast.
Originally, the work was going to take place over the weekend, Caltrans spokeswoman Leah Robinson-Leach said.
This is the second part in a three-part process to dismantle the old Bay Bridge. Phase I was completed the end of 2015, with the demolition of the cantilever section and S-curve to Yerba Buena Island. That 504-foot truss span was hauled to the Port of Oakland for deconstruction.
The lowering of the 504s is a "slow and methodical operation" compared to the six-second implosion of Pier E3 performed in mid-November, Robinson-Leach added. Each box-shaped truss weighs 2,500 tons.
The five truss spans covered about a half-mile of the bridge before it was decommissioned in 2013.
The materials from the dismantled spans will be recycled.
More information about the demolition can be found at www.BayBridgeInfo.org.
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Lowering of 2nd Truss of old Bay Bridge moved to Friday due to advancing rainstorm pic.twitter.com/S9zteofiRV — Chuck Coppola (@CoppolaChuck) April 8, 2016
Each box-shaped truss weighs 2500 tons. New Bay Bridge beside demolition will stay open for traffic pic.twitter.com/INOOZOYhgU — Chuck Coppola (@CoppolaChuck) April 8, 2016
