BAY AREA BRIDGES

The San Francisco Bay Area is one of a few metropolitan areas with a large body of water at the center. Due to the bay, bridges play a very important role in the Bay Area. This thread is for all the bridges that cross the San Francisco Bay and bay tributaries, big and small.

MAJOR BRIDGES

Golden Gate Bridge US 101, CA 1
Connects: San Francisco and Marin County
Opened: 1937
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&q=37.819722,-122.478611&ie=UTF8&ll=37.819722,-122.478611&spn=0.02051,0.045447&z=15

San Francisco - Oakland Bay Bridge Interstate 80
Connects: San Francisco and Oakland
Opened: 1936
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&q=37.818056,-122.346667&ie=UTF8&ll=37.818056,-122.346667&spn=0.082042,0.181789&z=13

San Mateo - Hayward Bridge CA 92
Connects: Foster City and Hayward, San Francisco Peninsula and East Bay
Opened: 1967
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&q=37.591,-122.2429&ie=UTF8&ll=37.591,-122.2429&spn=0.020573,0.045447&z=15

Dumbarton Bridge CA 84
Connects: Menlo Park and Fremont
Opened: 1982
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.5069,-122.1169&spn=0.01,0.01&t=h&q=37.5069,-122.1169

Richmond - San Rafael Bridge Interstate 580
Official Name: John F. McCarthy Memorial Bridge
Connects: San Rafael and Richmond
Opened: 1956
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&q=37.9347,-122.4338&ie=UTF8&ll=37.9347,-122.4338&spn=0.020478,0.045447&z=15

Carquinez Bridge Interstate 80
Official Name: Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge (suspension bridge)
Connects: Crockett and Vallejo
Opened: 1958 (cantilever), 2003 (suspension)
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&q=38.0608,-122.2257&ie=UTF8&ll=38.0608,-122.2257&spn=0.020443,0.045447&z=15

Benicia - Martinez Bridge Interstate 680
Official Name: George Miller, Jr. Memorial Bridge (southbound span), Congressman George Miller Benicia - Martinez Bridge (northbound span)
Connects: Benicia and Martinez
Opened: 1962 (southbound span), 2007 (northbound span)
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&q=38.0406,-122.123&ie=UTF8&ll=38.0406,-122.123&spn=0.020448,0.045447&z=15

Antioch Bridge CA 160
Official Name: Senator John A. Nejedly Bridge
Connects: Antioch and Sacramento County
Opened: 1978
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&q=38.0244,-121.7506&ie=UTF8&ll=38.0244,-121.7506&spn=0.020453,0.045447&z=15

SAN FRANCISCO BRIDGES

China Basin Bridge Third Street
Opened: 1932
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&safe=off&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=0x80859a6d00690021:0x4a501367f076adff,San+Francisco,+CA&gl=us&t=h&msa=0&ll=37.776772,-122.390198&spn=0.001814,0.00284&z=19

Fourth Street Bridge Fourth Street
Opened: 1912
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&safe=off&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=0x80859a6d00690021:0x4a501367f076adff,San+Francisco,+CA&gl=us&t=h&msa=0&ll=37.775198,-122.392049&spn=0.001814,0.00284&z=19

Illinois Street Bridge Illinois Street
Opened: 2006
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&safe=off&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=0x80859a6d00690021:0x4a501367f076adff,San+Francisco,+CA&gl=us&t=h&msa=0&ll=37.747561,-122.385997&spn=0.001815,0.00284&z=19

Islais Creek Bridge Third Street
Opened: 1945
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&safe=off&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=0x80859a6d00690021:0x4a501367f076adff,San+Francisco,+CA&gl=us&t=h&msa=0&ll=37.747474,-122.38707&spn=0.001815,0.00284&z=19

ALAMEDA COUNTY BRIDGES

Bay Farm Island Bridge Highway 61
Opened: 1953
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&ie=UTF8&ll=37.748946,-122.236285&spn=0.003629,0.005681&z=18

Fruitvale Avenue Bridge Fruitvale Avenue
Opened: 1974
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&ie=UTF8&ll=37.768883,-122.230003&spn=0.003628,0.005681&z=18

High Street Bridge High Street
Opened: 1939
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&ie=UTF8&ll=37.76449,-122.224939&spn=0.003628,0.005681&z=18

Inner Harbor Railroad Bridge
Opened: 1951
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&ie=UTF8&ll=37.769448,-122.230529&spn=0.003628,0.005681&z=18

Newark Slough Railroad Bridge
Opened: 1910
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&ie=UTF8&ll=37.51333,-122.081805&spn=0.002574,0.005681&z=18

Park Street Bridge Park Street
Opened: 1934
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&ie=UTF8&ll=37.771754,-122.236569&spn=0.003628,0.005681&z=18

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BRIDGES

Southern Pacific Carquinez Strait Bridge
Opened: 1930
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&ie=UTF8&ll=38.041501,-122.123294&spn=0.010224,0.022724&z=16

MARIN COUNTY BRIDGES

Corte Madera Railroad Bridge
Opened: ?
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&ie=UTF8&ll=37.943318,-122.513523&spn=0.002256,0.003613&z=19

Lagunitas Creek Bridge US 1
Opened: 1929
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&ie=UTF8&ll=38.064581,-122.804832&spn=0.001592,0.003613&z=19

Point Bonita Lighthouse Bridge
Opened: 1954
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&ie=UTF8&ll=37.815844,-122.529134&spn=0.003195,0.007226&z=18

NAPA COUNTY BRIDGES

Brazos Drawbridge
Opened: ?
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&ie=UTF8&ll=38.208933,-122.306714&spn=0.006356,0.014452&z=17

SAN MATEO COUNTY BRIDGES

Dumbarton Railroad Bridge
Opened: 1910
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&ie=UTF8&ll=37.497282,-122.110054&spn=0.0103,0.022724&z=16

SANTA CLARA COUNTY BRIDGES

East Dunne Avenue Bridge East Dunne Avenue
Opened: 1987
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&ie=UTF8&ll=37.153459,-121.581895&spn=0.003224,0.007226&z=18

Gilroy Hot Springs Road Bridge Hot Springs Road
Opened: 1921
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&ie=UTF8&ll=37.099844,-121.472957&spn=0.001613,0.003613&z=19

SOLANO COUNTY BRIDGES

SONOMA COUNTY BRIDGES

source: San Francisco Examiner (http://www.sfexaminer.com/)
Golden Gate Bridge repairs require cyclists, pedestrians to share sidewalk

By: Will Reisman 05/31/11 4:00 AM
Examiner Staff Writer

Monday was a typical busy afternoon on the Golden Gate Bridge. Tourists snapped photos and gawked at the cityscape, parents pushed strollers and held their kids’ hands, and joggers dodged and weaved through dense crowds.

