Angelika Around the San Francisco Peninsula, as is well known, there is water, and bridges ensure that drivers can reach various directions without too much hassle. Everyone knows the Golden Gate Bridge to the north, but nowadays the Bay Bridge, which leads east towards Oakland, is also frequently mentioned in the news. A part of this bridge collapsed during the earthquake of 1989, 20 years ago. More precisely, a piece of the upper deck fell onto the lower deck. Although the bridge was patched up at the time, it was clear to everyone that it wouldn't withstand a second major earthquake. Since 280,000 cars drive over the bridge daily to reach the so-called East Bay area, experts urged that the bridge be made earthquake-proof. After years of disputes over the financing and design for this major project, which is humorously documented in a satirical manner The Bridge So Far - A Suspense Story, there have now been efforts underway for over five years to realize the project.
A heavily used bridge like this cannot simply be closed for several years. So the planners decided to gradually construct the new bridge next to the old one. During the Labor Day holiday weekend in September of this year, the engineers replaced a huge section like a puzzle piece. This, of course, could only be done without cars on the bridge, so the bridge was temporarily closed over the holiday weekend, as there is traditionally less traffic on holidays.
Everything was going wonderfully until engineers discovered a crack in the steel of a supporting element. So, the crack was quickly stabilized because 280,000 cars were already waiting at the starting line after the weekend. Now, I have never really trusted American construction contractors. Somehow, everything always seems a bit cobbled together to me. And lo and behold, on October 27, 2009, the steel cables that held and relieved the element with the crack sailed onto the roadway during the thickest rush hour traffic. Allegedly, the slightly stronger wind was to blame, which, by the way, often blows here. Despite the rush hour traffic, there was only one injury, but the Bay Bridge was immediately closed to traffic and only reopened 6 days later. We didn't experience the traffic chaos that followed the closure because we were traveling in Canada at the time. But when we were dining at a restaurant and a guest noticed that we were from San Francisco, he just dryly remarked that we should be glad to be in Canada and not at home. The newly conducted repair work is also supposed to be just another temporary solution. Ah!!!