Caltrans will close Gilman Street in Berkeley and at least one lane on Interstate 80 East Friday night to make repairs related to a hit-and-run collision that caused an estimated $2.1 million in damage to a freeway overpass in July.
The closure is slated to run from 8 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday, according to Caltrans. The westbound Gilman onramps and offramps will stay open via detour routes.
Caltrans spokesperson Janis Mara said this would be the last prolonged closure related to the July collision, as the bulk of repairs is expected to be completed.
The California Highway Patrol did not respond to Berkeleyside’s inquiries about whether charges had been filed.
The driver was identified as a South San Francisco man, who was working for Mike O’Brien Specialized Hauling in San Francisco, according to Bay City News.
The driver, in his early 60s, was heading west on Gilman Street on July 20 at about 10:40 a.m., when a piece of construction equipment he was hauling on his big rig truck struck the overpass. According to the CHP, the driver then backed up, got onto the freeway and fled.
Caltrans recommends the following detours:
- Westbound motorists on I-80 going to Berkeley will be detoured to use southbound West Frontage Road and eastbound University Ave in Berkeley.
- Motorists who wish to access eastbound I-80 from Gilman Street will be detoured to take the southbound West Frontage Road and follow the detour signs to eastbound University Avenue and then left onto northbound San Pablo Avenue, continue on San Pablo Avenue for about 1 mile, then left onto westbound Marin Avenue, then continue on Marin Avenue for ¼ mile then enter eastbound I-80.
- Motorists traveling to westbound I-80 from Gilman Street will be detoured onto southbound Eastshore Highway, then left onto eastbound Cedar Street, then right onto southbound San Pablo Avenue, and right onto westbound University Avenue, then continue on westbound University Avenue to access I-80.
- Motorists traveling to eastbound I-80 from Gilman Street will be detoured onto northbound Eastshore Highway, continue on Eastshore Highway and then left onto Buchanan Street. Enter I-80 from Buchanan Street.
