Woman fatally struck by Metro Blue Line train

A woman was fatally struck by a northbound Metro Blue Line train this afternoon in Watts.

The incident occurred about 1:20 p.m. when the woman, in her mid-50s, was walking eastbound along the tracks near 115th Street. The woman died at the scene, said Erik Scott, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Northbound trains are experiencing a 15-minute delay because of the accident, and southbound trains are operating normally, said Metro spokesman Jose Ubaldo.

The train that struck the woman was carrying 150 passengers, all of whom were transferred to another train.

-- Baxter Holmes

Parts of 91 Freeway to be closed early next week

Parts of the eastbound 91 Freeway near the Orange and Riverside county border will be closed early next week while some lanes are restriped to accommodate construction. The closures will occur on the express lanes and the regular lanes from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday and Tuesday.

The freeway will remain open during peak hours.

The actual construction project will widen six miles of the eastbound 91 Freeway between the 241 and 71 freeways. The project is expected to be completed near the end of 2010. It is intended to ease congestion on the 91 Freeway near Coal Canyon Road.

-- Baxter Holmes

Delays expected on Metro Blue Line for track installation

Metro Blue Line passengers will experience delays today and this weekend as crews install tracks that will connect the Blue Line and the Expo Line.

Delays of up to 40 minutes between Washington Station and 7th Street/Metro Center are expected from        9 a.m. today until the line closes Sunday night. Metro buses will provide service between Washington Station and 7th Street/Metro Center and will stop at San Pedro, Grand, Pico and the 7th Street/Metro Center stations.

The Metro Red and Purple lines will run on a regular basis.

This is the first of eight planned station closures over the next four months to allow construction work for the Expo Line, an 8.5-mile light-rail line that will connect downtown Los Angeles and Culver City.

Other closures will occur in January, February and March 2010. The Expo Line will share tracks and two stations with the Metro Blue Line along the Flower Street portion of the alignment.

-- Baxter Holmes

Eastbound 118 Freeway reopened after closure due to accident [Updated]

The eastbound 118 Freeway was closed at Woodley Avenue due to a jackknifed big-rig truck that was leaking oil. The incident was causing gridlock in the Grenada Hills area. [Updated at 12:01 p.m.: The freeway has reopened.]

The accident occurred on the 118 just east of the 405 Freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Cars were being slowly escorted off the freeway at Woodley Avenue, and nearby surface streets were quickly filling up with traffic.

Motorists coming from the West Valley and Ventura County could take the 101 Freeway as an alternate.

-- Shelby Grad

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Workday commuters ride Gold Line extension for first time

Officials handed out coffee to commuters riding the new Gold Line Eastside extension this morning for its first day of service during the workweek.

The line opened to the public Sunday with about 75,000 riders taking part in a day of free rides and festivities along the Gold Line, which now runs from East Los Angeles to Pasadena. A ticket costs commuters $1.25.

“It’s still a party here,” said Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar, who was at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights this morning giving commuters free rail passes, commemorative pins and coffee.

Metro Chief Executive Officer Art Leahy also greeted commuters.

East L.A. hails arrival of Gold Line; activities are to be held today at four stations

The sun had not yet risen this morning as the first train to East Los Angeles in more than half a century picked up passengers at Union Station.

About a dozen people – train enthusiasts, students and workers for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority – stepped off the platform and onto the eastbound Gold Line train at about 3:40 a.m. They wanted to be the first passengers aboard the line’s Eastside extension, which officially opened to the public today, and some applauded as the train came in.

Some passengers snapped photographs of the historic occasion as others wiped the sleep from their eyes. “This train is now departing for Atlantic Station,” an automated voice told the group gathered in the first car.

“I think it’s great, ” said Mary Jaco, who grew up in East Los Angeles and is a rail enthusiast. She and her boyfriend, Eric Perez, rode the Gold Line’s first trip from Union Station to Pasadena in 2003.

