The City of Alameda is notifying residents to not be alarmed if they see smoke or hear sirens blaring at the Webster and Posey Tubes (State Route 61) the night of Wednesday, June 15. The smoke and sirens will be due to a drill by the Oakland and Alameda fire departments.

The tubes, which connects the cities of Oakland and Alameda, will close Wednesday night so the fire departments can test equipment, practice working in the tubes and otherwise make sure the two agencies will be able to respond quickly and effectively in case of fire in either of the tubes, according to the City of Alameda.

The tubes will be closed one at a time. Posey Tube will be closed from 9 to 11:30 p.m. on June 15. Webster Tube will be closed from 11:30 p.m. on June 15 and reopen at 5 a.m. the following morning. One of the tubes will always be open.

The Posey Tube carries one-way Oakland-bound traffic, while the Webster Tube carries traffic from Oakland to Alameda. The closures are nighttime only. Both tubes will remain open during the daytime.

Changeable message and directional signs will be in place to assist motorists traveling in the area. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will be at the site during the closures.

Park Street Bridge is the nearest detour. Drivers heading toward Alameda from Oakland can travel south along I-880 and cross the Oakland Estuary via the Park Street Bridge, while drivers in Alameda heading toward Oakland can travel east along Atlantic Avenue to get to Park Street Bridge.

For more information, call Janis Mara at (510) 715-9291 or email at Janis.Mara@dot.ca.gov.