San Francisco - Oakland Bay Bridge

[Firefighter]

I'll tell you why its taking so long,,the usual system of politics,,corruption,,cost overruns and everything else associated with any big construction project in this county. I saw a documentary yrs ago about why its taking so long,,here's a link to many of the reasons and the delays,,as you can see its about par for the course. Like most big construction jobs everybodys got their hand in the money pot and who pays in the end,,correct,,the little guy.


http://www.realclearpolitics.com/art...got_98731.html

http://www.examiner.com/architecture...and-bay-bridge


http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniont...1n8bridge.html


http://sfpublicpress.org/news/2009-1...ecedented-cost

[smarne]

nice bridge

[desertpunk]

Jan 30

image hosted on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisakayaks/

image hosted on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisakayaks/

[giovani kun]

there are some progresses

[desertpunk]

SFAppeal

Crews Complete Lifting Fourth Segment Of Bay Bridge Tower Ahead Of Schedule


Crews have completed hoisting the fourth segment of the tower on the Bay Bridge's new eastern span ahead of schedule, a Caltrans spokesman said today.

Workers started lifting the first piece of the segment on Monday and worked nonstop until 1:25 a.m. this morning, when the last legs were situated on top of the structure, according to Caltrans spokesman Bart Ney.

The tower now stands at 480 feet, just 45 feet away from reaching its final height, Ney said.

Originally, the installation was estimated to be completed later this afternoon, Ney said.

"Great effort on the part of our crews and surprisingly mild weather conditions expedited the process," Ney said.

However, Ney said that strong winds did postpone the placement for a few hours on Monday.

"We just couldn't lift the steel piece with those gusts," Ney said. "Each leg of the segment weighs almost 500 tons and is more than 100 feet long. You don't want that blowing around."

Even with the short delay, crews were able to finish more quickly than expected.
"This is a huge milestone," Ney said. "We hope to keep this momentum going until the entire project is completed in 2013."

The fifth tower section, which will connect the four independent tower legs, is scheduled to be lifted into place at the end of March or beginning of April.

[VoltAmps]

This bridge is absolutely gorgeous. Can't wait until its completed. Its the best looking bridge under construction right now

[phugiay]

Originally Posted by Firefighter

I'll tell you why its taking so long,,the usual system of politics,,corruption,,cost overruns and everything else associated with any big construction project in this county. I saw a documentary yrs ago about why its taking so long,,here's a link to many of the reasons and the delays,,as you can see its about par for the course. Like most big construction jobs everybodys got their hand in the money pot and who pays in the end,,correct,,the little guy.

There are a lot of the problems on this bridge and people in SF Bay Area complain about it many years. It takes more than 20 years to finish the bridge and it is a shame for us. Some peoples make a ton of money on this project. I feel so sorry for those people who live in East Bay have to go to work in San Francisco Area and how they have to deal this bridge every day. Caltrain says it will be completed by 2013 and I cross my finger and wait
PS: They are planning to build the condominium buildings on Treasure Island and it is great to have bicycle /pedestrian path.

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

I can honestly say that I will miss the old bridge. They just don't build cantilever truss bridges like that anymore.

[MarneGator]

^ I agree. Truss type bridges generally don't get built any more and those that do possess none of the history and charm of their predecessors. I also tend to think that truss bridges have a particular "American" essence about them due to their great ubiquity in the US, much in the same way that stone arches are usually thought of as "European"; it will be a definite loss when the old bridge is dismantled.

[VoltAmps]

Please someone post some pics. This thread is on life support

[josem_ss]

what a bridge, pretty huge

[desertpunk]

Some May updates:

World's Largest Cable Saddle

You can't have the world's largest self-anchored suspension (SAS) bridge without the world's largest bridge cable saddle. The newly constructed east span of the Bay Bridge (which connects San Francisco to Oakland, CA) extends 2,047 ft, from the Yerba Buena Island to a skyway which leads to shore. More so than its size, it's the bridge's single-cable design which makes it unique. The mile-long cable is led twice over top a single tower, held in place by the colossal cable saddle that crews installed earlier today.
The saddle weighs approximately 450 tons and is 13.7 ft tall at its apex. The single-cable, single-tower design is both an engineering triumph and an aesthetic achievement, offering unobstructed views of the bay along its east span. (SF Examiner)

Work continues on the cable stay tower

image hosted on flickr

Bay Bridge Construction by string_bass_dave, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

RB_04-23-11_148a-100_SFO-BayBridge by rbeebephoto, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Bay Bridge B&W by LifeLover4, on Flickr

[I-275westcoastfl]

Finally this thing is getting somewhere.

[desertpunk]

June 30

image hosted on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pbo31/

[desertpunk]

July 15

image hosted on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pbo31/

[VoltAmps]

Thank you desertpunk!! I can't get enough of this bridge

[612bv3]

image hosted on flickr

Bay Bridge catwalk illumination by jakeller, on Flickr

[desertpunk]

SFAppeal

Get Used To It: Old Eastern Span Of Bay Bridge Will Take Years To Take Apart

The current eastern span of the Bay Bridge will remain in the Bay for several years after it becomes defunct in 2013 since it will have to be taken apart piece-by-piece, a Caltrans spokesman said.

The eastern span, a cantilever bridge built in 1936, is being replaced by a self-anchored suspension bridge that will connect Oakland to Yerba Buena Island and the western span of the bridge in San Francisco, Caltrans spokesman Bart Ney said.

The building of the new eastern span was commissioned following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that collapsed a section of the upper deck of the bridge.

After years of delays and cost overruns, the new span is finally set to open sometime in fall 2013, having reached significant milestones in the $6.3 billion project in the past two days.

On Sunday, the final four deck sections of the bridge arrived from Shanghai, China, and on Monday evening, temporary catwalks leading up to the 525-foot tower of the new span were illuminated with construction lights, giving residents a sneak preview of what the bridge will look like.

But once the new eastern span is completed and opened, the project will still not be complete since crews have to dismantle the old span, a process that could take several years, Ney said.

[...]

[SCWTC4]

years to take apart?

will they dismantle it piece by piece instead of blowing it up like this one?

[geogregor]

This project takes ages. I remember my first visit in the US, probably in 2001 if I remember, there was already construction started of the approaches.
That was 10 years ago!!!