Bay Bridge Tab Just Increased $293M

Transportation officials have added $293 million to the budget of the suspension portion of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge's new eastern span.
     
Wednesday's move by the Bay Area Toll Authority brings the budget for the self-anchored suspension span to nearly $2 billion.
     
The suspension span will feature a giant tower attached to a cable and is expected to be the signature piece of the new Bay Bridge section connecting Oakland to Yerba Buena Island.
     
The budget was increased to cover extra construction work and other problems that may come up during the complex project, which is scheduled to be completed in late 2013.
     
Officials say the added money comes from a previously approved contingency fund, so it will not change the total cost estimate, which remains at $6.2 billion.