Bay Bridge closed after rod snaps, cars hit

SFGate ^ | oct 27, 2009 | Michael Cabanatuan

[Thidwick]

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.

[ThomasThomas]

They should build a new bridge.

[neodad]

Well, at least the state has plenty of money to fix it...

[Randy Larsen]

California has been spending all their road money on liberal vote buying schemes!

We here in the Golden State are falling prey to rot from the top down...

[ThomasThomas]

They are dumbness here is a up date.

The bridge-replacement project has been hampered by manufacturing problems in China, where major portions of the steel suspension bridge are being prefabricated,

Another major concern is the delay in finishing the schematic designs, which are being drawn up by a team in Vancouver, British Columbia.

[elpinta]

And the parts were made in...?

[Political Junkie Too]

...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.

Thank Obama for shovel-ready jobs. This should be fixed as quickly as the initial work was done.

-PJ

[LUV W]

Ouch!

[Wacka]

They are. When the bridge was closed on Labor Day weekend for replacement of a section needed for the new bridge (should be done in 2012 or 2013) they found a cracked I-rod in another section of the cantilever section. They quickly designed, made and installed a bracket and rods that were a repair for the cracked part and opened the bridge only 1 hour late. Today, that repair fell.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Please stop by the FReepathon thread and give it a bump. If you haven’t donated yet, please give it some thought.

Thank you!

[pbear8]

I am so glad that DH does not have to go to work tomorrow :)

[umgud]

More proof the stimulus money ain’t working.

[pbear8]

I am so glad that DH does not have to go to work tomorrow :)

[Ramius]

OMG... the Bay Bridge is closed in both directions? Indefinitely? Woah... what a mess this will make of things in the Bay area.

[Wacka]

Giant CF tomorrow.

[BigBobber]

They showed live updates on the local news. Said the parts were made in China.

I told Mrs. Big Bobber “They better shut the bridge down right now.”

The part that failed is a major tension rod in the cantilever span and there are high winds in the area today. It’s not improbable that such a failure with continued high wind stress could cause the span to collapse. Not worth taking a chance.

[digital-olive]

"Thank Obama for shovel-ready jobs. This should be fixed as quickly as the initial work was done. -PJ "

[w1andsodidwe]

Extreme high winds today in the area. There were high wind warnings on all the bridges during commute this morning and wind was still strong during evening commute.

[Ramius]

Roger that.

[elkfersupper]

OMG... the Bay Bridge is closed in both directions? Indefinitely? Woah... what a mess this will make of things in the Bay area.

The bay area asked for it.

Be careful what you ask for....you might just get it.

[driftdiver]

Gotta love that union labor

[elpinta]

I am shocked, made in China!!!

Well, likely to be lots more of course, but hey, they are far less expensive, aren’t they???

Yeah, shutting it down is the only option IMO.

[Ramius]

The bay area asked for it.

[snicker] Well, OK... there's that.

[w1andsodidwe]

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.

Unclear here what was dangling? The Ryder truck?

[LucyJo]

"...an object that appeared to be a cable was on a Ryder truck dangling from the side of the span."

What was dangling from the side of the span???

[LucyJo]

LOL. Same thought.

[w1andsodidwe]

Guess we think alike.

[Wacka]

The bracket they put on the cracked area on Labor Day weekend. It came off an landed on the upper deck. The cable was attached to it. There is nothing really dangling. The cable is about the thickness of an arm and struck the Ryder truck. The driver had minor injuries (he was on the news).
This area has to stand for about 2-3 more years until the new bridge is finished. It’s amazing how they are building a new bridge and integrating it to the existing tunnel on Yerba Buena Island with only three scheduled closures.

[TaxPayer2000]

one of the videos from the website has an interview with the Rider truck driver....a must see!

[Domangart]

It sounds like they misunderestimated the stress that the parts were going under.

[Lockbar]

Made in China, eh? I guess they can’t find any welders in Cali. You get what you pay for.

[SierraWasp]

I just ventured out and went down across that bridge around the first of October... (BLEEP!!!)

[Psycho_Bunny]

Thank goodness no one was hit by them.

[US_MilitaryRules]

There will be no mess of traffic. Does anyone still work in kalifornica? They are all retired!

[Wacka]

The parts for the new bridge are made in China.
The bracket that fell was an emergency repair that is supposed to last until they tear down the old bridge. That was made and flown in from Arizona.

[cicero2k]

I’d rather be sitting here in the Colorado snow than be in that traffic.

[Domangart]

No. Those parts were fabricated here in Sacramento. The problem it appears is they never asked why those parts failed in the first place. They thought that it was over time. It appears to lack the strength to take the stress. They need a thicker washer plate. They just don’t know the stress factor.

[Lmo56]

Jeez - I hate when that happens ...

[Greysard]

Does anyone still work in kalifornica?

There is a big difference between (a) working and (b) producing excellent products that the entire world wants to buy. The former is still practiced. The latter is nearly extinct. Silicon Valley helps, but it's not enough - the "service industry" drags everything down because you can't export sandwiches.

[Thunder90]

If this happened without an earthquake, imagine what a 5.0 on the Richter scale will do, nonetheless anything stronger.

[Wacka]

A 5.0 probably wouldn’t do anything. The 1989 quake was 60 miles away and a 6.9-7, almost 100 times stronger.

[baa39]

Sounds like they should put you in charge of the project. I don’t know what the heck a “washer plate” is but if you’ve narrowed down the problem that specifically based on news reports, seems like you’re brighter than the folks overseeing the bridge work.

[Carry_Okie]

Another major concern is the delay in finishing the schematic designs, which are being drawn up by a team in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Oh but Arnold saved money by screwing Bechtel and going with his buddy (and financial backer) Warren Buffet's buddy Peter Kiewit (in whom Warren is invested). Who cares about the cost of delays; the bid was less (at first).

[your local physicist]

California spent so much money on medicaid fraud and welfare for illegal immigrants, so now it can’t afford to buy high quality steel made in America. It feels good to be out of there permanently, although my hometown will always be my hometown.

[Moonman62]

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.

They should have used duct tape (or maybe they did).

[your local physicist]

You know I’m really starting to think all these quality problems in Chinese products (steel, drywall, toothpaste, etc.) are not a coincidence. How could all that drywall shipped to America be contaminated with noxious chemicals when none of the other drywall made in China has that problem? I don’t buy their explanation.

[giotto]

Said the parts were made in China.

I just lost all confidence in that bridge.

[Soothesayer9]

Gah..Im glad Im not the guy who has to repair that thing. I think jumping out of a plane is easier next to that.

[houeto]

one of the videos from the website has an interview with the Rider truck driver....a must see!

Go see the vid clip folks. A good chuckle.

"I see dis in da movie but, ah, I never see dis, uh, uh, like dat!"

[Doogle]

..people of the bay area will be worried, some human robot in China, who's responsibility is to get things done, is on the “short list”