This morning, they were at Union Station again, going the other direction, to East L.A. “It can connect everyone to different places, and I hope it helps give the community a boost,” said Jaco, 35, who now lives in Eagle Rock.

For her, the ride will soon be a familiar one. She plans to commute to work by rail. The Gold Line Eastside extension is the latest light-rail line in Los Angeles County and runs six miles from downtown L.A. at Union Station through Boyle Heights and into East L.A.

The last stop is Atlantic Boulevard. Commuters will now be able to ride the Gold Line from Pasadena to East L.A. Construction on the extension began in 2004. It cost $898 million to build. Transportation officials expect 13,000 people to ride the extension daily by the end of its first year of operation.

As part of the extension’s grand opening, the MTA is not charging anyone to ride the Gold Line today.

There are also several events and activities planned at four stations along the route:

East L.A. Civic Center Station: At 9 a.m., there will be a farmers market, cooking classes and an exhibition of bike programs; a ribbon-cutting will be held at 10 a.m., and there will be live music at noon.

Mariachi Plaza Station: At 8:30 a.m., there will be an unveiling of the Lucha Reyes statue and the introduction of several local politicians. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., there will be a mariachi festival and the  Boyle Heights Block Party, featuring music from groups such as Quinto Sol and Umo Verde. There also will be a ribbon cutting at noon.

Little Tokyo/Arts District Station: There will be karaoke and food beginning at 9 a.m. The ribbon-cutting is set for 2 p.m.

Union Station: There will be live music, food booths and other festivities beginning at 9 a.m. Santa Claus will be on hand at noon and from 4 to 5 p.m.

The train’s conductor at 3:40 a.m. this morning was Marcial Garcia, who had been working for the MTA for 24 years. He smiled as he pulled into Union Station on Track 1 and picked up the passengers. “It feels good, exciting,” Garcia said before taking off on the roughly 20-minute trip to Atlantic Boulevard. “People have been waiting for it.”

-- Ari B. Bloomekatz

Photo: The street-level entrance to the new Mariachi Plaza Station in Boyle Heights.  A mariachi festival and other activities will be held there today to celebrate the grand opening of the rail line to East Los Angeles. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

Crowds applaud the inaugural ride of the Gold Line extension

Los Angeles County's latest light-rail line — the $898-million Gold Line extension through the Eastside — was dedicated Saturday morning at Union Station and a sparkling silver train full of dignitaries rolled out for the inaugural ride.

The six-mile extension of the line from downtown L.A. through Boyle Heights and into East Los Angeles opens to the public on Sunday, when passengers will be able to ride the entire length of the line to Pasadena for free. The Saturday event gave elected and transportation officials a chance to give speeches and laud the newest public transportation offering in the county.

At 9:30 a.m. sharp, the glimmering rail cars glided into the East L.A. Civic Center station, which sits in the middle of 3rd Street, where a crowd was assembled. As the train rolled into the station, it broke through a plastic black banner. Firecrackers rang and cannons blew out confetti.

"When I was on this train a few minutes ago, going through downtown and Boyle Heights, and here in East L.A., all the memories came back -- the memories of your boyhood, the memories as you go into manhood," said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who grew up in Boyle Heights. "I'll tell you something: I couldn't be prouder of this community today."

Santino Hernandez, 28, who lives in Boyle Heights, was elated at the rail line, which has been under construction since 2004.

"We're happy it's finally here. We've been needing public transportation out here to connect us with Union Station," said Hernandez, a day laborer. "It's more dependable than the bus."

His wife, Celene, added that it would be easier to load their baby stroller carrying their 2-year-old son, Christopher, onto the rail line than the bus.

Mary Louise Sevilla, 67, a retiree who lives in East L.A., was worried about the safety of the Gold Line, as she eyed a child playing flag football across the street from the station at David Wark Griffith Middle School.

"Hopefully, the kids understand that they have to look both ways before they cross," she said. "You know how kids are."