But the span will feel much busier starting today, when the western sidewalk shuts down for four months and thousands of cyclists and pedestrians commingle.

The Golden Gate Bridge transit district is closing the sidewalk — normally reserved for bicyclists on weekends, holidays and after 3:30 p.m. during the week — to complete seismic retrofitting on the span.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/2011/05/golden-gate-bridge-repairs-require-cyclists-pedestrians-share-sidewalk#ixzz1Nwj2mJer

source: San Francisco Chronicle (http://sfagate.com)
Golden Gate Bridge begins march to 75th blowout
75 events, series of projects planned in year leading to span's 75th anniversary blowout

May 28, 2011|By Rachel Gordon, Chronicle Staff Writer

Friday marked the 74th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge and the official kickoff of the yearlong celebration leading to the iconic span's diamond jubilee.

The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District has teamed up with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the National Park Service and the Presidio Trust to sponsor a series of events and capital projects to commemorate the milestone.

"Building the bridge was a tremendous achievement - an achievement that still endures," said Denis Mulligan, general manager of the bridge district. "The 75th anniversary is an opportunity for all of us to celebrate the landmark."

Read more: http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-05-28/bay-area/29593333_1_golden-gate-bridge-bridge-district-bridge-board

source: San Francisco Examiner (http://www.sfexaminer.com/)
Bay Bridge detour construction complete

By: Bay City News 05/29/11 12:01 PM

Motorists crossing the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge en route to various Memorial Day events this weekend don't need to expect any additional delays.

Work on the eastbound Bay Bridge detour near the Toll Plaza was completed Sunday morning, a Caltrans spokesman said.

Work to realign the eastbound lanes began Sunday at 1 a.m. and was finished at 8:15 a.m.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/2011/05/bay-bridge-detour-construction-complete#ixzz1O6FAxW2h

The photo is a bit old, but it's still awesome.

source: http://baybridgeinfo.org/
http://baybridgeinfo.org/sites/default/files/images/background/sas/sas6.jpg

There must be a billion pics of or on the Golden Gate but being there with the wind and fog rolling around is very special........
http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/4674/csanfrancisco94.jpg (http://img815.imageshack.us/i/csanfrancisco94.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

Check out the video: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8240433

http://baybridgeinfo.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/node925520/images_bulk/5_sas_render.jpg

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) (http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/east_bay&id=8240430) -- If you've driven near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge lately, you've probably couldn't help but notice a lot of work going on the new span, including two orange things hanging off the tower.

The two reddish-orange strips hanging from the west side of the new Bay Bridge tower are 12-foot-wide catwalks. Eventually, workers will walk on the steeply-angled ramps, installing a mile-long suspension cable that will wrap around the new bridge's hallmark tower reaching more than 500 feet above sea level.

"It is a 35-degree angle, but our workers are skilled and trained, experienced and know what they're doing," said Margena Wade with Caltrans.

The catwalks now sit about four feet below where the new cable will hang. A curved section of metal below the catwalk will route the cable to where it needs to go.

"There is an apparatus they're going to use to feed the cable through the footprint it needs to go in," Wade said. "It's a humongous thing."

Workers, who are no stranger to working at altitude, will be tethered to the catwalks as they work.

The cable on the new bridge will be one un-spliced mile of 137 bundles of cable, each bundle holding 127 small cables. In a warehouse near the bridge, the bundles of cable, each one mile long, sit waiting underneath blue tarps.

Two more catwalks still need to be installed on the eastern side of the tower, and work on putting the cable in place should begin sometime next year.

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The photo is a bit old, but it's still awesome.

source: http://baybridgeinfo.org/
http://baybridgeinfo.org/sites/default/files/images/background/sas/sas6.jpg
Nice pic. I can't wait for this bridge is completed . I am tired of the traffic on this bridge every time I need to cross the bay.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/6095212661_f5c09f77ff_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70111366@N00/6095212661/)
Bay Bridge catwalk illumination (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70111366@N00/6095212661/) by jakeller (http://www.flickr.com/people/70111366@N00/), on Flickr

Source: SF Chronicle (sfgate.com)

New piece connects Bay Bridge span

Michael Cabanatuan, Chronicle Staff Writer

Saturday, October 29, 2011

(10-28) 14:43 PDT OAKLAND -- With cheers, applause and a Christmas tree, the final stretch of the new Bay Bridge was lowered into place this morning, linking Oakland with Yerba Buena Island.

Crews hoisted the final small section of the bridge deck into place around 11 a.m., connecting the skyway with the suspension span.

Following ironworker tradition, a six-foot Christmas tree in a pot was placed on top of the roadway. For decades, ironworkers have attached a Christmas tree to the last piece of structural metal they install.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/10/28/BANB1LNKFV.DTL#ixzz1cV90vMOe

http://baybridgeinfo.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/node925520/11-9920D%20_0087.JPG

Source: http://baybridgeinfo.org/

http://baybridgeinfo.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/node925520/11-9920D%20_0041.JPG

Source: http://baybridgeinfo.org/

Happy 75th to the Bay Bridge.

Similar to the ambitious lighting of the Eiffel Tower for its 100th anniversary, The Bay Lights will commemorate the Bay Bridge’s 75th Diamond Anniversary at seven times the scale of the famous Parisian landmark. The installation, created by internationally acclaimed artist Leo Villareal, will live for two years, providing a stunning fine-arts experience for the entire Bay Area and its visitors. Leo began his art career in San Francisco before moving to New York. He recently installed a piece in MOMA in NYC, and his work is in many private collections.The project also has a higher purpose beyond...
Source and article: http://www.rinconhillsf.org/art/30000-led-bay-lights-art-installation-for-the-bay-bridge/

An animation of the lights in action:

http://vimeo.com/25870560

Source: SJ Mercury News (http://www.mercurynews.com/)

Bay Bridge closure going smoothly, BART traffic up

By Rick Hurd and Chris De Benedetti
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 02/18/2012 06:55:09 PM PST
Updated: 02/18/2012 08:03:46 PM PST

The first 24 hours of the Bay Bridge's holiday weekend closure of its westbound lanes went smooth, a Caltrans spokesman said, with other arterials and mass transit seeing increased traffic.

BART reported thousands of extra riders as the transit system ran extra trains Saturday, and other Bay Area bridges reported some delays as motorists were forced to take detours to reach San Francisco from the East Bay.

Traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge was heavier than normal, bridge spokeswoman Mary Currie said, but vehicles were still moving about 35 mph at stretches of the bridge.

