The Bay Bridge Boondongle (San Francisco, Oakland: 2013, maintenance, design)

[jade408]

So what is up with quality control on the new Bay Bridge? And what is Caltrans doing?

It is like daily there is a new article about parts failing on the bridge.

The latest issue today:
Bolts along Bay Bridge bike path fail - SFGate

And some more coverage in the past few days:
Caltrans to be subject of independent review - SFGate
California's Bay Bridge opening remains in doubt - SFGate
Decision on Bay Bridge opening is weeks off | Matier And Ross | an SFGate.com blog
Risks considered in deciding opening of Bay Bridge - SFGate
Bay Bridge's old span risky, engineers say - SFGate
Repairs begun on San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge - SFGate

This is like the 25 year disaster. How on earth does it take 8X longer to build a replacement bridge than the original one did when there was limited technology automation.

And more another question, why do we delay the maintenance of our infrastructure so much?

[bigdumbgod]

We'll let you bravely try it out, and get back to us on the results. Might just take the Richmond bridge instead.

[andyadhi01]

What else do you expect in the third world? They shoudl have outsourced it to China to get a quality product.

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by andyadhi01

What else do you expect in the third world? They shoudl have outsourced it to China to get a quality product.

They did.

[Stag_At_Large]

Let's not forget the Golden Gate bridge was designed using slide rulers, pencils and paper. The end result was that it was finished ahead of schedule and within budget during the Great Depression.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by jade408

So what is up with quality control on the new Bay Bridge? And what is Caltrans doing?


This is like the 25 year disaster. How on earth does it take 8X longer to build a replacement bridge than the original one did when there was limited technology automation.

And more another question, why do we delay the maintenance of our infrastructure so much?

We're a civilization in decline. We don't have the money or the motivation to do things right anymore. We don't manufacture as much hardware anymore, so we have to order substitutes from abroad. And we're slipping toward 3rd World status, so we can no longer afford maintenance to existing infrastructure. Expect a lot more stories like this around the country in the decades to come.

[andyadhi01]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

We're a civilization in decline. We don't have the money or the motivation to do things right anymore. We don't manufacture as much hardware anymore, so we have to order substitutes from abroad. And we're slipping toward 3rd World status, so we can no longer afford maintenance to existing infrastructure. Expect a lot more stories like this around the country in the decades to come.

Ironically enough it's a decline brought upon by choice.

[jade408]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

We'll let you bravely try it out, and get back to us on the results. Might just take the Richmond bridge instead.

See you on BART!

[CFL_City]

Originally Posted by Stag_At_Large

Let's not forget the Golden Gate bridge was designed using slide rulers, pencils and paper. The end result was that it was finished ahead of schedule and within budget during the Great Depression.

Well, to be fair, labor was cheap then and materials were expensive. Now labor is expensive and materials are cheap. Not really fair to compare the two...

I do think it's amusing that there's no way anyone would let the Golden Gate Bridge be built now. Can't you just hear the NIMBYs? "It's going to be WHAT color???"

[bigdumbgod]

Just a thought: Bay area is REALLY NOT "3rd World".