There are eight stations along the route: Atlantic, East L.A. Civic Center, Maravilla, Indiana, Soto, Mariachi Plaza, Pico/Aliso and Little Tokyo Arts District. At Union Station, riders can continue onto the existing Gold Line, which winds its way toward Pasadena; transfer to the Red Line subway to Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley; ride the Purple Line, which ends in Koreatown; or connect to Metrolink trains that carry riders to neighboring counties.

On Sunday, the East L.A. Civic Center station will feature live music, a farmers market and activities for children. And, of course, mariachis will perform at the Mariachi Plaza station.

-- Baxter Holmes reporting from East Los Angeles

Related stories:

Gold Line extension: Your questions answered

Recalling the Yellow Cars while riding the Gold Line extension

Molina is critical of MTA Eastside extension's rollout

Map of the Gold Line Eastside extension

MTA information on the Gold Line extension

Metrolink board delays decision on fare hike after thousands protest

Faced with strong opposition from riders and questions about agency finances, the board of Southern California’s commuter rail agency today postponed a decision on a proposed 6% fare increase just three months after the last rate hike.

After receiving protests from thousands of riders, Metrolink board members opted to review a range of possible alternatives to the ticket price increase, including cuts to lightly used service, at a meeting next month.

“You want to charge us more to ride your trains,” law firm employee Charlie McDaniel, who commutes from Riverside to Los Angeles, told the board. “Many of the riders barely have the money to pay their rent.” McDaniel presented petitions she said contained signatures of 2,500 riders opposed to the fare hike. Officials previously said they received more than 1,300 comments opposing the rate hikes.

Protesting truckers create gridlock on Long Beach Freeway and downtown L.A. [Updated]

Scores of protesting truck drivers are slowing traffic on the Long Beach Freeway this morning, flashing their lights and hoping to raise attention about new environmental fees at the ports that they say threaten their livelihoods.

Up to 100 trucks are driving northbound on the 710, and are north of the San Diego Freeway, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Francisco Villalobos. The CHP was not told in advance about the protest, and is sending units to monitor it.

According to the National Port Drivers Assn., the caravan of trucks is driving from the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports – among the largest in the world – to Los Angeles City Hall. They are protesting new container fees contained in the Clean Truck Program that they say are hurting independent truckers’ income.

Commuters might want to consider alternative routes, such as the 605 Freeway.

[Updated at 10:17 a.m.: The truck caravan has reached downtown Los Angeles. Truck drivers, who are circling City Hall, are honking their horns and protesters on the sidewalk are waving signs. The LAPD is urging drivers to avoid the area.

While the CHP said 100 trucks were involved, some witnesses have said the number is actually much higher.

Traffic on the 710 South is expected to be jammed as the convoy goes back to the port.]

-- Seema Mehta

Photo: (Top) Protesting truckers pass Los Angeles City Hall. Credit: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times (Bottom) A caravan of trucks on the Long Beach Freeway this morning. Credit: Shelby Grad / Los Angeles Times

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Metrolink board to vote on proposed fare hike, the second in 3 months

The Metrolink governing board is expected this morning to decide whether to raise fares by up to 6% on top of a 3%  increase instituted three months ago.

Citing a sharp drop in ridership from the economic slump and moderating gas prices, the agency's staff has called for another fare hike beginning in January to close a several-million-dollar gap in the current year’s budget. Fare revenue is down 15% from last year and the five counties that help fund the service have signaled they can’t make up the difference.

The public has sounded off against the fare hike in hundreds of comments to the agency; more than 200 of those threatened to switch to carpooling or other transit alternatives, records show.

-- Rich Connell

MTA report calls for light rail, not rapid bus line, on Crenshaw corridor

A proposed transit line that will run through South Los Angeles should be light rail, not a rapid bus line, according to a report released by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

South L.A. officials and community groups cheered the recommendation from Metro staff and said the project estimated to cost at least $1.7 billion will provide unprecedented transit opportunities for residents who so far have been under-served by the county's rail network.

