Demolition of old Bay Bridge span months behind schedule

It's only just begun, and the $239 million takedown of the old Bay Bridge eastern span has already fallen six months behind schedule - prompting officials to reopen negotiations with the contractor to try to speed things up.

One immediate effect of the delay: The scheduled hookup of the popular bike and pedestrian path to Yerba Buena Island has been put back.

Caltrans originally hoped to have the old bridge out of the way and the bike path ready to be connected to Yerba Buena by early 2015.

"We are now looking at the summer of 2015," said bridge project spokesman Andrew Gordon.

Another effect of the takedown slowdown is an increase in the cost of demolishing the old bridge. Well-placed sources say the price tag for toll-payers could come in at an additional $5 million, at least.

State Sen. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, whose Transportation Committee has been investigating cost overruns on the new span, said that "given everything we have been finding out about how this project has been managed, it is totally unacceptable."

Caltrans and Bay Area Toll Authority officials gave the green light to renegotiate the takedown contract after conferring on a conference call Monday evening.

Caltrans 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 contactors on the demolition's first stage.

According to Gordon, Caltrans was so busy trying to get the new eastern span finished by last Labor Day weekend that it didn't have time to secure the necessary demolition permits.

"It wasn't until the opening that they were able to shift gears," Gordon said.

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Demolition of old Bay Bridge span months behind schedule