The Bay Bridge's westbound lanes closed at 8 p.m. Friday and are scheduled not to reopen until 5 a.m. Tuesday.

Motorists still are able to drive on the lower deck from San Francisco toward Oakland.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_19997276

Source: NBC Bay Area (http://www.nbcbayarea.com/)

Bay Bridge Opens Early
Good weather allowed crews to finish work quickly.
Monday, Feb 20, 2012 | Updated 8:47 AM PST

The Bay Bridge's westbound upper deck reopened a day and a half ahead of schedule.

With all planned demolition and maintenance work completed, California Department of Transportation Officials began removing cones from the bridge and approaches around 7 p.m. Traffic was flowing freely by 7:30 p.m.

Motorists passing through the toll plaza are asked to drive carefully, since the merge will be different. While 20 lanes will still merge down to 5, they will curve slightly to the south, Ney said.

The bridge was not scheduled to reopen until Tuesday at 5 a.m., but Ney said unexpectedly good weather had allowed work to progress quickly.

Read more: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Bay-Bridge-Opens-Early-139701753.html

I can't wait for this bridge is completed . I am tired of the traffic on this bridge every time I need to cross the bay.

I doubt very much the new bridge is going to make much difference in the traffic. All we will get for our billions is less of a chance to be dumped into the Bay in a major earthquake.

http://baybridgeinfo.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/node925520/images/wb_detour.jpg
Source: http://baybridgeinfo.org/

FYI non-Bay Area readers--Doyle Drive is the southern on-ramp to the Golden Gate Bridge

Doyle Drive project continues with deficit closed
Michael Cabanatuan
Friday, March 2, 2012

Bay Area and state transportation officials have patched together a plan to keep the Doyle Drive replacement project rolling by closing a $54 million deficit.

Caltrans, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority came up with the plan in time to allow contractors to stay on schedule and start construction of the second phase of the $1.1 billion approach to the Golden Gate Bridge this summer.

"It works out perfectly," said Kome Ajise, a Caltrans manager for the project.

The shortfall, originally believed to be $60 million, became an issue this year after The Chronicle reported that some anticipated state and federal funding failed to come through. Because the second phase of the 1.6-mile Presidio Parkway will be built and maintained under an unusual private-public partnership, the consortium doing the work needs to obtain financing - and requires a complete funding plan to get the money.

Under a tentative agreement, the commission will contribute $34 million in federal money not yet dedicated to other pro-jects. The Transportation Authority will chip in $10 million in Proposition K sales tax reve, which has increased as the economy has improved, and Caltrans will add another $10 million, which will come from some of the money the agency expects to have available because of the partnership arrangement.

Caltrans typically finances projects up front then designs and maintains the roadwork that a contractor builds. Under the private-public partnership arrangement, however, the contractor, a European consortium known as Golden Link Partners, will design and build the roadway and maintain it for 30 years, with its own employees, before turning it over to the state. Caltrans plans to pay the consortium $488 million - $175 million when construction is completed in 2015 and the rest over 30 years . . . .

http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2012/02/05/mn-doyle06_ph2_SFC0106519692.jpghttp://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2012/02/29/bu-bottomline01__WRE0106574784.jpg


Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/03/02/BA7K1NF1FS.DTL

Great video overview of the project
tw5kvhv3V6Y#!

^^ great video...thanks :cheers:

25870560

http://thebaylights.org/

It's not the frosting on the cake that says "Happy Birthday"; it's the flickering lights of the candles. In that spirit, the Bay Bridge, which turns a distinguished 75 years old Saturday, could be transformed into a sprawling abstract light sculpture next year as part of an extended celebration.

Bridge officials and arts aficionados will announce plans for the Bay Lights at a low-key Bay Bridge birthday celebration this morning on Treasure Island. The $7 million project, which is working its way through the Caltrans approval process, will be privately funded.

"We're looking to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Bay Bridge and have a monumental piece of art in place for the next two years," said Ben Davis, the project organizer.

The installation, designed by internationally known light artist Leo Villareal, will use 30,000 white LED lights, 1 inch in diameter, placed a foot apart on the west span's suspension and suspender cables, to paint a constantly evolving display 1 1/2 miles wide and 230 feet high. The independently controlled LEDs will be linked in a network that uses complex algorithms that factor in traffic, weather and the bridge's motions to create patterns.



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/11/10/BA5M1LSTEN.DTL#ixzz1qRBEPWrn

^^I remember being out in the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge for its 50th anniversary celebration when we bent the bridge's normal arch "flat" with our weight. I recall seeing a number of pictures of that at the time, but I can't find any now.

Golden Gate Bridge approach coming down


Tuesday, April 10, 2012

(04-10) 09:30 PDT San Francisco, CA (AP) --

The main approach to the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco is set to come down, as crews replace it with a new $1.1 billion parkway.

Officials announced on Monday that construction workers will demolish Doyle Drive at the end of the month. The roadway will be closed from 8 p.m. on Friday, April 27 to 5 a.m. on Monday, April 30 as dozens of hydraulic hammers bring the structure down and a temporary bypass is set up.

Residents are being warned of noise and traffic jams throughout the weekend. Traffic to the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco will be redirected to Highway 1.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/04/10/state/n093042D17.DTL#ixzz1rl0w17ex

Rain forecast delaying Lefty O’Doul Bridge closure
By: Will Reisman | 04/09/12 9:06 PM
SF Examiner Staff Writer

A plan to shut down a portion of the Lefty O’Doul Bridge near AT&T Park has been pushed back a week due to the inclement weather forecast for the next several days.

The bridge, which acts as Third Street between Terry Francois and Berry streets, was set to be closed to northbound traffic starting Monday. The Public Works Department had planned on adding nonskid coating to the bridge in time for the Giants’ home opener Friday. But with rain expected for the next several days, that closure will be pushed back to 9 a.m. April 23.

The northbound section will be shut to autos until 9 a.m. April 27. The span will be open to southbound traffic; pedestrians will not be affected. Traffic controllers will direct motorists and bicyclists. Nearby Fourth Street Bridge will remain open.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/transportation/2012/04/rain-forecast-delaying-lefty-o-doul-bridge-closure#ixzz1rl54GQKE

Bay Bridge's east span Big Lift begins
Michael Cabanatuan
Updated 11:02 p.m., Thursday, August 16, 2012

http://ww1.hdnux.com/photos/14/56/75/3338104/3/628x471.jpg
A work crew tightens the pressure on suspension cables on the new east span of the Bay Bridge, due to open in a year. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle / SF

As state lawmakers contemplate an independent inspection of the new Bay Bridge tower foundation, construction crews are beginning what might be called the Big Lift - a major step in building the $6.3 billion east span, scheduled to open by Labor Day 2013.