"We do consider it a victory," said Trevor Ware, chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Urban League.

"Look at the transportation options that we have now. We have buses on Crenshaw and we see other neighborhoods that are developing other types of transportation options," Ware added.

"To have a decision made that we will have light rail - that's so much faster and will have so much more of an economic impact - we need that too," he said.

The proposed line would run about 8.5 miles from the intersection of Exposition and Crenshaw boulevards, down Crenshaw, southwest through Inglewood and south to a stop near the airport and a connection with the Green Line.

About 2.5 miles of the project is proposed as a subway, including a section that would run underneath Leimert Park, said Metro's project manager Roderick Diaz.

The recommendation from Metro staff must still be approved by the planning and programming committee and then by Metro's board of directors.

Dan Rosenfeld, a senior deputy for L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, said the project could create some 7,800 jobs and that groundbreaking could begin as early as 2012 if funding can be secured.

-- Ari B. Bloomekatz

Map: MTA

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Freight train derails near Union Station, disrupting several commuter lines

A Union Pacific freight train derailed near Union Station this morning, disrupting several Riverside commuter trains.

Officials do not yet know what caused three of the 104 cars to derail about 1:30 a.m., said Metrolink spokesman Francisco Oaxaca. No injuries were reported, he said.

The derailment blocked two tracks on the east side of the Los Angeles River near 9th Street, Oaxaca said. Metrolink train 401 leaving Riverside at 4:42 a.m. and the 403 train leaving at 5:42 a.m. were scheduled to go only as far as the Montebello-Commerce station, he said.

Buses will be at that station to take passengers to Union Station. Riverside lines 405 and 407 will travel to Union Station but will be delayed 30 to 60 minutes. Metrolink suggests passengers consider taking the 91 or San Bernardino lines as alternatives in order to avoid the delays caused by the derailment.

-- Baxter Holmes

Photo: A Metrolink train passes through as crews work on clearing the railway lines after a Union Pacific freight train derailment near Union Station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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New lanes open on 405 Freeway through Westside

After five years of construction, commuters this morning are using new lanes along the 405 Freeway built as part of a widening project.

New carpool and exit lanes made their debut on the southbound 405 Freeway between the 10 and 90 freeways over the weekend. The existing traffic lanes were also widened as part of the project.

It's part of a larger effort to widen the 405 Freeway through the Westside, eventually bringing seamless carpool lanes along the freeway between Orange County and the Valley. Lanes northbound between the 10 and 90 are expected to open in the coming weeks.

The widening project, which cost $167 million, comes to one of Southern California's most congested freeways. The nearly $1-billion widening of the 405 through the Sepulveda Pass is about to begin.

-- Shelby Grad

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One of California's toughest commutes getting relief with 91 Freeway widening

One of Southern California’s toughest commutes is about to get somewhat easier.

Officials Tuesday will break ground on a $59.5-million project to widen the eastbound 91 Freeway with the hopes of easing congestion for commuters along the heavily traveled stretch between Orange and Riverside counties.

The section through the Santa Ana Canyon has long been considered one of the worst freeway bottlenecks in the nation, connecting bedroom communities in the Inland Empire to job centers in Orange and Los Angeles counties.

The roughly 6-mile-long project will run from the 241 Freeway, a toll road, to the 71 Freeway and will add one lane to the four existing eastbound lanes, excluding two express lanes.

“The 91 corridor, that’s been one of the toughest puzzles to solve,” said Peter Buffa, chairman of the Orange County Transportation Authority. “There’s 300,000 cars traveling that route each day.”

He said the agency also hopes to eventually widen the freeway in both directions from the 55 Freeway to the 241 toll road. Commuters in that area got another boost this week with today's grand opening of new lanes on the 241 toll road, another route channeling Inland Empire commuters into Orange County.

Gravel truck overturns on 210 Freeway in Pasadena

A gravel truck overturned on the 210 Freeway in Pasadena this morning, injuring the driver and shutting down all but one lane on the eastbound side, authorities said.

