Buses are back! After almost a year, Salesforce Transit Center reopens 3rd floor bus deck

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Buses are back on the third-floor deck of San Francisco's Salesforce Transit Center. Monday is AC Transit's first weekday commuter service to and from the Transit Center in almost a year.

One year ago, after 8 years of construction, the Salesforce Transit Center opened to much fanfare. Then 6 weeks later, on September 25th, a worker discovered a cracked steel support beam. At that point, the entire $2-billion transit center was evacuated for everyone's safety.

TIMELINE: A look at the Salesforce Transit Center closure in San Francisco

The following day, a second cracked beam was discovered.

The Transit Center was closed for 278 days.

But bringing back buses to the third-floor deck, took even longer. It wasn't until August 11, when AC Transit's Sunday bus services resumed at the Salesforce Transit Center. The AC transit buses are the last major transportation component that needed to reopen.

RELATED: Salesforce Transit Center rooftop park reopens to public

"You know it seemed like forever, but now it's here," said Celeste Burrows, who often takes the AC Transit buses to and from her home in Emeryville. She was thrilled to arrive at the newly opened bus deck on Sunday. "I think it's beautiful!"

The main advantage of the bus deck is that one lane goes directly from the upper deck of the Bay Bridge to the transit center. "You're only as fast as the person in front of you, this eliminates a lot of issues with traffic downstairs," said Dave Sorrell, who takes buses from the East Bay to San Francisco.

Sorrell will be using the bus deck regularly and said his safety was worth the wait. "As long as we do our due diligence and every "i" is dotted and every "t" is crossed, and in this case this beautiful bus deck all the joints are secure, that's all that matters."

RELATED: Preliminary findings released into what caused cracks in beams in Salesforce Transit Center building

AC Transit operates 26 bus lines from the third-floor deck as well as 4 early bird express lines for BART.

SF Muni operates one Treasure Island bus line from the deck. All other Muni Buses are on the ground level.

AC Transit says that all riders need to know for Monday's commute, is that buses will drop off and depart from the Salesforce Transit Center. They say ambassadors will be at the transit center and at the Temporary Transbay Terminal a few blocks away, to help make sure people know where they're going.

AC Transit says there is potential that other transportation agencies could operate from the bus deck in the future, but no deals or agreements have been reached yet on that front.

More changes are on the way to the Salesforce Transit Center. Over the next year or so, stores and places to eat will be opening on the rooftop park and throughout the complex.

See more information, stories, and videos about the Salesforce Transit Center here.