Work begins on Golden Gate Bridge median

Lanes will be closed on the Golden Gate Bridge every night this week as bridge employees restripe lanes and make modifications to the Toll Plaza in preparation for the introduction of a movable barrier next year, bridge district officials said Wednesday.

The northbound curb lane will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. every weeknight this week, 7 a.m. on Saturday morning, between the Toll Plaza and just north of the Alexander Avenue exit.

In addition, the exits for Vista Point and the Alexander Avenue off-ramp will be closed, although a detour will allow access to Alexander Avenue, officials said.

In the southbound direction, the curb lane will be closed starting tonight at 9 p.m. to allow for new lane striping. The lane will reopen on Thursday at 5 a.m., but the number of available southbound lanes at the Toll Plaza will be permanently reduced from eight to six.

Lane closures could continue into next week. Modification to the Toll Plaza will require the removal of the 8-foot Art Deco clock, which will be refurbished and reinstalled later this year or early next year, officials said.

Information on the project can be found at www.goldengate.org or by calling 511 (say “Golden Gate Transit” and “operator” to bypass recorded messages).