Workers on Tuesday began the three-month process of lifting the 35,200-ton bridge decks from the temporary steel trestles on which they were assembled onto the tower and main suspension cable that will cradle and support the suspension span . . . .

The Big Lift is the biggest lifting job, and perhaps the biggest act in the long drama of building the new east span. Before starting the suspension span, contractor American Bridge/Fluor built a long steel trestle. Wedge-shaped deck pieces, built in and shipped from China, were assembled atop the trestle while a 525-foot tower was erected. The suspension cable was strung from the east end over the tower, looped beneath the west end, back over the tower and back to the other side of the east end. Then suspender cables were attached.

The lift, in technical terms "load transfer," is a complicated process that involves a command center directing eight work crews using dozens of hydraulic jacks to gradually adjust the tension on 200 suspender cables that connect the decks of the bridges to the lone suspension cable, which loops around and under the bridge and over the tower.

As they increase the tension on carefully selected suspender cables evenly spaced along the span, the bridge deck will slowly rise. Once 104 of the cables are adjusted, the bridge decks will lift 1.6 feet above the supporting trestles. Most of the lifting will take place during the next month and a half, Maroney said. But workers will continue to adjust the tension on the rest of the suspender cables to distribute the massive weight of the bridge more evenly, giving more stability to the span.

During the process of adjusting the suspender cables, crews will also be using a jack at the western end of the bridge to keep the bridge in balance as they gradually release cables that tilted the tower slightly toward San Francisco while the main suspension cable was installed. In the final step of the load transfer, the suspension cable will be covered in zinc paste, wrapped with wire and painted white to protect it from the elements.

Workers will also wedge the suspension span and the long-finished skyway together and fasten them, then remove the temporary trestles. That will leave completion of the connections to Yerba Buena Island and Oakland along with some finishing touches. The new east span is still on schedule to open in a little more than a year, Ney said.

While all the work is going on, Maroney said, the bridge will be moving. The suspension cable will move more than 30 feet as it's tightened, and the bright orange catwalks will move with it. The bridge deck will also shorten slightly as the cables are tightened and it's lifted . . . .

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Bay-Bridge-s-east-span-Big-Lift-begins-3794683.php

Source: http://www.mtc.ca.gov/

Caltrans to Close San Mateo-Hayward Bridge Over Two Weekends

September 28, 2012
Caltrans announced today that the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge will be closed over two weekends, October 19-22 and October 26-29, 2012. The full closure for all eastbound and westbound lanes will begin at 10 p.m. on Friday and continue until 5 a.m. on Monday. The bridge will be open for the weekday commute.

The full closure will allow crews to replace a damaged expansion joint that allows the bridge decks to expand and contract with changing temperatures and in response to seismic forces. Located just east of the high-rise portion of the bridge, the joint extends horizontally across all six lanes of traffic (three westbound and three eastbound lanes). The operation will involve the replacement of 30 feet of the bridge decks on either side of the joint, for a total of 60 feet of new roadway being installed during the closures.

Commuters are asked to use alternate routes such as the Dumbarton Bridge or Highway 237 to the south of the San Mateo-Hawyard Bridge, or the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge to the north, or to use public transit. MTC's 511.org Traveler Information Service will be the go-to place for traffic conditions and transit trip planning.

http://www.mtc.ca.gov/news/current_topics/9-12/san_mateo_bridge.htm

Awesome pictures ! I was there in SF last june and you have a really nice City ! And the bridges they are awesome . I Will be back soon ! Greetings from Argentina :)

Source: http://www.mtc.ca.gov/

It’s Golden! Workhorse Benicia-Martinez Bridge Celebrates 50th Anniversary

September 21, 2012
She’s a bit of a plain Jane compared to some of the Bay Area’s other toll bridges, but the original span of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge is nonetheless a transportation workhorse, and will get some love next week as officials gather to celebrate her 50th birthday.

Spanning the Carquinez Strait along Interstate 680, and connecting Contra Costa County with Solano County, the 1.2-mile span carried both directions of traffic when it originally opened on September 16, 1962. Growing traffic volumes in the ensuing decades overwhelmed the original span, prompting MTC’s Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) and Caltrans to partner on building a second parallel span, which opened in 2007. The original span was converted to carry four lanes of southbound traffic as well as a new bicycle and pedestrian pathway, while its younger sister span carries five lanes of northbound traffic.

In a unique tribute to a father-son public service duo, the newer span is named after Congressman George Miller, while the original span is named for his father, the late George Miller, Jr., who served in the state Assembly from 1947 to 1948, and in the state Senate from 1949 to 1969.

BATA financed the second span, as well as widening, retrofitting and reconfiguring of the original span, with funding from bridge tolls flowing from Regional Measure 1, approved by voters in 1988. Funding from another MTC/BATA-sponsored voter measure, Regional Measure 2, has paid for additional transportation improvements in the bridge corridor.

“The Benicia-Martinez Bridge, quite simply, was the key to unlocking the biggest period of growth in central Solano County history. So it’s entirely appropriate that we celebrate the bridge’s first 50 years, and also look forward to a healthy and prosperous middle age,” said MTC Commissioner Jim Spering, who also sits on the Solano County Board of Supervisors and is vice chair of that body.

While they are different structural types, both the old and new Benicia-Martinez spans appear as clean ribbons of roadway stretching across the Strait. A scalloped railroad bridge that sits between the old and the new motor vehicle bridges dates back to1930 and gives the site additional architectural interest. The twin-spanned car/truck facility carried nearly 18 million toll-paying vehicles in 2010-11, making it the third-busiest among the region’s seven state-owned toll bridges.

Golden Gate Bridge 75th Anniversary Fireworks: http://vimeo.com/42969389

^^

You can do that like this:

42969389

Just use [v*meo]XXXXX[/vimeo] XXXXX being the number in the vimeo url (the * is actually the letter i of course).

^^ Thanks! I knew how to do it with youtube videos but I wasn't sure if it was the same for vimeo.

peqTIgyphyY&list

3ZrMD9q74IA&list

Awesome

Source: www.dailyrepublic.com

Solano toll bridges might see all-electronic collections

By Barry Eberling

FAIRFIELD — Drivers still have the option of stopping at toll booths on the Benicia and Carquinez bridges and paying toll collectors in cash – at least, for now.

That won’t be true on the Golden Gate Bridge in February 2013. That one Bay Area bridge will stop accepting cash tolls at the toll plazas and instead will use all-electronic methods to get the money. Motorists will either prepay their tolls or pay later so that the traffic keeps moving.

