Caltrans shut down lanes on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge on Monday for an emergency restore that set off a significant visitors jam through the afternoon commute.
Caltrans stated upkeep crews on Monday morning found “unsound, spalling concrete” of the eastbound higher deck close to pier No. 25, which is nearer to the Marin County facet of the span. Spalling is when the concrete breaks aside.
Caltrans closed the No. 2 lane on the westbound higher deck and the No. 2 and No. 3 lanes on the eastbound decrease deck.
The No. 1 lane in every path remained open.
“It was a 3-inch spall, that spalled all the way through. You could actually see it from the lower deck,” stated Bart Ney, spokesperson for the company. “We haven’t found any chunks, but there is some powder, so certainly some has come loose.”
Ney stated there have been no studies of autos being struck by free concrete.
After an preliminary analysis, crews lower a 42-inch-by-20-inch part across the broken space, changed rebar and crammed the opening with concrete to patch the highway.
Crews accomplished the pour round 5 p.m. and had been starting to open the middle lane on the decrease deck, Ney stated.
The curing time for the concrete was anticipated to take 4 to five hours, although. The opposite impacted lanes weren’t anticipated to reopen till later within the night, Ney stated.
Caltrans stated motorists ought to count on delays and search alternate routes.
In February 2019, crumbling concrete fell onto a automobile from the higher deck as a consequence of a failed growth joint. The incident left a 6-foot-by-7-inch triangular cavity within the higher deck and leading to a full closure of the bridge, prompting emergency restore and visitors pandemonium.
Months later, extra fallen concrete resulted from ongoing development work to interchange growth joints on the higher deck. The challenge concerned changing 31 growth joints on the higher deck and decrease deck.
