Golden Gate Bridge suicide barrier construction creates huge backups

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The Golden Gate Bridge District is apologizing for traffic Thursday night. The approach to the Golden Gate Bridge was at a standstill because of lane closures and a concert. The district is responding and will cancel lane closures Friday night.

"We want to apologize. It was terrible traffic going across the Golden Gate Bridge. That is never our intention. We don't want people to be waiting long to get across this beautiful structure," said spokesperson Priya Clemens.

RELATED: Delays expected through 2021 on Golden Gate Bridge due to suicide barrier installation

Authorities are shutting down lanes of traffic on the bridge every night because they are installing a suicide barrier. There was also a Zac Brown Band and Eagles concert last night at AT&T Park. The combination resulted in gridlock.

One driver who works at night said it took one hour and fifty minutes to get home to Novato. It is usually a 30 minute drive.

Monday through Thursday they now shut down lanes from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. They will leave at least one lane open in each direction. Friday night the hours shift a bit. The lane closures are from 10 p.m. till 7 a.m. But tonight they are making an exception because of another concert. Def Leppard and Journey are playing at AT&T Park.

RELATED: Officials approve net to prevent suicides on Golden Gate Bridge

"We don't want to have a repeat of the situation we saw last night. So we're going to halt construction tonight and keep the lanes open and make sure that drivers can pass easily. However, going forward there will be delays on this bridge overnight from time to time. We are going to have lane closures. The bridge will never be closed entirely but it may be narrowed down to one to two lanes on both sides. The work is vital we need to do this in order to save lives. We want to stop the tragedy of people committing suicide here at the Golden Gate Bridge and it's a

long project it's going to take three years," said Clemens.

No word yet on whether they will cancel construction for Fleet Week or other major events. They are taking this on a case by case basis.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, there are resources out there for you. Visit this page to explore them.