The Golden Gate Bridge is different from other regional bridges, in that it is owned and operated by the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District. The Bay Area Toll Authority oversees the remaining seven regional, state-owned toll bridges.

Read more: http://www.dailyrepublic.com/news/solanocounty/toll-bridges-might-explore-all-electronic-collections/

So it looks like ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) might be implemented on all Bay Area bridges... But I think the most difficult challenge would be at the Bay Bridge where it consists of around 15 lanes for tolls, and that the FasTrak lanes are placed in the middle of the toll plaza, forcing drivers to swerve and merge if they happen to pay by cash. The next question: when will ETC be implemented on more Bay Area highways?

Source: http://www.sfgate.com

San Mateo Bridge work ahead of schedule
CALTRANS
Michael Cabanatuan
Updated 8:54 p.m., Sunday, October 21, 2012

Caltrans officials canceled a second closure of the San Mateo Bridge scheduled for next weekend after deciding Sunday that construction crews could complete all of their repairs by early Monday morning.

The 7-mile-long bridge between Foster City and Hayward, which carries about 92,000 vehicles each weekday, was expected to reopen on schedule at 5 a.m. Monday in time for the morning commute.

"That second weekend work, we were able to complete this weekend," said Traci Ruth, a Caltrans spokeswoman.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/San-Mateo-Bridge-work-ahead-of-schedule-3969622.php#ixzz2A8L855RP

Source: www.sfexaminer.com

Median barrier on Golden Gate Bridge taking shape with contract approval
By: Mike Billings | 10/28/12 7:59 PM
Assistant Managing Editor | Follow On Twitter @Mbillings

A barrier planned for the median of the Golden Gate Bridge to prevent head-on collisions took a step toward completion Friday when the agency that operates the span approved a contract for the project’s final design.

Since 2009, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District has been working on a median barrier that can be moved to accommodate traffic flows across the span for different commuting needs. The plan is for a 1-foot-wide, 32-inch-tall concrete barrier that would be moved using a special vehicle. The $25 million project will replace rubber pylons currently used to divide traffic.

The bridge district on Friday approved a $2.15 million contract with Oakland-based AECOM Technical Services to perform the final design of the barrier. According to bridge district documents, the company was responsible for the environmental review and preliminary technical design, which made it the best fit to do the final work.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/transportation/2012/10/median-barrier-golden-gate-bridge-taking-shape-contract-approval#ixzz2Al9HYeQH

^^ Finally! Hopefully, the movable barrier will be a collision deterrent, as well as allow lane changing to be done much quicker than the manual lane changing that happens everyday and every night.

Source: www.marinij.com

All-electronic tolls coming to the Golden Gate Bridge, driving public urged to prepare

By Mark Prado
Marin Independent Journal

Posted: 11/05/2012 04:56:12 PM PST

With Golden Gate Bridge officials ready to begin the process of moving toward all-electronic tolls next month, a push by the district to get more people to use FasTrak is under way.

The bridge district's Board of Directors has already voted to eliminate the 32 toll-takers on the span. The move, among other steps, will help bail the district out of a $66 million budget shortfall over the next five years.

Once the toll-takers are off the span — that likely will occur in February — only electronic payments will be accepted. In anticipation, the bridge district is encouraging those who do not have FasTrak transponders to sign up for them. A pre-paid account, typically set up with a credit card, is required. Tolls are deducted with each crossing and replenished. A statement is sent to motorists monthly documenting each crossing.

Read more: http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_21935195/all-electronic-tolls-coming-golden-gate-bridge-driving

Source: www.sfgate.com

Bay Bridge crews resolve last uncertainty
Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross, Chronicle Columnists
Updated 1:05 p.m., Monday, November 12, 2012

That sound you hear coming from the Bay Bridge is a collective sigh of relief by workers who are just about finished shifting 45,000 tons of steel and concrete roadway from the temporary support structure onto the newly erected eastern span's tower and cables.

"This was really the last big question for the bridge, and looks like it's about to be answered successfully," said Caltrans spokesman Bart Ney.

The huge load transfer, which began more than three months ago - and will be wrapped up any day - involved connecting the suspender cables to the deck, causing enough tension to lift the 2,000-foot-plus roadway a few feet.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/Bay-Bridge-crews-resolve-last-uncertainty-4028536.php#ixzz2CB3f1DFE

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/

Bridge crash could have been prevented
GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
Will Kane and Michael Cabanatuan
Updated 8:48 a.m., Thursday, December 6, 2012

A head-on collision on the Golden Gate Bridge that injured three women Wednesday and tied up traffic for hours could have been prevented, bridge officials acknowledged, had a long-planned movable median barrier been in place.

Drawings for the cement barrier, which would divide northbound and southbound lanes, have been available to the Golden Gate Bridge District since 1997, when engineers first proposed a detailed scheme to prevent head-on collisions. Funding has been in place since 2007.

But the project has dragged for years, and district officials now say the earliest a barrier could be in place is 2014.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Bridge-crash-could-have-been-prevented-4094716.php#ixzz2EKiaPVnq

^^ There was also an accident last Monday morning that affected the southbound lanes, closing three of the four lanes (and I was stuck from the Sausalito exit to the South Tower for like 30 minutes) and slowed a lot of drivers down...

bKLU40TmKSs

Source: www.sfgate.com

About Bay Bridge toll plaza's makeover
Michael Cabanatuan, Marisa Lagos
Updated 10:40 pm, Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Yes, the Insider knows that the Bay Bridge toll plaza is not in San Francisco. But everyone who passes through there is headed to, or at least through, San Francisco, which is why you're reading about the big makeover planned for the toll plaza here.

The makeover, which begins this week and will continue for about six months, involves dressing the toll plaza canopy in pre-painted white aluminum panels and giving the toll booths, columns and traffic islands a fresh coat of paint the same shade of white as the new Bay Bridge east span.

The old administration building, formerly a shade of musty yellow reserved for bureaucratic buildings, has already received its makeover, and a new administration building - also painted white, of course, has been constructed.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/About-Bay-Bridge-toll-plaza-s-makeover-4113776.php#ixzz2Fjj2BOZ0

Source: www.contracostatimes.com

25,000 lights to turn Bay Bridge span into giant night sculpture

By Denis Cuff Contra Costa Times
Posted: 12/27/2012 03:55:55 PM PST
Updated: 12/27/2012 10:04:58 PM PST

SAN FRANCISCO -- Month after month, motorists traveling across the Bay Bridge have watched as the dazzling new eastern span takes shape high above San Francisco Bay.

But come March, the old western span will grab the spotlight from its newer, flashier cousin.

