Golden Gate Bridge safety barrier placed

The moveable median barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge was completely placed down Saturday evening, a Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District spokeswoman said.

The final unit of the metal and concrete barrier for the $30 million system was laid down at 5:50 p.m. Saturday. Spokeswoman Priya David Clemens said:

“Though the ‘heavy lifting’ is done, the work to install the barrier system is far from complete.”

Workers worked to re-stripe the roadway with new merging lanes on Saturday night and were expected to continue the job today, she said.

UPDATE 10:04 p.m. Golden Gate Bridge opens early.

Zipper truck operators will work to create the proper tension and exact positioning of the units and crews will fill in holes created for pylons that are no longer needed.

Crews will also familiarize themselves with the new moveable barrier system and all aspects of using the zipper trucks in both day and night conditions, Clemens said.

The California Highway Patrol and construction crews closed the bridge at at 12:01 a.m. Saturday and will keep it closed until 4 a.m. on Monday to perform the remaining work.

Motorists traveling between Marin County and San Francisco can use Interstate Highway 580, the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge instead of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Golden Gate Sausalito Ferry is supplementing its normal weekend service with several late-night round trips between Sausalito and San Francisco.

The Golden Gate Larkspur Ferry is also adding service between Larkspur and San Francisco between 5:45 a.m. and 1:40 a.m. Saturday and today.

The Golden Gate Bridge’s east sidewalk will remain open to pedestrians and bicycles during the closure. Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District officials are advising caution to those who will be using the heavily traveled sidewalk.

All surrounding parking lots at the bridge will be closed to traffic.

Those who wish to walk on the bridge’s sidewalk must park outside the closure and use pedestrian walkways.

Drivers who ignore the road closures face a citation in excess of $350 and one point on their driving record, CHP spokesman Officer Andrew Barclay said.

The bridge district will celebrate the installation of the median barrier that is intended to prevent head-on collisions on the span with a ribbon-cutting ceremony today at 11 a.m. at Vista Point on the Marin County side of the bridge.