The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge will be closed Aug. 28 to Sept. 3 so repairs can be made.
According to the Associated Press, the eastern part of the structure's current road surface will be replaced with a brand-new $6.4 billion span during a time when officials believe traffic will be at a minimum.
"We had a lot of conflicts no matter where else we landed," Metropolitan Transportation Commission executive director Steve Heminger told the AP about the timing.
Heminger said the bridge will be able to open as originally scheduled rather than as late as December.
The project's Toll Bridge Oversight Committee unanimously approved on Thursday the earthquake safety bolts to be temporarily fixed next week instead of further delaying the project and waiting until the end of the year the AP reported.
"That we can open the bridge sooner than in December is a very welcomed development," Heminger told the AP. "The existing bridge is the one folks ought to be worried about. That's why we feel the imperative to move people onto the new bridge so they can be safe as they travel."
Traffic will be blocked on and off the bridge beginning Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. California Highway Patrol officer Daniel Hill told the AP. Drivers will then need to use other freeways.
The bridge is expected to open late Monday or early Tuesday, but an exact time is still being worked out the AP reported.
The bridge's closure will affect the traffic flow around the region as 280,000 vehicles use it on a regular basis. According to the AP, Drivers are asked to plan ahead and use public transportation. BART trains are scheduled to run 24 hours beginning Wednesday night through the weekend. Bus and ferry service will also be increased.