Work is proceeding to fit the San Francisco side of the Bay Bridge with a coat of 25,000 white LED lights, transforming the gray workhorse into a shimmering, undulating light sculpture.

Project organizers say the $8 million, privately funded project, set to sparkle nightly beginning March 5, is the largest sculpture of its kind in the world -- some four times larger than the permanent light installation on the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Read more: http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_22269815/25-000-lights-turn-bay-bridge-span-into

^^ I wish those lights could change colors too in case a great event occurs, like cheering on for the 49ers, Raiders, Giants, or A's, as well as awareness for breast cancer, Independence Day, Valentine's Day... It will be a great focal point for travelers and tourists alike.

Source: www.sfgate.com

Tanker hits Bay Bridge - probe begins
No oil spills as tanker hits Bay Bridge tower - human error investigated
Will Kane, Bob Egelko and Ellen Huet
Updated 4:26 pm, Tuesday, January 8, 2013

The Coast Guard is looking at human error as a possible explanation for an accident Monday in which an empty oil tanker sideswiped a tower of the Bay Bridge, officials said.

No oil spilled into the bay when the starboard side of the tanker, the Overseas Reymar, scraped the easternmost tower of the bridge's western span at 11:20 a.m. as the ship headed out to sea, the Coast Guard said.

Caltrans said the fenders around the tower were damaged, but that the bridge itself was unharmed. No one was injured.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Tanker-hits-Bay-Bridge-probe-begins-4172745.php#ixzz2HWCRp3ab

Source: www.pressdemocrat.com

Golden Gate Bridge prepares for future without toll-takers

By DEREK MOORE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Monday, January 7, 2013 at 5:47 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at 7:03 a.m.

Imagine the Golden Gate Bridge without humans taking tolls at the iconic booths that stand sentry at the gateway to San Francisco.

Forgot your toll money? No worries. Just drive on through and either pay at a kiosk down the road or wait for an invoice to arrive in the mail.

Such changes appear imminent as the Golden Gate becomes the first bridge in California and one of the few in the world to convert to all-electronic tolls.

Bridge officials express hope that with enough publicity, the conversion, which could take effect in March, won't cause major problems, such as motorists stopping on the span in a vain search for someone to give their toll money to.

Read more: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20130107/ARTICLES/130109674/1033/news?Title=Golden-Gate-Bridge-prepares-for-future-without-toll-takers

Nice !

As somebody who drives long distances, often in rental cars, I hate fully automated toll systems. Even if your rented car has the necessary equipment, the rental company can charge you extra for using it and for the supposed "trouble" of billing you after the fact for toll charges they get in the mail.

Source: www.sfappeal.com

Toll Payers Might Have To Fund New $31 Million Bay Bridge Security System

by Bay City News
January 9, 2013 7:02 PM

Staff members of a key transportation agency said at a meeting today that they are seeking $31 million to pay for a new security system for the Bay Bridge, most of it for the new eastern span that's scheduled to open in September.

Bay Area Toll Authority staff member Peter Lee told the agency's Oversight Committee that Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol are seeking $26.3 million for a comprehensive security system to monitor the 2.2-mile-long eastern span.

An additional $5.1 million is being requested for a similar upgrade for the Bay Bridge's western span, Lee said.

Read more: http://sfappeal.com/news/2013/01/toll-payers-might-be-funding-new-31-million-bay-bridge-security-system.php

Source: www.mercurynews.com

Bay Bridge was exempted from rules limiting large ships from sailing in fog

By Paul Rogers
progers@mercurynews.com
Posted: 01/08/2013 07:35:32 PM PST
Updated: 01/09/2013 06:38:52 AM PST

After the cargo ship Cosco Busan sailed through heavy fog and hit a tower of the Bay Bridge five years ago, spilling 53,000 gallons of bunker fuel, the Coast Guard and shipping officials wrote new rules to limit large ships from sailing in risky areas of San Francisco Bay when visibility is less than a half mile.
But they left out one key risk: the Bay Bridge itself.

On Tuesday, those rules came under scrutiny as questions swirled around whether the pilot of the Overseas Reymar, a 752-foot-long oil tanker that collided with a Bay Bridge tower a day before, had sailed in fog that was too dense, potentially putting the ship, the bridge and the bay at risk.

Capt. Peter McIsaac, president of San Francisco Bar Pilots, said he and Coast Guard officials helped craft the fog rules in 2008. The Bay Bridge was deliberately not included among the areas to be avoided in fog, he said, because foggy conditions are so common in San Francisco Bay that limiting sailing near the Bay Bridge would bring commerce to a near halt.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_22337927/bay-bridge-was-exempted-from-rules-limiting-large

Source: www.sfgate.com

Crash probe turns to Bay Bridge radar
OIL TANKER CRASH
Kevin Fagan
Updated 11:05 pm, Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Investigators are looking into whether radar guiding equipment under the Bay Bridge was working adequately when an empty oil tanker hit a bridge tower on Monday, as well as trying to determine exactly when the Coast Guard warned the ship that it was on a collision course.

A Coast Guard bulletin sent to mariners Tuesday indicated there may have been malfunctions in "racon" radar beacons that help guide ships between the Bay Bridge's towers. But officials said it was unclear which ones might have had troubles Monday, when the Overseas Reymar hit the tower of the western span closest to Yerba Buena Island.

Caltrans, which oversees the devices, said the main beacon the ship would have relied on was functioning Monday.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Crash-probe-turns-to-Bay-Bridge-radar-4181532.php#ixzz2HcNkQgWt

Source: www.sfgate.com

CHP seeks millions for Bay Bridge cameras
TRANSPORTATION
Michael Cabanatuan
Updated 9:07 am, Thursday, January 10, 2013

The splashy new east span of the Bay Bridge needs a state-of-the-art system of security cameras, the California Highway Patrol has told bridge officials - and toll payers would have to pay the $31 million cost.

Results of the CHP's security assessment of the new bridge, scheduled to open by Labor Day weekend, surprised members of a Bay Area Toll Authority committee, who had allotted $8 million, which they had expected to be sufficient.

But on Wednesday they were presented with a request for an extra $23 million to buy and install a security system on the 2.2-mile east span and upgrade the existing cameras on the west span.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/CHP-seeks-millions-for-Bay-Bridge-cameras-4180921.php#ixzz2HcO8xtI3

Source: www.nbcbayarea.com

Budget Woes Spark Backup at Dumbarton Bridge
Dumbo Bridge Backkup
By Mike Inouye and Lisa Fernandez | Friday, Jan 11, 2013 | Updated 7:39 AM PST

If you've noticed an unusually long backup at the Dumbarton Bridge since New Year's, here's why: Because of financial woes, Toll Lane No. 4 has been closed, causing exceptionally long lines during the peak commuting hours.