The truck collided with at least one other vehicle on the freeway just west of Fair Oaks Avenue and overturned about 8:45 a.m., said California Highway Patrol Officer Krystal Carter.

She said there was debris in the carpool lane and several other lanes on the eastbound side and that traffic was also slow on the westbound freeway as passersby looked at the accident.

The driver of the truck was taken to a hospital in serious condition, said Lisa Derderian of the Pasadena Fire Department. No one else was seriously injured, she said.

Authorities said they expected traffic to be slow in that area for the next several hours.

-- Ari B. Bloomekatz

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San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge reopens, to relief of commuters

To the cheers of Bay Area commuters, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge reopened this morning -- six days after two reinforcing rods and a crossbar failed.

TV coverage from the Bay Area showed the first cars rolling onto the bridge around 9 a.m., preceded by an escort of CHP cruisers. Officials said the last of the repairs were completed overnight and the bridge was deemed safe after final inspections earlier this morning.

The closure was the longest for the bridge since part of the span collapsed in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

The metal rods and crossbars that failed were installed over the Labor Day weekend in an emergency repair after inspectors discovered a crack in a critical structural beam.

The latest failure occurred at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, dropping debris on the roadway. Three vehicles were damaged but no one was seriously injured. The bridge was then cleared and closed.

The closure of the span, traversed daily by 280,000 motorists, has caused major traffic woes in the Bay Area.

-- Shelby Grad

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Lanes cleared after car overturns on 405 Freeway in Sherman Oaks

Lanes cleared after car overturns on 405 Freeway in Sherman Oaks

All lanes have been cleared on the northbound 405 Freeway in Sherman Oaks after a car overturned early this morning, leaving one person in critical condition and forcing three lanes of traffic to be shut down.

The accident occurred at 1:08 a.m. just south of Ventura Boulevard,  CHP Officer Francisco Villalobos said. One person was taken to UCLA Medical Center in critical condition, he said.

The cause of the accident was under investigation. A SigAlert was issued at about 2 a.m. and was lifted about four hours later.

-- Baxter Holmes

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San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge expected to reopen later today

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is expected to reopen later today -- six days after two rods and a crossbar failed.

The bridge is likely to remain closed through this morning's commute, making it the longest closure for the bridge since part of the span collapsed during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

The rods and crossbars that failed were installed over the Labor Day weekend in an emergency repair after inspectors discovered a crack in a critical structural beam.

Debris fell at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday when the rupture occurred; three vehicles were damaged but no one was seriously injured. The bridge was then cleared and closed.

The closure of the span, traveled daily by 280,000 motorists, has caused traffic woes in the Bay Area.

A Caltrans spokesman said workers have made good progress in recent days fixing the problem.

-- Shelby Grad

MTA's rail-car contract falls apart at last minute, scuttling hundreds of jobs [Updated]

A tentative and controversial deal to build 100 rail cars for Los Angeles County's transit system has fallen through -- taking with it plans to build a $70-million factory that would have created hundreds of local jobs.

Last-minute negotiations failed to result in a contract with AnsaldoBreda, an Italian manufacturer that is three years behind schedule on an existing contract to deliver 50 rail cars to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Despite those delays -- and the delivery of cars that were 6,000 pounds heavier than specified -- AnsaldoBreda was positioned to win the new $300-million contract through an option with a deadline of Friday at midnight.

Just weeks ago, L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa had hailed the impending deal because the company said it would build the rail cars at a new Los Angeles factory. Villaraigosa had cited a study estimating that the plant would deliver $368 million in economic activity, including 650 factory jobs and close to 1,000 union construction jobs to build the facility. The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor had lobbied the MTA board in favor of the contract.

Today, the mayor expressed disappointment. "In these tough economic times, it was important to make every effort to bring good jobs to L.A. and simultaneously exercise due diligence to protect public funds in pursuing this contract,” Villaraigosa said in a statement. “Unfortunately after months of negotiations, at the last minute, satisfactory financial guarantees were not provided and the deal was not signed.”

