on the richmond-san rafael bridge, and the result was gridlock. >> next, the massive traffic backup that still a

live where you live, this is abc 7 news. >> concrete chaos. these chunks from the upper deck of the richmond-san rafael bridge caused traffic gridlock across the bay area, stretching well past the normal evening commute. >> let's take a live look at traffic now. on the left is the richmond-san rafael toll plaza where cars are finally able to drive through. in the center is the embarcadero, where earlier all you could see were the brake light, and lot atop of cars right now. on the right is the san francisco approach toanll. i'daetz. >> and i'm dan ashley. this map shows you exactly where the problem started, around 10:30 this morning. a driver called 911 to report a chunk of concrete fell on their car. >> in less than an hour later,

caltrans shut down all lanes of the bridge. it wouldn't fully reopen until nine hours later, aroundle:20, live team coverage of this mess and the problems it created beginning with jobina fortson, live at the richmond-san rafael bridge toll plaza. jobina? >> dan and ama, the repair made to the bridge is basically a band-aid. just imagine this, though, as steal plates that are welded on to the areas where that concrete fell earlier today. it's all just a temporary fix, though. it may not sound like it, but that's the happiness honk. . >> go ahead. let's go, let's go. >> you're look agent the first cars that made it through westbound lanes on the richmond-san rafael bridge after an almost eight-hour shutdown. >> safety is more paramount than convenience. >> let's rewind to the issue this morning.hu of concrete fell and hit their car. >> a football size and several golf ball-sized pieces of

concrete were falling on to the eastbound lanes of the bridge. >> it's right over there. >> then the mess began. >> she has a doctor's appointment in 20 minutes. i don't know. probably have to go to the bay bridge. >> sky 7 captured the backups that fanned out to areas nearby. the gridlock so bad, it made some feel bold enough to try to turn around on the bridge. >> right now caltrans is working, has an emergency director's order. it closer away to do long-term repairs. >> steal plates were placed over the damaged areas, but that's just a temporary fix to hopefully hold us over long enough so we don't have a repeat of this during the morning commute. caltrans will have crews out l ey identify the source of the problem, but they did address one of the issues earlier tonight. they said that that second weave of concrete that fell today was caused by them. there were workers on the upper

deck, and the work they were doing caused the condition reit to fall. jobina fortson, abcnews. >> okay, jobina, thanks very much. one of the alternate routes was 37. you can see a long line of brake lights as people headed eastbound leaving novato. at one point it took an hour and 40 minutes to get from highway 101 to sears point. that's about seven miles. >> that's rough. it wasn't just highway 37. the traffic problems were felt all the way to san francisco where the evening commute turned to gridlock in the financial district tonight. abc 7 news reporter dion lim talked to some very frustrated drives. hi, dion. >> hi there, dan and am map. along drum street in san francisco, things are relatively quiet as they should be for this time of night. but take a look at the sig alert map. you can still see plenty of red going on to the bay bridge, indicating delays. quite a difference, though, from what we experienced several hours earlier. this is the sound of

frustration. how long have you been in traffic again? >> two hours. >> frustration that lasted all afternoon along the embarcadero in san francisco well before the evening rush hour commute. whether going to the bay bridge, golden gate, or anywhere, really. >> i'm going redwood city, and it's going to be bad. >> took forever. we got caught up in the slowdown ourselves, creeping down one block took 17 minutes. >> i'm trying to take one of the passengers to 20th, and then him to the airport. and it's been 45 minutes. >> traffic troubles were so bad in the city because of the richmond-san rafael bridge shutdown, even other modes of transportation like some cable car lines temporarily stopped service. do you have a plan? >> no. my plan is to look at my gps and pray it gets better. >> this man we found along battery street trying to get to livermore. >> we come back from woodacre and it's been an hour and a half since we've been driving. >> you're kidding. it's going to be a long day. >> be home by 9:00 tonight. >> his friend texted when they

finally arrived at the bay bridge. his prediction came true. 1.7 miles, a whopping 80 minutes later. what a headache. now i just checked the sig alert map. moments ago that red you see there indicates slowdowns of 15 to 17 miles an hour. in san francisco, i'm dion lim, abcnews. >> okay, dion, thanks very much. and to make matters worse, several streets were closed for a movie shoot in telegraph hill. by using our exclusive sky map 7 technology, you can see which street you're looking at. there is a studio truck film crew and a large screen at montgomery and green streets. san francisco police diverted traffic a few blocks surrounding this area. >> so the question is what caused those chunks of concrete to fall. project believe they figured out what happened here. >> here is dan noyes. >> a high level source who works with engineers on the bridge project tells me tnsion joie