Metropolitain Transportation Commission spokesman John Goodwin, said Caltrans and the Bay Area Toll Authority " are working together to formulate a solution." In other words, they need to find money to pay a toll worker.

Crews will be doing an observation and analysis on Friday, and hope to come up with some sort of workable plan by Monday.

Read more: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Budget-Woes-Spark-Huge-Backup-at-Dumbarton-Bridge-186472181.html

Source: www.mercurynews.com

After tanker crash, officials reconsider allowing large ships to sail in fog near the Bay Bridge

By Paul Rogers
progers@mercurynews.com
Posted: 01/11/2013 06:24:41 AM PST
Updated: 01/11/2013 06:24:55 AM PST

Three days after a 752-foot oil tanker sideswiped a tower of the Bay Bridge under foggy conditions, the top Coast Guard official in the Bay Area on Thursday called for a reconsideration of rules that allow large ships to sail in fog near the Bay Bridge.

The request by Capt. Cynthia Stowe to the San Francisco Bay Harbor Safety Committee follows a report Wednesday by the Bay Area News Group that the Coast Guard and other officials in 2008 exempted the Bay Bridge from a list of nine risky areas where ship captains are told not to sail when visibility is less than half a mile.

The Coast Guard has said that there was a quarter-mile of visibility when the Overseas Reymar hit the bridge Monday.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_22351558/coast-guard-marine-officials-reconsidering-rule-allowing-large?source=rss

As somebody who drives long distances, often in rental cars, I hate fully automated toll systems. Even if your rented car has the necessary equipment, the rental company can charge you extra for using it and for the supposed "trouble" of billing you after the fact for toll charges they get in the mail.

Indeed. That's why on Hertz cars, most vehicles have stickers saying that drivers can cruise through the toll booths, with FasTrak here in the Bay Area being one of them. Perhaps Hertz and other rental companies should disclose the charge for going through the toll booths when making the initial payment -- and hand the customers refunds if they don't use any of the toll systems.

Last year in june i Was there in SF , and we rented a car in BUDGET , we had to pay every toll booths ... when the man of the airport told us that we paid for that , it was not truth , so he had problems when we returned the car to the airport , hehe

^^Point being it's confusing, cumbersome, difficult. There needs to be at least one cash toll taker.

^^Point being it's confusing, cumbersome, difficult. There needs to be at least one cash toll taker.

And with that one cash toll taker, all of those paying cash will queue for at least a mile before hitting the toll plaza... :lol: I don't know if that idea would appeal to regular commuters who already struggle with the "lane charade" game (e.g. 4 SB and 2 NB in the AM peak, 3 each or 4 NB, 2 SB in the PM peak, 3 each all day, 2 each or 1 SB, 2 NB overnight)... It's like from the bridge to the toll plaza, it'd be around 1.5 miles.

Source: www.mercurynews.com

Pilot in oil tanker accident switched course near Bay Bridge, during particularly difficult currents

By Paul Rogers
progers@mercurynews.com
© Copyright 2013, Bay Area News Group
Posted: 01/15/2013 06:07:46 AM PST

Shortly before a 752-foot oil tanker collided in the fog with the Bay Bridge last week, the pilot of the huge ship changed course in a risky maneuver that placed the vessel into a difficult turn even as strong currents swirled around the bridge towers.

The new information, revealed Monday in interviews with the Bay Area News Group, points to pilot error, although thickening fog, a faulty beacon and dangerous currents also appear to have contributed to the accident that raised fresh questions about oil tanker safety in the bay.

Just why 61-year-old pilot Guy Kleess changed course as the Overseas Reymar neared the bridge Jan. 7 is still unclear. With limited visibility amid shifting fog, Kleess set course to sail between two towers near the middle of the bridge as the tanker headed to sea.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_22373766/pilot-oil-tanker-accident-switched-course-near-bay

that is bad

@Cal_Escapee yeah, that is a really bad mistake that needs to be addressed since hitting the Bay Bridge could mean losing its stability, causing enormous concerns for motorists and vessels that use and go through the bridge regularly. I think there should be no exemptions made on dealing with navigating in foggy conditions, especially with the Bay Bridge.

Yes I agree , it is really dangerous !

Source: www.sfexaminer.com

Pilot who hit Bay Bridge has most incidents from 2009-11
By: Mike Billings | 01/17/13 7:48 PM
Assistant Managing Editor | Follow On Twitter @Mbillings

The bar pilot in control of the tanker that struck the Bay Bridge on Jan. 7 has the highest incident rate over the three years for which such records are available, according to a San Francisco Examiner analysis of state documents.

Between 2009 and 2011, Guy Kleess had three documented incidents while piloting ships on San Francisco Bay and in the Sacramento and Stockton areas. He also is one of only a handful of pilots who work those waterways who had more than one incident in that time frame, records from the California Board of Pilot Commissioners show.

Under state law, bar pilots must guide vessels longer than 100 feet when they enter, exit or traverse San Francisco, Suisan, San Pablo and Monterey bays. Some also help navigate the waterways to and from the Sacramento and Stockton ports. The roughly 55 pilots licensed locally help navigate about 8,000 vessels annually.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/2013/01/pilot-who-hit-bay-bridge-has-most-incidents-2009-11#ixzz2ITMlnSvS

as pilot remains? , Who controls the licenses? this guy has a history! here in Argentina the police had taken the license forever!

^^ In Argentina, that could be the rule. Here in California, I don't know what it is. Maybe it's best to wait for the final ruling from Sacramento about the incident.

And speaking of bridges, a preview:

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j117/wishfulanthony/SF%20Transport/Bay%20Bridge%20Views/DSC09940_zpsa6c5b166.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j117/wishfulanthony/SF%20Transport/Bay%20Bridge%20Views/IMG10009_zps733beb3e.jpg

Spaceship, with the Bay Bridge:
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j117/wishfulanthony/SF%20Transport/Bay%20Bridge%20Views/IMG9974_zps23436e27.jpg

Cupid's Arrow, with the Bay Bridge:
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j117/wishfulanthony/SF%20Transport/Bay%20Bridge%20Views/IMG10002_zps044799b7.jpg

Nice pics !! I wanna be there again :D

^^ Hehe sure, and I'll guide you through areas not a lot of tourists get to see. ;) Plus, check out my photo threads on my signature below (under Trending Threads) since I might post even more bridge pics too.

