OAKLAND TOUCHDOWN

When completed, the Oakland Touchdown (OTD), located just west of the Bay Bridge toll plaza, will connect Interstate 80 in Oakland to the new side-by-side decks of the new East Span. The project involves building two roadway sections and a new electrical substation, in addition to extensive relocation of underground utilities.

For westbound drivers on I-80, the OTD will be their introduction to the new, graceful East Span of the Bay Bridge. For eastbound drivers from San Francisco, this section of the bridge will carry them from the Skyway into the East Bay.

Construction of the OTD consists of two phases. The first phase includes building approximately 1,000 feet of the new westbound lanes onto the East Span, as well as about 500 feet of the eastbound lanes.

Westbound traffic will start flowing on the new East Span first. When traffic shifts to the new westbound lanes, the second phase of construction will begin. During the second phase, crews will demolish the old westbound lanes in order to finish building the new eastbound lanes and connect them to I-80 in Oakland.

Electrical Cable Relocation

Before work on the OTD could even begin, crews had to relocate electrical cables near the construction site. The Submerged Electrical Cable Relocation Project was completed ahead of schedule in just three weeks, clearing the path for construction of the OTD. The existing underwater cable, which provides power to Yerba Buena Island and Treasure Island, needed to be replaced due to its proximity to the foundation work for the OTD. Two new submarine cables replaced the previous cable that stretched from Oakland to Treasure Island.