Cable snaps....snarling traffic on Bay Bridge

sequoias · 10-27-2009, 11:54 PM

Bay Bridge closing indefinitely after pieces fall

10-27) 19:15 PDT San Francisco --

Authorities said they are shutting down the Bay Bridge in both directions after pieces of the cantilever section fell during the late-afternoon commute, striking three vehicles on the upper deck, the California Highway Patrol said.

Caltrans officials said the parts that fell were two high-strength rods and a saddle that were part of the emergency repair that delayed the opening of the bridge on Labor Day weekend.

Westbound traffic on the Bay Bridge had been crawling through two open lanes as officials assessed damage to the bridge. Caltrans officials earlier had shut down three lanes on the upper as they assessed the damage.

CHP Officer Peter Van Eckhardt said the parts of the span's overhead steel support structure fell around 5:30 p.m. Eckhardt said the passengers in one vehicle hit by the falling debris were shaken up but not injured.

A chunk of steel lay in the middle of the far left lane of the upper deck and an object that appeared to be a cable was on a Ryder truck dangling from the side of the span.

Authorities have not said how long the closure will last.

Read more: Bay Bridge closing indefinitely after pieces fall

***Calvin*** · 10-28-2009, 02:50 AM

Bay Bridge FAIL!

Jiro · 10-28-2009, 03:51 AM

Quote:

About 280,000 vehicles cross the Bay Bridge every day, according to the California Department of Transportation.

wow. that's a major bridge. our George Washington Bridge (the one you see in movies all the time) is average about 300,000 vehicles per day. Can't imagine having GWB shut down indefinitely like Bay Bridge.

For past few weeks - every morning, the traffic crawls on GWB because of construction. I saw construction workers installing some kind of metal ring along the bridge pipes. Maybe they're adding reinforcement to it in anticipation for harsh winter.

sequoias · 10-28-2009, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiro

wow. that's a major bridge. our George Washington Bridge (the one you see in movies all the time) is average about 300,000 vehicles per day. Can't imagine having GWB shut down indefinitely like Bay Bridge.

For past few weeks - every morning, the traffic crawls on GWB because of construction. I saw construction workers installing some kind of metal ring along the bridge pipes. Maybe they're adding reinforcement to it in anticipation for harsh winter.

Wow....that sucks. I-5 bridge over the canal just north of downtown gets around 285,000 vehicles a day average...can get over 300,000 at times. I think one of the world's busiest freeway is hwy 401 in Toronto with over 440,000 vehicles a day. (I didn't google it up yet)

sallylou · 10-28-2009, 01:26 PM

Wow! That's going to be a major traffic snarl.

dogmom · 10-28-2009, 09:43 PM

uh oh, wow - we were on that bridge a long time ago when I was in Cal., and it was REALLY crowded THEN.... well, at least no one was hurt!

TheWriteAlex · 10-30-2009, 10:11 PM

Oh yeah, this is going to be a HUGE problem for people commuting into the City. Only options now are to drive over Richmond bridge, which is only two or three lanes, and then get on 101, which is only three lanes at that point, then take Golden Gate to SF. The Bay Bridge is more important, in terms of daily transportation, than the Golden Gate bridge.

But, it might also encourage more people to take BART, which is a great system. Hopefully it can handle the passenger increase.

Phillips · 10-31-2009, 11:49 AM

Geez! Scare!

Jiro · 11-02-2009, 01:39 PM

oh wow - it's now reopened

Bay Bridge reopens after nearly a week

Quote:

San Francisco, California (CNN) -- The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge reopened Monday, six days after two steel rods and a steel crossbeam plummeted from the span and caused a traffic nightmare for hundreds of thousands of commuters.

Crews have worked around the clock since Tuesday night's mishap. Final inspections were completed Monday morning, said Bart Ney, a spokesman for the California Department of Transportation.

Vibrations in the rods, affected by strong winds, caused the break, officials said.

