[Bobibutu]

"undeniably more elegant and graceful"

I'm from Oakland - I always felt we got shortchanged on the design end of the bridge (just an ugly ramp on our side)

Look closely to the right of the bridge in the traffic photo in post 20 and you will see construction and cranes - we are getting a new bridge on this side (old ramp cannot be retrofitted to earthquake criteria) - and the design is awesome - http://www.mtc.ca.gov/projects/bay_bridge/bbmain.htm

and http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist4/eastspans/index.html

[Simmy2.5]

The replacement bridge looks okay. Problem is, it still looks like a long ramp up to the new 'single' tower of the new bridge. In other words, still ugly.

Still, a bridge is a bridge. Can't wait for it to finish.

As for suicides, its sad, but it happens. I remember the Golden Gate Bridge having tons of problems with this. They even proposed having huge suicide barriers to prevent said suicides. Wonder if they ever got around to doing this?

Of course, the Golden Gate Bridge IS one of the most recognized landmark worldwide. Especially compared to the Bay Bridge which, great on its own right, is no Golden Gate Bridge. The GG would have a more 'grand' place to jump off so to speak.