upper deck at theend, southe edge just above where the concrete chunks landed on the lower deck. the source says heavy trucks have been hitting that expansion joint hard, opening spaces between the concrete and rebar and allowing water intrusion. i spoke with a long-time bridge engineer, former president of the american society of civil engineers. >> that's one of the areas where you may have some problems. expansion joints take a lot of pounding from trucks. and there are also separation between two decks. sometimes they're not supported as well as they can to take the pounding and they break up a bit. >> the joints were replaced in the seismic refit. even after that there were problems with concrete giving way on the upper and lower decks, but not to the extent we're seeing today. one engineer consulted on the retrofit tells me he is concerned about the different types of concrete used on that

upper deck. it's 60% lighter, but not as strong. >> in those days, light concrete was not as good as today, and it can crack easier than normal concrete. >> a new bike lane opens on the upper deck coming this spring there was that project has added weight to the bridge which causes some vibrations and the concrete came loose. but i spoke to the subcontractor on the project today. he tells me the bike lane is not adding much weight. they will be adding a movable barrier. we'll see that plays out later this spring. dan noyes, abc 7 news. >> and we used the abc 7 news app to keep you updated throughout the day. download the news app and enable push alerts so you can know about news like this. you can customize the app so you only get alerts about where you live. >> again, all lanes of the richmond-san rafael bridge are back open tonight after falling concrete problems. the abc 7 morning team will be all over the story beginning at

4:30 a.m. with reggie aqui and jessica castro. alexa smith will be updating you from the traffic center as well. now to looking into the cause of yesterday. a go team from the national transportation safety board arrived tonight to observe the wreckage. the ntsb says it's very early in the investigation, but they will begin interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence tomorrow morning to try to piece together what happened. two lanes of westbound geary are closed. parker street is still closed to traffic at geary. all right. let's take a live look outside. clouds are building. and guess what? more rain is on the way. >> yes, meteorologist sandhya patel is tracking the next storm with live doppler. >> just ahead of that storm, look what's showing up right now. . gets interesting by the moment. mount hamilton is seeing some snow mixing in with some showers as we get you into street level radar.

butterfield boulevard and morgan hill seeing a moderate shower. a light shower around highway 101. it's all in association with a system that is developing right off the coastline here. and it's going to head in our direction. it's a light level 1. tomorrow afternoon rain brief downpours. most areas a quarter to an inch. it's going to be breezy at the coast. tomorrow morning just a couple of showers, not all areas. spotty at best. but tomorrow, as we head towards the lunch hour and beyond is when that rainfall intensity and coverage picks up. i'll be back with a closer look at the timeline, plus the weekend coming up. ama? >> sounds good. thank you, sandhya. teachers in oakland are making preparations in case a strike was called. many spent the evening making strike signs. 90% voted to authorize the strike. teachers are asking for a 12% raise over three years. the district has offered 5% ove could happen by the end of the month. students from at least five oakland high schools are planning a sick-out and march

tomorrow morning. jeff bezos accuses the "national enquirer" of blackmail. what amazon's ceo revealed in a post tonight. >> abc7 is committed to building a better bay area. that includes tackling issue likes the high cost of housing. why critics say the monster in the mission is not the answer. and improving safety in the south bay. we'll show you the first of its kind program launching in santa cruz. first, though, here's a look at what's coming up on jimmy kimmel live right after abc 7 news at 11:00. jimmy? >> thanks, dan and am map. if you love tv shows, this is your lucky night. look at this, snow globes. nothing breaks like a snow globe, that's for sure. >> go! all good.

