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By Phil Matier
Filed Under:Bay Bridge Construction, Demolition, East Span, Phil Matier
OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 30: The new Bay Bridge Self-Anchored Suspension (SAS) tower and the old eastern span of the bridge peek through fog on August 30, 2013 in Oakland, California. After nearly 12 years of construction and an estimated price tag of $6.4 billion, workers are making final repairs to the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge which is set to open on September 3. The bridge will be the world's tallest Self-Anchored Suspension (SAS) tower once completed. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)The new Bay Bridge Self-Anchored Suspension (SAS) tower and the old eastern span of the bridge peek through fog. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) — The Bay Bridge saga continues as the $239 million takedown of the old eastern span has fallen six months behind schedule.

As we are all probably used to by now, it’s going to take longer than they thought and cost more than what was estimated.

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In our Matier & Ross Column a while back, we reported that the takedown was two months delayed because Caltrans was moving slow securing permits because they were preoccupied with getting the new span open.

It turns out that those two months have now extended to six months as contractors working to take down the old span are wrestling with space with other contractors still working on the new span.

Apparently no one seemed to have an idea just how big, or small, Yerba Buena Island (the land that connects the two spans) is. There isn’t enough room for both contractors’ equipment and trucks

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The effect of the slowdown, of course, is causing an increase in the cost of demolishing the old bridge. Well-placed sources told me the price tag for toll-payers could come in at an additional $5 million—at least.

But as one official told me on Tuesday, they have heard there early numbers before but that tend to go in only one direction, up.

Caltrans, meanwhile, had declined to comment publicly on how much it might cost to get the work back on track, citing impending negotiations with California Engineering Contractors and Silverado Construction, the two main contractors.

One of the immediate results of all this is that the connecter for the bike lane will be unable to reach Treasure Island until the summer of 2015.

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We’ll have to see what other ripple effects there will be.