(Bay City News) Construction crews began installing the final section of the suspension span of the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge this morning.
The section is the 28th and final piece of the deck for the self-anchored suspension span, which has a total length of 2,047 feet, making it the longest span of its kind in the world, according to Caltrans.
Marking what bridge officials said was a milestone in the $6.3 billion project, crews used a large custom-built floating crane to place the section. Deck sections vary in weight — from about 560 tons to 1,670 tons — and length, from 64 feet to 229 feet.
The last two sections of the road deck — one for each of the parallel roadways — could only be installed after crews completed constructing the 525-foot tower earlier this year.
The project is expected to be finished in 2013.