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here at abc 7 news, we're committed to building a better bay area, and we're working on solutions and improvements to the big issues that we all face where we live, like housing. >> yes. this is one of the most expensive places to live in the country. of course you know that. the solutions aren't easy. take, for example, a project nicknamed the monster in the mission. >> yeah, the development would be built at the corner of 16th and mission streets next to the bart station. droneview7 through over the space where the proposed new buildings would be located. one would be ten stories high. >> and 331 market units would be brought to the area. the project has faced intense opposition from community members. >> we don't need more luxury housing in the mission. the community has demand for years for affordable housing on that site and for other sites. >> to sweeten the deal, developers have proposed buying two mission district properties and donating them to the city

with the intention of affordable housing being built there. now another issue we're addressing in building a better bay area is drugs and public safety. in santa cruz county, it's not only about the boardwalk and beautiful views, and it is stunning, official there's understand disruptive and criminal behavior can be a big problem. so the county is introducing a new task force dedicated to improving safety and one's sense of self. abc 7 news reporter amanda del castillo has the detail news from santa cruz county. >> picturesque santa cruz county is dealing with some serious people problems, issues of disruptive and criminal behavior have led to a new focused intervention team, f.i.t. for short. >> f.i.t. is really innovative. deputies will patrol matched up with mentalhealth workers. a welcome sight for a listening-time santa cruz neighbor lisa and little bailey. >> this is as late as i'm out with her. >> at the time it was only 6:30

p.m. the 30-year resident noticed a shift five years ago. theft, destruction, nothing good happens after dark. >> it's really a revolving door in town with the criminal activity. people get picked up. they go in jail yoeovernight an let back out. >> the need to end the cycle identified by the board of supervisors the team has already identified 30 people known to local law enforcement, and they tell me that number could go up. other says when you really get down to the root of the problem, it's a lack of area resources. >> funding for food, behavioral health, mental health and wellness. then they get pushed into having to steal, fighting crime. >> the team will first focus on the city of santa cruz, then to other parts of the county. in santa cruz, i'm amanda del castillo, abc 7 news. >> now we want to hear your ideas about building a better bay area. what issues do you see where you live? and what would make them better? use the #better bay area and

join the conversation. new developments now. the wo accused the publish over the "national enquirer" of extortion and blackmail. he wrote in a post on the san francisco-based online publishing platform medium that he threatened to expose revealing photos unless he stopped investigating how they obtained other information. the enquirer has not commented. let's turn our attention to the weather forecast which is changing rather rapidly on us. >> the rain is coming back, sandhya. >> that's right. we're going check out live doppler 7 to show you what's going on. ahead of the storm, we are tracking mixed precipitation right now. street level radar heading into the south bay, morgan hill. highway 101 heading across coyote creek golf drive. we're seeing light to moderate showers. like i said, this is moisture ahead of the storm system. boulder creek, highway 9, i don't will notice moderate pockets of showers. and as we go into mount

hamilton, it's turning a little wintry. kincaid, graveyard roads, a mix of rain and snow. certainly has been chilly the last couple of days. tonight we're running 2 to 7 degrees above yesterday's level was. that's because of all the extra clouds. most areas are in the 30s to 40s. san francisco, 50 degrees. not going to be as cold tomorrow morning. from our emeryville camera, we have a beautiful view of san francisco. our next storm arrives tomorrow. unsettled pattern through the weekend, and we'll see a wintry mix of snow and rain, particularly on sunday. so first thing tomorrow morning, don't leave home without a jacket. you'll want to dress warmly. it is going to be chilly. don't get me wrong. mid-30s through the upper 40s, but not as cold as it has been. tomorrow afternoon breezy along the coast, and it is still going to be a chilly afternoon. today's highs were a few degrees below average. tomorrow even more. so numbers in the 40s, 50s as a cold system comes in, and do expect a rainy afternoon. it's a light level 1 system on our exclusive abc 7 news storm impact scale. tomorrow afternoon, rain with brief downpours. most areas a quarter to an inch.

there is the possibility of thunder, and it is going to be breezy. so hour by hour we go. 8:00 a.m., just some clouds. 10:30. if you're commute is a late one, you might encounter a few showers. you have to wait until the afternoon. 2:30 when we start to see some light to moderate rain. 5:00 p.m., the evening rush is going to be a little tough, and there will be some pink there over mount hamilton, indicating a mix of rain and snow. lake county certainly in the hills will be seeing some snow as we head into friday night. and then saturday morning, you get a little bit of a breather. just a few lingering showers. the next wave starts to come through with bands of showers, 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon through the evening hours. and then that next storm is the colder one on sunday with lowering snow levels. in terms of your rainfall totals tomorrow, most of youen a quarter of an inch to just over an inch. it does turn to snow in the mountains, as i mentioned. a winter storm warning for lake county. we see this in the winter every so often.:00 p.m. sunday, they will see accumulating snow.

