Top Stories Oakland

More lanes will be closed on the Bay Bridge in the middle of the day in an attempt to slow down drivers on the S-curve.

Caltrans already has been closing one westbound lane midday Mondays through Fridays, allowing crews to inspect a cracked eyebar on the east span of the bridge.

On Friday, Caltrans started closing one lane on the eastbound lower deck between 12:30 and 2 p.m. Both closures will continue on weekdays indefinitely. The eastbound closure is from the west span center anchorage to just east of the S-curve. The westbound closure starts at the toll plaza and extends through the Yerba Buena Island tunnel.

The reason for the latest closure is to slow drivers on the S-curve, where more than 40 accidents had been reported before Monday, when a truck driver plunged off the bridge to his death, said Caltrans spokesman Bart Ney.

“We were doing some closures before for maintenance,” Ney said. “Now we’re expanding them to get drivers to slow down. We’re trying to do it in a way that doesn’t affect congestion.”

Other lane closures being done at other times will continue, he said.

Caltrans is closing two lanes in each direction on weeknights between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., and eastbound between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

On weekends, Caltrans is closing two lanes in each direction from 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday to early the following morning.

In another safety measure, Caltrans expects by Monday to have in place

temporary electronic signs flashing motorists their speed as they approach the S-cuve, Ney said.

Reach Denis Cuff at 925-943-8267. Read the Capricious Commuter blog at www.ibabuzz.com/transportation.