"The FHWA inspection found that there were no faulty welds last week, and we are confident that the same conclusions will be reached''

More on the Bay Bridge Welding Scandal...

Two more inspectors arrived today to "double- and triple-verify'' the safety of welds on the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge, the California Department of Transportation announced today.

Caltrans officials asked the Federal Highway Administration to bring in independent inspectors while the FBI conducts its own investigation into allegations of substandard welding work on the skyway.

"The FHWA inspection found that there were no faulty welds last week, and we are confident that the same conclusions will be reached'' by the independent inspectors, Caltrans spokeswoman Lauren Wonder said this morning.

She described the effort as "a third-party inspection to just double- and triple-verify'' that the welds are safe.

The inspectors are Mike Mayes, owner and president of Mayes Testing Engineers in Everett, Wash., and metals consultant Roy Teal of Albany, N.Y., Caltrans reported. Their work begins today with safety training on the bridge construction site.

Wonder said it's not clear how long the independent inspection would take, but the results would likely be made public quickly.

"We have confidence (in the welds) and it would behoove us to make an announcement,'' Wonder said.