October 31, 2009 No official estimate for Bay Bridge reopening Play video

(NECN: Oakland, Calif.) - Crews were working around the clock in an effort to repair the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, but there was still no set timetable for when the span would reopen to traffic.

A State Transportation Department spokeswoman said the bridge would remain closed at least through the early evening while crews cut and grinded parts so they did not rub together.

"At this point, I can't even give an estimate, because we really want to make sure that that's safe. And if we give some kind of estimate and it's not happening, then there's false expectations," the spokeswoman said. "So really, we'd just like to keep (from giving) that official estimate until we get a better sense of how this stress testing works."

Work began Tuesday night after two rods and a crossbar installed over Labor Day weekend to repair a crack failed, sending 5,000 pounds of metal into rush hour traffic.

Material from The Associated Press used in this report.