Thank you ! I was there last june in 2012 , I was there with my girlfriend , she is from USA , I am Argentinian , she was living there for a couple of years , and I have to tell you , I felt in love with SF !!! Hehe , Much luck in the superbowl in New Orleans (I am a fan of Saints ) ;) hehe

HxYeZ9GOdpQ

Nice video

Risks considered in deciding opening of Bay Bridge

The Associated Press
Posted: 05/26/2013 03:11:24 PM PDT
Updated: 05/26/2013 04:25:29 PM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO—Caltrans and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission officials must consider the risks in deciding whether to delay the scheduled Labor Day weekend opening of the eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge or keep traffic flowing over the old span, the San Francisco Chronicle reported ( http://bit.ly/10UwmcB) Sunday.

Caltrans will soon tell the commission what it intends to do, but bridge officials say that even with questions about the integrity of more than 2,300 steel rods used in the building of the new span, it is more likely to withstand an earthquake better than the bridge in operation since 1936.

Among the old bridge's design flaws are its foundation, which Caltrans' chief engineer on the eastern span project, Brian Maroney, told the newspaper, are too weak to resist a powerful earthquake centered in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_23328729/risks-considered-deciding-opening-bay-bridge

Golden Gate Bridge officials say traffic barrier should be on span by early 2015

By Mark Prado
Marin Independent Journal

Posted: 05/25/2013 03:00:00 PM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO — A median traffic barrier to prevent potentially deadly head-on accidents on the Golden Gate Bridge is expected to be in place by early 2015, according to span officials.

The district has the money for the $26.5 million project, in large part because the Metropolitan Transportation Commission handed over $20 million in federal grants. Toll revenue and other grant funds will pay the balance.

Now final paperwork and reviews are being done so construction — which will take about a year — can begin.

Read more: http://www.marinij.com/ci_23319442/golden-gate-bridge-officials-say-traffic-barrier-should

Bay Bridge bolt maker says report 'exonerates' it from blame

By Lisa Vorderbrueggen and Matthias Gafni
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 05/24/2013 06:02:12 AM PDT
Updated: 05/24/2013 06:02:18 AM PDT

OAKLAND -- As work started Thursday on repairs for the failed anchor rods on the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge, the Ohio manufacturer of 288 massive steel bolts -- including 32 that snapped in March -- broke its silence with a top sales executive saying a recent report "exonerates" the company from blame.

Dyson Corp. President Brian Rawson also released a video statement that cited a May 7 peer review report commissioned by Caltrans, in which three metallurgists concluded the snapped bolts met Caltrans' specifications.

"We produce products to very precise international standards that are specified by our customer's engineers," Rawson said in the video released via PRWeb. "Through this report and mutual internal investigations, it was concluded that the Dyson Corporation met its requirements to manufacturing anchor rods to the specifications requested."

Read more: http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_23311850/bay-bridge-bolt-maker-says-report-exonerates-it

Bay Bridge documents reveal decisions that led to broken bolts

By Lisa Vorderbrueggen
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 05/22/2013 06:21:37 PM PDT
Updated: 05/23/2013 09:56:44 AM PDT

OAKLAND -- Caltrans and private engineers deliberated three months in 2003 over the proper corrosion method to use on high-strength steel rods for the new Bay Bridge, a decision that led to the embarrassing failure of 32 rods a decade later.

Documents reveal a series of back-and-forth letters and emails on the subject among more than two dozen engineers and designers from Caltrans and the hired Bay Bridge team of at T.Y. Lin International and Moffatt & Nichol.

Ultimately, the team concluded that mimicking specifications used on bolts in the Richmond-San Rafael bridge retrofit in 2001 would reduce the risk of hydrogen embrittlement -- and possible failure -- for 2,306 galvanized fasteners for the new Bay Bridge.

Read more: http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_23303222/bay-bridge-documents-reveal-decisions-that-led-broken

Gov. Jerry Brown: Bay Bridge 'not going to open unless it's ready'

By Josh Richman jrichman@bayareanewsgroup.com
Posted: 05/21/2013 07:25:59 AM PDT
Updated: 05/21/2013 07:26:36 AM PDT

BERKELEY -- A little more than a week before engineers are expected to disclose whether the Bay Bridge's new span can open as planned Labor Day weekend, Gov. Jerry Brown said Monday that he's taking the situation "very seriously."

"That thing is not going to open unless it's ready, and the engineers are telling me that they're doing the kind of work that will be needed for that," Brown said speaking to reporters before addressing UC Berkeley's new political science graduates.

Dozens of seismic safety rods have cracked during construction, prompting concern about the rest of the shock-absorber-like parts throughout the new span. Brown again Monday refused to predict when the bridge will open, saying he must wait until engineers present their report on May 29.

Read more: http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_23283283/gov-jerry-brown-exhorts-cal-political-science-grads

:badnews:

Bolts along Bay Bridge bike path fail
Welders' basic mistake adds to Bay Bridge problems
Jaxon Van Derbeken
Updated 8:43 am, Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Numerous bolts used to anchor the railing along the bicycle path on the new Bay Bridge eastern span have failed, forcing Caltrans to make plans to replace hundreds of the steel parts, The Chronicle has learned.

Crews that built the railing committed what experts called a basic mistake - they welded the bolts in place firmly in their slots rather than leaving a small amount of room to accommodate a natural expansion of the bicycle path that happens in hot weather.

As a result, scores of the 1-inch-diameter bolts have been sheared off along the 1.2-mile bike path on the southern side of the span's skyway section. All of them, along with hundreds of others that were solidly welded, will have to be inspected and possibly replaced, a Caltrans spokesman said Tuesday.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Bolts-along-Bay-Bridge-bike-path-fail-4555354.php#ixzz2Uhx4jc8M

^^ Eeek really? That must be part of the failed bolts fallout from the earlier structural checks. I highly doubt that the new Bay Bridge span will open by Labor Day, especially that it will carry hundreds of thousands of drivers and trucks each day (not to mention it is a major bus corridor for AC Transit, Greyhound, and smaller bus agencies).

:ohno:

I notice about a month ago the light art work on the bay bridge failed..Any news?

I notice about a month ago the light art work on the bay bridge failed..Any news?

It's not really the LED light show failed. It's that some of the LED lights have problems either turning off when the whole installation is shut, or turning on when the nightly show begins. "Some lights are stuck in the on position -- some are stuck in the off position," Ben Davis, the PR mastermind behind the privately-funded Illuminate the Arts project, said.

Read more here (http://blog.sfgate.com/matierandross/2013/06/03/bay-bridge-light-show-on-the-blink)

^^Oh well

^^Oh well

There will always be bugs and issues, especially with large-scale light presentations on public structures. Hopefully, this issue will be resolved in a shortest possible time.