Drivers coming into the city from the East Bay have been pushing the peak of rush hour earlier and earlier according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. CBS 5 reports that for years the busiest time to cross the bridge was between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. on weekdays. Well, not anymore.

The most traffic-heavy hour on the Bay Bridge now starts bright and grossly early at 5 a.m. That's right, the number of people commuting into the city super early — perhaps, ironically, in an attempt to beat the morning rush — has grown so high that you're actually worse off trying to drive west before the sun comes up.

MTC spokesperson John Goodwin told the channel that his agency has seen a 50 percent increase in the number of cars driving across the bridge into San Francisco between 5 and 6 a.m. — and that he can't figure out why. “And that is pretty amazing,” he observed.

Other Bay Area bridges are moving in this direction as well, although things don't get quite as bad so early. Highest traffic times at the other bridges are reportedly between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m.

This news follows the announcement of $40 million worth of projects designed by the MTC with the goal of reducing Bay Bridge traffic. Those efforts include increased enforcement of HOV lanes, as well as the purchase of double-decker buses. "We have a real proposal to use real money to help people on that very congested corridor," MTC's director of legislation and public affairs Randy Rentschler told The Mercury News last month.

Perhaps he should try spending some of that money to convince commuters to sleep in just a little bit later?

Related: Golden Gate Bridge Lane Changes Start Today, Will Impact Commute