Hours before the deadline, the company raised new issues -- including a cap on daily penalties for delivering rail cars behind schedule, said MTA spokesman Marc Littman. Transit-agency negotiators declined to make additional concessions and the time period to reach an agreement expired.

The deal’s disintegration has ramifications beyond the future work, said MTA board member Richard Katz, a Villaraigosa appointee. He cited an agreement under which AnsaldoBreda was going to provide two free rail cars, which sell for $3 million each, to make up for building the vehicles heavier than specified. The heavier cars forced the MTA to reinforce some bridges.

In tones that reflected the soured relations between the company and local officials, Katz called AnsaldoBreda “unprofessional and so unbusinesslike,” and said the company's inability to perform under its existing contract could result in litigation.

Officials from AnsaldoBreda could not be reached, but the company has defended its work and says it can point to the successful delivery of rail cars in other cities.

[Updated at 10:26 p.m.: In a statement, AnsaldoBreda president and CEO Giancarlo Fantappié said that his company had provided sufficient financial safeguards for MTA and that he regretted a deal could not be reached "despite multiple efforts to negotiate in good faith on both sides." He added: "Despite this turn of events, Los Angeles continues to represent a focal point for our strategy in America." AnsaldoBreda is eligible to take part in new bidding to build the rail cars.]

The MTA intends to rebid the work quickly and hopes to sign a contract that will result in local jobs, Katz said.

The effort to exercise the option with AnsaldoBreda has long had critics, including county Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who in a statement called the latest development “a victory for taxpayers.”

The company “failed once again to deliver on a promise made to the people of Los Angeles County," said Antonovich, who also sits on the MTA board. “Los Angeles city insiders and special interests attempted to ram through a substandard outfit, creating costly delays in the MTA's ability to seek a legitimate firm to build rail cars.”

-- Howard Blume

West Hollywood Halloween carnival brings street closures, traffic woes

[Updated 12:55. p.m.: Police have begun blocking treets in preparation for the massive crowds expected tonight at the West Hollywood Costume Carnaval. Peak crowds are expected about 9 p.m. and officials ask festival-goers to be patient in heavy traffic. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Sandra Petrocelli said officials are bracing for up to 400,000 revelers. She advised attendees to plan their transportation routes. Public transit will be detoured and parking will be difficult, she said.  Plenty of taxis will be on hand.]

The 2009 West Hollywood Halloween parade is expected to draw tens of thousands -- many in outrageous costumes -- to the streets of the city tonight. But with the partying will come some major traffic problems.

Numerous streets are being shut down because of the event, which runs from 6 p.m. to 11p.m. along Santa Monica Boulevard from Doheny Drive to La Cienega Boulevard. Some streets will close as early as noon.

Actress Ricki Lake will be crowned Queen of the Carnaval, and there will be live musical entertainment.

Villaraigosa has bullish plan for rail transit projects

If Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has his way, Los Angeles County is about to embark on a commuter rail building boom the likes of which the region has never seen.

On Friday, the mayor will unveil an ambitious but politically risky transportation plan that fast-tracks several high-profile rail projects to be completed within the next decade. That’s a big speed-up because officials have generally been talking about completing them within 30 years.

Villaraigosa has made building more rail a top priority of his administration — though he’s the first to admit it’s going to take more than speeches and good intentions to get it done.

“Yes this is a stretch-goal, yes this is going to be tough, but I think by now folks shouldn’t count me out,” Villaraigosa told The Times in an interview.

Officials don't know when Bay Bridge will reopen; welding finished but safety test is next [Updated]

Crews completed welding on a section of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge that failed Tuesday but the repair still needs to be tested for safety, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Transportation said today.

Officials said they still did not know when the bridge will be reopened to traffic. The bridge was closed after two rods and a 5,000-pound crossbeam fell during rush hour traffic at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Three cars were damaged and a driver suffered minor injuries. The portion that collapsed was part of a repair done over the Labor Day weekend.

