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Demolition Of Old Bay Bridge To Take Longer Than Expected

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – The demolition of the old portion of the eastern span of the Bay Bridge is going to take several years longer than was originally estimated.

Caltrans officials said they plan on dismantling the bridge within days of the opening of the new eastern span, which is scheduled for late next year.

Caltrans spokesman Bart Ney said it will be the biggest bridge demolition in the agency's history.

KCBS' Anna Duckworth Reports:

"It's somewhat like what we did with the 1927 Carquinez Bridge," said Ney. "Just much more massive."

The design of the demolition is still not finished but Ney said the project is so massive that it will have to be broken up into two or three phases, with the largest being the removal of the cantilever section near Yerba Buena Island.

But as the plan becomes more detailed, Ney said the initial estimate of two years to finish the job seems less and less likely.

"Those projections were made on a 15 percent design. As you go along with the design, other things happen," he said. "For instance, the desire to take down the cantilever structure very quickly. So get the bids out faster, that's one thing."

The entire demolition is now expected to take between five and seven years at a cost of $244 million. Caltrans said they plan to put the first phase of the project out for bid this summer.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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