Back in 1989, during the Loma Prieta earthquake, part of the very busy SF Bay Bridge collapsed. So did the elevated Cypress freeway in Oakland, which was one of its major approaches. Since then, after far too much wrangling, work has proceeded on a replacement for the bridge's eastern span.
This has created some awkward situations for truckers, with nagging traffic jams and unpredictable repair closures, plus a notorious 's curve' section which has provenfatal to careless big-rig drivers. (Your webmaster doesn't find it particularly scary, but remains cautious.)
Be sure to check out their time-lapse videos of the awesome 'section replacement' construction project.
One idea is to avoid the Bay Bridge entirely. How?
If you are coming in from eastward on I580, use I680 southbound (perhaps crossing at Mission Blvd South -- not Auto Mall) onto I880, to get into the Fremont-to-San Jose region. For the "East" Oakland-to-Hayward area, take I580 west to I238 north to I880 (north or south).
To get into San Francisco, give yourself extra time. The Bay Bridge is impossible to predict. From the south, you approach from San Jose, or across the Dumbarton or San Mateo (highway 92) bridges. From there, scenic I280 is open to trucks, and is a good (often less crowded) alternative to northbound Highway 101.
From the north, the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge (the western end of I580) is available. Take the Richmond Parkway to cut over from I80.
Highway 101 backs up for many miles each morning, headed south across the Golden Gate Bridge into San Franscisco.