"We are very happy to return the bridge to public service and go home to see our families," Ney said at a news conference.

Engineers finished their sixth night of repair work Sunday. Crews performed stress tests Saturday night, but the results showed the potential for metal grinding, which could cause another break.

After stress tests proved successful Monday, engineers did a vibration test by driving trucks on the bridge's lower deck to simulate the effect of vibration.

Ney thanked commuters for their patience Monday.

"We all know it's been difficult," he said.

Officials did not yet know how much repairs to the bridge cost, Ney said.

I'm not sure I would go thru it today. I'd go back to commuting on Bay Bridge after couple weeks.

*it's a pix of Bay Bridge with a row of police cars slowly rolling thru bridge with traffic behind them

sequoias · 11-02-2009, 01:41 PM

Wow...that was fast repair.

***Brian*** · 11-02-2009, 02:15 PM

Hmm the news guy was saying Golden Bridge in San Francisco.

I guess I should have looked up for more news instead of listening to the guy.

10-27-2009, 11:54 PM	#1 (permalink)
sequoias Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: A little trip to the extraordinary. Posts: 16,296	Cable snaps....snarling traffic on Bay Bridge Bay Bridge closing indefinitely after pieces fall 10-27) 19:15 PDT San Francisco -- Authorities said they are shutting down the Bay Bridge in both directions after pieces of the cantilever section fell during the late-afternoon commute, striking three vehicles on the upper deck, the California Highway Patrol said. Caltrans officials said the parts that fell were two high-strength rods and a saddle that were part of the emergency repair that delayed the opening of the bridge on Labor Day weekend. Westbound traffic on the Bay Bridge had been crawling through two open lanes as officials assessed damage to the bridge. Caltrans officials earlier had shut down three lanes on the upper as they assessed the damage. CHP Officer Peter Van Eckhardt said the parts of the span's overhead steel support structure fell around 5:30 p.m. Eckhardt said the passengers in one vehicle hit by the falling debris were shaken up but not injured. A chunk of steel lay in the middle of the far left lane of the upper deck and an object that appeared to be a cable was on a Ryder truck dangling from the side of the span. Authorities have not said how long the closure will last. Read more: Bay Bridge closing indefinitely after pieces fall

10-28-2009, 02:50 AM	#2 (permalink)
*Calvin* Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: California Posts: 3,695	Bay Bridge FAIL! __________________

10-28-2009, 01:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
sallylou Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: My own private Idaho Posts: 2,098	Wow! That's going to be a major traffic snarl. __________________ Happy holidays!

10-31-2009, 11:49 AM	#8 (permalink)
Phillips Lets ride horses! Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Spaceship Posts: 9,158 Blog Entries: 3	Geez! Scare! __________________ *Enjoy life today, Yesterday has past and Tomorrow may never come.*

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Today
Deafness	Sponsored Links __________________ This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members. Register your free account today and become a member on AllDeaf.com

10-28-2009, 09:43 PM	#6 (permalink)
dogmom Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,469	uh oh, wow - we were on that bridge a long time ago when I was in Cal., and it was REALLY crowded THEN.... well, at least no one was hurt!

10-30-2009, 10:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
TheWriteAlex Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Lafayette, Indiana Posts: 470	Oh yeah, this is going to be a HUGE problem for people commuting into the City. Only options now are to drive over Richmond bridge, which is only two or three lanes, and then get on 101, which is only three lanes at that point, then take Golden Gate to SF. The Bay Bridge is more important, in terms of daily transportation, than the Golden Gate bridge. But, it might also encourage more people to take BART, which is a great system. Hopefully it can handle the passenger increase.

11-02-2009, 01:41 PM	#10 (permalink)
sequoias Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: A little trip to the extraordinary. Posts: 16,296	Wow...that was fast repair.

11-02-2009, 02:15 PM	#11 (permalink)
*Brian* 極度の調整器 Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 4,635	Hmm the news guy was saying Golden Bridge in San Francisco. I guess I should have looked up for more news instead of listening to the guy.