The weekend-long interruption of transbay BART service, which allowed BART crews to do some needed track work in and outside of the Transbay Tube, turned out not to create the traffic nightmare that some expected on the Bay Bridge. People either heeded BART's warnings to stay home Saturday and Sunday, or they opted for one of the army of free shuttle buses that were running, courtesy of buses on loan from AC Transit, Muni, and SamTrans.

As one shuttle rider told ABC 7, "It was super easy. It only took like 20 minutes, 25 minutes. They've got a whole lane dedicated just to the bus."

I was one of those in a car trying to get back from Oakland on Saturday evening, though, and I will say that the detour created by the closure of the West Grand Avenue on-ramp in Oakland was a bit of a confusing nightmare for those who don't know that part of Oakland well — the detour was complicated and not at all well marked, causing many drivers to go in circles around the Port of Oakland before making their way to the Union Street on-ramp to 880, miles away.

Traffic on the Bay Bridge was no greater than usual by most accounts. Another closure is scheduled for the three-day Labor Day weekend.

As the Chronicle reports, "During the closure, about 90 workers — BART’s entire track maintenance crew — rebuilt the tracks above Seventh Street in West Oakland, replacing 932 ties as well as four switches and 2,400 feet of rail over a nearly half-mile stretch of track." Some of those ties and the tracks are 45 years old.

Here's some video of the track work getting done.

Previously: BART Tells Everyone (Not Just Riders) They Should Stay Home During Summer Weekend Shutdowns