CHP Patrols to Increase on the Bay Bridge

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) are working together to reduce speeding on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. As part of a monitoring program that includes information from CHP units and sensors built into the bridge an average motorist speed increase of over 10 mph has been detected for westbound off peak traffic.

In order to maintain safety for the traveling public the CHP has been increasing the number of patrol vehicles on the span. Caltrans is also scheduling maintenance work during off peak periods, which are the times that have seen the most significant speed increases. This maintenance work may necessitate the closure of one or more lanes. CHP units may be stationed within the lane closure to protect workers working on the bridge as well as monitor motorists’ speed, and traffic conditions.

“Motorist safety is our prime concern,” stated CHP spokesperson Trent Cross. “The CHP maintains regular patrols on the bridge and can increase the number of units patrolling the bridge when we detect that we have vehicles reaching unsafe speeds.” Additional patrol units and bridge lane closures started this week.

The Bay Bridge is currently undergoing one of the largest seismic retrofits in California and U.S. history. There are two temporary detours on the structure now with another scheduled to be placed in early 2012. Caltrans spokesperson Bart Ney commented, “Caltrans will assist CHP in our joint effort to maintain safety on the bridge in any way we can. Lane closures allow us to perform extra maintenance activities and provide safe space for the CHP to work.”

The increased enforcement and lane closure activity is expected to last through the month of August as needed to reduce motorist speeds on the Bay Bridge.