The westbound deck of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge will be closed during Presidents’ Day weekend 2012. Construction of a slight detour near the toll plaza will require the upper deck heading into San Francisco to be closed from 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17 to 5 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21. Eastbound traffic will have full access to the bridge during the closure.

Weather could slow construction and delay the reopening of the westbound deck, which will remain closed until this essential operation is completed. Get the latest construction and closure updates at www.BayBridgeInfo.org, and the latest information on transit and transportation options at www.511.org.

Westbound drivers will experience a slightly different approach to the bridge after Presidents’ Day weekend. While speed limits will remain the same, drivers heading toward San Francisco should be prepared for a slight detour as they approach the upper deck.

During the closure, motorists are encouraged to take public transit or use alternate driving routes. Transit options will include overnight BART service at select stations and additional Oakland, Alameda and Vallejo ferries; AC Transit will not be providing Transbay Service. Motorists should allow extra time for travel and use of other bridges, including the Golden Gate Bridge, the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge, and the Dumbarton Bridge.

By implementing this detour, along with an eastbound detour that was installed during Memorial Day weekend in 2011, the entire bridge will open to the public earlier than previously scheduled. The detours will allow construction crews to work between the existing and new bridges to complete the new eastbound lanes, which is not possible without the traffic realignment. Without the detours, eastbound traffic would have stayed on the original bridge for about six months after westbound traffic traveled on the new bridge.

For more information about the eastbound detour, visit www.BayBridgeInfo.org/otd_detour.