Oakland Coliseum Earthquake Safety? (Hayward, Berkeley: neighborhoods, school, live)

[CityOnDown5250]

Is the Oakland Coliseum retrofitted for an earthquake? I ask because the Hayward Fault lies directly underneath center field and we all know what happened in '89 when Candlestick showed it's true colors and shook, and the epicenter of that quake was down by Santa Cruz. It's something to think about because the Hayward Fault is due to "go" at somepoint, and the more time goes by the more pressure is built up in the fault. Cal's Memorial Stadium is right above another part of the fault. So what would happen to the Coliseum in an earthquake?

[tanglenet]

Are you sure about the Coliseum and the Hayward fault? I don't have access to most of the maps on my iPhone, but it looks like the fault is further east and away from 880.

[llowllevellowll]

http://www.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2007/10/18/mn_haywardquake1018.jpg (broken link)

The Hayward Fault line does go directly beneath Cal's Memorial Stadium, but it doesn't go directly beneath the Oakland Coliseum. The Coliseum sits right next to 880, and Tanglenet is correct - the fault line is further east. If you're interested, you can go to the Oakland zoo and there's a point in the park that has a little sign marker and you can stand on a rock that is clearly separating over time.


As far as safety goes - who really knows? What makes AT&T Park or any other building a bastion of safety? We retrofit and make safe buildings to a point that we think would make them the safest but ultimately, in the end we're all just making educated guesses.

The Coliseum withstood the 1989 earthquake and 25% of the Coliseum was newly-constructed in 1996 (Mt. Davis).

Ever since the PG&E disaster in San Bruno, I think I'd be far more worried about what sort of havoc an earthquake might wreak in older, hilly neighborhoods as far as gas lines are concerned.

[Caltovegas]

Just pray everyday.

[sjnative]

The answer can be found here:

Spoiler

http://www.coliseum.com/info/contactus.php

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by Parti Rhinocéros

The Hayward Fault line does go directly beneath Cal's Memorial Stadium, but it doesn't go directly beneath the Oakland Coliseum. The Coliseum sits right next to 880, and Tanglenet is correct - the fault line is further east. If you're interested, you can go to the Oakland zoo and there's a point in the park that has a little sign marker and you can stand on a rock that is clearly separating over time.


As far as safety goes - who really knows? What makes AT&T Park or any other building a bastion of safety? We retrofit and make safe buildings to a point that we think would make them the safest but ultimately, in the end we're all just making educated guesses.

The Coliseum withstood the 1989 earthquake and 25% of the Coliseum was newly-constructed in 1996 (Mt. Davis).

Ever since the PG&E disaster in San Bruno, I think I'd be far more worried about what sort of havoc an earthquake might wreak in older, hilly neighborhoods as far as gas lines are concerned.

Exactly. The fault stays near the hills and in some cases, in the lower parts of the hills. As parti rhino said, there are place where you can see evidence of the fault. The Oakland zoo being one (I once lived in Toler heights not far from there). Another being the now defunct Hillside School in Berkeley where the fault splits the east classrooms.

As far as Cal memorial stadium:






This is the south side of that staduim. If you follow this offset downward, you can follow the fault through the small parking lot like this:

©Gentoo

Notice how it forms a very straight crack heading up toward the stadium.

The Oakland coliseum isn't in the fault zone however it is old.

[Gentoo]

To the person who left the nice comment:

um...thanks? lol

[krudmonk]

The Earthquakes have played there several times and nobody died.

[sjnative]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

To the person who left the nice comment:

um...thanks? lol

I was hoping for some rep points .