Caltrans officials thought there might be a half-hour delay as commuters transitioned from westbound Interstate Highway 580 to northbound U.S. Highway 101, Haus said.
The delay was only five or 10 minutes and traffic backed up about half a mile, said Haus, who drove the route himself at about 7:45 a.m.
"It wasn't bumper-to-bumper but it was moving slowly," Haus said. "It wasn't as bad as we thought."
Caltrans is demolishing the existing westbound I-580/northbound Highway 101 connector and building a new ramp over the next seven months.
The westbound traffic is reduced to one lane and has been shifted onto the southbound Highway 101/eastbound I-580 connector ramp.
Caltrans is shutting down Bellam Boulevard tonight through Friday night between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. to remove the existing overpass, Haus said.
He said traffic may also have slowed this morning because westbound motorists who take the Bellam Boulevard exit are used to staying to the right; now they must merge left because the right lane ends.
There are signs advising motorists they must merge, Haus said.
