Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO – Commuters are giving trains and ferries another look in the wake of warnings that terrorists could be targeting suspension spans including the Golden Gate and Bay bridges.
Gov. Gray Davis issued the warnings Thursday. Although the FBI said the threat was uncorroborated, Davis said he felt he had an obligation to tell the public.
Traffic was off more than usual for a Friday on the four bridges Davis singled out, including Vincent Thomas at the Port of Los Angeles and the Coronado Bridge in San Diego.
Meanwhile, mass transit alternatives, especially in the Bay Area, saw jumps in ridership.
The number of ferry passengers into San Francisco was up Friday, both from Oakland in the east and Marin County in the north. But the system was far from maxed out.
Several more ferry runs into San Francisco will be added today from Marin County. Ridership surged Friday from 1,600 to nearly 2,900 people during the morning commute, according to Mary Currie, spokeswoman for Golden Gate transportation district.
Extra runs are also planned for the Bay Area Rapid Transit commuter train.
In San Diego and Los Angeles, the bridges are not major commuter arteries so the disruption has been minimal.
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