That repair was made after crews discovered a cracked link during a seismic safety upgrade.

The rods that snapped held a cap over the cracked link.

The closure left commuters scrambling for alternative routes, whether that meant taking other bridges or using mass transit. 

Bay Bridge closure causes nightmare commute as engineers try to determine why rod snapped [Updated]

[Updated, 9:20 a.m.: Repairs are underway at the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge after a steel rod snapped Tuesday evening, hitting three vehicles and causing the bridge to be shut down indefinitely, officials said.

Caltrans this morning would not give a time estimate for when the Bay Bridge -- a key route between San Francisco and Oakland used by nearly 280,000 commuters daily -- will reopen.

A spokesman for the agency told reporters this morning that it could take days to make the repairs.

The closure left commuters scrambling for alternative routes, whether that meant taking other bridges or taking mass transit. BART subway lines were jammed this morning, and the agency said it was bringing in more trains.

Motorists were asked to use the Golden Gate Bridge, the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge and the San Mateo Bridge.]

 
The cable broke on the westbound upper deck of the Bay Bridge during the Tuesday evening commute, hitting the vehicles and snarling rush-hour traffic.High winds may have been a factor.

"If you look at the totality of the circumstances -- you've got the 5:30 commute, you have a 5,000-pound piece of steel falling out of the sky. We are so fortunate that no one was injured or killed," California Highway Patrol Sgt. Trent Cross told KTVU-TV.

According to Caltrans, the incident occurred on a part of the bridge that received emergency repairs during the Labor Day weekend. That work was designed to repair a crack on the bridge.

-- Shelby Grad and Baxter Holmes

Photo: Traffic backs up on the Bay Bridge approach Tuesday evening after a bridgework failure. Authorities closed down both directions after a cable snapped on the upper deck of the span. Credit: Noah Berger / San Francisco Chronicle

Lake Elsinore has L.A. area's longest commute, census report finds

Think your commute is bad? Others have it worse – unless you happen to live in Lake Elsinore.

The U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday released new data showing how long it takes people to get to work. In Southern California, Lake Elsinore in Riverside County topped the list, with residents taking an average of 41.8 minutes to get to work. Palmdale and Adelanto were behind, at 40.5 minutes.

The report, which examined data collected between 2006 and 2008, confirms something veteran commuters know well: The worst drives to work are often shared by residents who live in far-flung suburbs. Other Southern California cities high on the list: Walnut, Perris, Murrieta, Moreno Valley, Diamond Bar, Chino Hills, Santa Clarita and La Puente.

The study found that the average Los Angeles resident spends an average of just under half an hour getting to work – putting the city at No. 26 for cities in the region.

Palm Springs and Indio in the Coachella Valley posted some of the shortest commutes in Southern California, about 20 minutes. But not far behind were some Orange County suburbs: Costa Mesa (22.3), Tustin (22.3) and Irvine (22.5).

--Ari B. Bloomekatz and Sandy Poindexter

Photo: Hollywood Freeway traffic.

Credit: Richard Vogel / Associated Press

Interstate 5 reopened in Burbank after big-rig fire, multicar collision

All lanes on Interstate 5 in Burbank have been reopened after a big rig jackknifed and struck the center divider early this morning, catching fire and causing a multi-car collision.

The 5:51 a.m. accident occurred on the northbound lanes near West Alameda Avenue. A SigAlert was issued but was canceled at about 11:30 a.m. California Highway Patrol officials said.

The cause of the accident was under investigation, but CHP spokesman Andre Primeaux said the truck driver told officials he saw an obstruction in the road and swerved left, hitting the median. Three cars on each side of the road were involved in the accident, but only one driver suffered minor injuries. An official of the Burbank Fire Department, which responded to the accident, said she didn't have any update on that person’s condition.

-- Baxter Holmes

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