Update: Bridge Re-Opens After Possible Jumper Talked Down

Updated 12:05 p.m. Thursday, from Coronado police dispatch and CHP online logs.

The San Diego-Coronado Bridge re-opened at almost midnight after a nearly six-hour closure caused by a man threatening to jump.

The man was talked down shortly before authorities called for traffic to be again be allowed on the bridge at 11:57 p.m.

Resigned motorists were stranded for hours because of the situation, as they waited to join an unusually quiet scene at the base of the bridge, with just two police cars on what are usually busy streets.

But on Glorietta Boulevard, where police routed traffic off the span, cars crawled along at about 5 miles per hour trying to reach the Silver Strand, which connects to Interstate 5 near the border.

Officers said the community was fortunate the situation started after the most intense part of rush hour, but even with lighter traffic there's not much room on Glorietta for the overflow.

“It's just all being funneled into one lane,” said Coronado police officer James Dunphy.

One of the people who was stuck, Gloria Hoff of Mission Valley, is a nurse at Coronado Sharp Hospital. She wondered why a person would choose such a public venue to behave in such a way.

“A little part of me thinks it's to attract attention to themselves,” she said.

Another man bemoaned his bad luck for sneaking down to Coronado from Los Angeles from the day.

Tony Jukes, of Atlanta, said he was having a nice time seeing the community until he found himself stuck.

Officers said the most frequent question they received from motorists was how long the bridge was going to be closed. If they hadn't heard there was a possible jumper, they did not appear shocked by the news.

Another observer added that with the late evening shift change at North Island Naval Air Station, traffic might increase on the Silver Strand as workers take the alternate route.

Even one of the highest profile of residents found himself stuck. Dunphy said former Mayor Tom Smisek drove up, asked if the bridge was closed, then proceeded on his way.

The CHP reported just after 6 p.m. that a man appeared to be riding a skateboard on the bridge, and then texting.

Then San Diego police began to aid in shutting down transition roads from I-5 and by 6:38 p.m. they were advised that the situation would require “a long-term closure.”

A San Diego police negotiator was summoned.

Coronado police aided the CHP, attempting to control traffic while also standing sentry at the old toll plaza in case the man on the bridge attempts to flee, authorities reported.

On Twitter, a motorist posted a photo purporting to be the individual on the bridge.

It's the third time since Tuesday morning that someone has threatened to jump from the bridge. In the first incident, a young man was talked down, but in the second, .

Another young man, a 2011 Coronado High School graduate, .

A long-time 4th Street resident, Kenneth Kaminski, said he does not ever recall the suicide threats happening with such frequency.

“It's really just a shame. We're living in odd times,” the public defender said.