Difficult rush hour expected after San Francisco Bay Bridge closes

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge closed indefinitely Tuesday night after a piece of the span fell onto the roadway, prompting the thousands who use the bridge to hunt for alternative routes. The 73-year-old bridge spans the San Francisco Bay and carries an average of 280,000 vehicles daily, the state's Transportation Department says.

"All traffic is being diverted to other bridges. Motorists are advised to expect delays, use alternate routes, and plan ahead for the morning commute," said a message on the Web site of 511, a group of public agencies that provides travel information to Bay Area travelers.

The section of the Bay Bridge from which the debris fell is the same section that was repaired during Labor Day weekend when crews worked almost around the clock to fix a crack in the span.

To ease roadway traffic jams, the Bay Area Rapid Transit system, or BART, said it plans to run longer trains and increase its service during rush hour.