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Sand Spill Makes Mess Of Bay Bridge Commute

BAY BRIDGE (BCN) - The Bay Bridge's eastbound lanes were fully reopened  shortly before 5 p.m. after a big-rig's spilled up to 50 feet of sand onto Interstate Highway 80, causing traffic to back up for several miles.

Drivers were still experiencing massive delays  well into the evening commute due to the spill, which occurred when the truck's two trailers malfunctioned, CHP Officer Eric Anderson said.

Officers responded to reports of a sand spill on the Bay Bridge near Treasure Island about 2:15 p.m. A Sig-alert was issued when officers arrived, Anderson said.

Sand spilled in a 10- to 50-foot line along the two far right lanes of the highway, and three lanes were closed while the spill was removed, Anderson said.

Crews initially estimated it would take an hour to clean the sand off the roadway, but technical problems prevented a sweeper from getting to the highway. The lanes weren't fully reopened until 4:50 p.m., Anderson said.

"It was just an unfortunate accident at an inconvenient place," he said.

(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)

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