the totals there are primarily for the shasta area. shasta mountain significant reduction in visibility. it turns to piles of snow in the sierra. 4:00 p.m. tomorrow to 4:00 a.m. monday is when that winter storm warning goes up. do not try to travel during this time. up to 5 feet for the weaks, and whiteout conditions are expected. tomorrow morning is your best window to head up there. if you're heading to the giants fan fest at oracle park, gates open at 9:00 a.m. just some clouds. it's going to be chilly. a few showers in the afternoon hours. make sure you have your extra layers and a raincoat. accuweather seven-day forecast, a level one for tomorrow afternoon. possibility of some thunder and some snow showers in the hills. waves of showers saturday. mix of rain/snow sunday. cold conditions early next week, and then we go to a level 2

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tom brady is getting a clean shave to celebrate his sixth super bowl win. the patriots quarterback was at gillette headquarters in boston today. he of course grew the beard during the playoffs. as part of today's event, gillette will donate $35,000 to local charities. >> that's a good shay for $35,000. good stuff. >> just getting more handsome, if that's possible. of course i knew that was coming. >> are you talking about him or you. >> let's not talk about me. lost cause. >> that's a change. >> right. >> the sharks had a score to settle tonight. >> sorry, sorry. >> can i do my job, please? how would they go about dousing the flames? sports is next.

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abc 7 sports sponsored by river rock casino. >> good evening. the sharks trail the flames for a top spot in the pacific division, but team teal closing the gap. when they met on new year's eve, it was a calgary blowout. sam bennett had a late hit, caused a concussion. the sharks have not forgotten. evander kane said the sharks might try to even thimgs up in the game, but really not a lot of physicality. did have a spin a rama. through the legs of david riddick. kane with two goals and assist. that tied at 1. brent burns knocks the putt away. the puck hits burns. that's an easy score. 2-1, san jose. 22 second after revenge. three goals in 85 seconds. martin jones, 36 saves. the sharks win their fourth

straight. now trail the flames by only two points. the pros and celebs have descended on pebble beach. round 1 today. phil mickelson did something he has not done in over two decades. >> give me a picture, give me a ball, give me a club, just gimme gimme gimme. how do you think we built this country? >> bill murray, crown prince of golf. from comedy to music, huey lewis and the news is he's up and down from the bunker on 18. tied for tenth place. phil mickelson playing monterey peninsula, hit every single fairway. he has not done that on tour in 21 years. lefty, a 6 under 65. one back of the leaders brian gay and scott langley. college hoops tonight. usf at number 4 gonzaga. good luck in the kennel there. frankie ferrari. oh, he had 14 points. revving it up for usf. they got within three. but zack norville junior scored 13 straight by himself for the bulldogs. layup plus the foul. and then the three ball.

gonzaga, 92-62. they're 22-2. dons have lost two straig. stanford at oregon state. oscar da silva had 1 points in just the first half. card nell led by 19. finished with a career high 23. 9 boards, seven assist. big night for oscar, oscar, oscar. stanford, 83-60. they're 5-5 in conference play.

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than the one next door. they say you should always listen to your heart. and where better to do that, than the island of ireland? after all, your heart is the best compass there is. so get out there and fill your heart with the stuff that keeps it beating. fill your heart with ireland. all right. it's going to rain tomorrow. so be ready for that on the commute. that's our report. we appreciate your time. i'm dan ashley. >> i'm ama daetz. for larry beil, sandhya patel, all of us here, thank you for being here. >> oh, look what alma wanted,

one more shot. >> the $35,000 shave for charity. >> jimmy kimmel live next. >> bye for now. >> dicky: from hollywood, it's "jimmy kimmel live"! tonight -- jennifer connelly, oscar nominee richard e. grant, miley cyrus and mark ronson, this week in unnecessary censorship, and music from why don't we. and now, prepare yourself, jimmy kimmel! [ cheers and applause ] ♪ >> jimmy: hi, everyone. very nice. thank you. hi, there. i'm jimmy, i'm the host of the show. thank you for watching. thanks for coming. that's very nice. we have so much to get to.