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Bay Bridge steel set to be shipped from China
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 12/30/9 | Michael Cabanatuan, Chronicle Staff Writer

Posted on 12/30/2009 7:43:08 AM PST by SmithL

With much fanfare and celebration - by Chinese steelworkers and Caltrans officials alike - the first steel pieces of the new Bay Bridge suspension span were prepared to ship out of Shanghai on Tuesday - more than a year late but in time to meet a Dec. 31 deadline that officials hope will keep construction on schedule for a 2013 opening.

"It's momentous," said Ken Terpstra, Caltrans' project manager for the Bay Bridge, from Shanghai where workers staged a ceremony complete with daytime fireworks. "It was a hard, challenging road, but they're ready to go."

The first shipment, delayed by welding problems, includes eight huge wing-shaped deck pieces that will hang over Yerba Buena Island. They're expected to arrive in the Bay Area in about four weeks, depending on weather and sea conditions. After clearing customs inspections and being unbolted from the ship transporting them, they'll be lifted atop the temporary trestle north of the existing bridge and rolled into place.

"This is really big," said Bart Ney, a Caltrans spokesman, who was also in China. "We're literally kicking off the new year with the start of construction of the suspension span."

The steel was originally scheduled for delivery in October 2008 but troubles with welds on the prefabricated steel deck pieces caused repeated delays

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: baybridge; bridge; china; chinesesteel; madeinchina; steel; yourtaxdollarsatwork
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To: Happyinmygarden
John Kerry (who, by the way served in Vietnam)

Cambodia too. Just ask him.

21 posted on 12/30/2009 8:37:14 AM PST by TLI ( ITINERIS IMPENDEO VALHALLA)
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To: my small voice

Because we shut down the nearby mills in Fontana, Utah, etc. 10 years ago and sold the equipment to China.


22 posted on 12/30/2009 8:43:19 AM PST by Heliand
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To: SmithL
http://www.uss.com/corp/construction/index.asp

" U. S. Steel is a leading supplier of sheet products to a variety of building product manufacturers that serve the diverse construction industry. Our markets include metal building systems, roofing and siding components, doors, commercial and residential framing, truss plates and connectors, decking, bridge and highway products, culvert, central heating and air conditioning equipment, water heaters, retail shelving systems, and steel furniture."

23 posted on 12/30/2009 8:44:55 AM PST by TLI ( ITINERIS IMPENDEO VALHALLA)
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To: my small voice

Even worse, I have seen one report, since buried, that blamed mislabled/fraudulent Chinese steel (claiming higher quality than actually delivering) as a partial cause of the collapse.


24 posted on 12/30/2009 8:45:33 AM PST by Ingtar (I closed my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone...)
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To: SmithL

The Chinese government probably bought the bridge bonds to finance the bridge. They do this when they want to help elderly economies maintain their transportation infrastructure to ship their manufactured goods away from their ports.

Chinese ships, shipping Chinese goods, to Chinese owned ports, transported over Chinese made bridges, financed by Chinese bond companies.

We did when we had a productive, surplus capital to poor countries. Now they are doing it to going poor countries.

On the other hand, by force of government, with the help of GW Bush, Hank Paulson, and the Democrats, we are ‘investing’ in loser auto companies, loser auto finance companies, loser big banks and in Federal/State/Local government workers who we need to manage shutdown of America.

Lots of American Elites will facilitate the bust out of America. They get profits, the Chinese and others the markets, and Americans get massive public debts to repay.

Predicted, happening, natural.


25 posted on 12/30/2009 8:46:54 AM PST by Leisler (We don't need a third party we need a conservative second party.)
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To: Ingtar

LOL - misread which bridge...


26 posted on 12/30/2009 8:47:05 AM PST by Ingtar (I closed my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone...)
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To: TLI

He can’t talk about Cambodian Ops, ordered by yet not sworn in Richard Nixon.


27 posted on 12/30/2009 8:49:08 AM PST by Leisler (We don't need a third party we need a conservative second party.)
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To: freekitty

That was my first thought. Why doesn’t it surprise me that Obama’s shovel-ready infrastructure projects involve Chinese steel?


28 posted on 12/30/2009 8:55:11 AM PST by FourPeas (Why does Professor Presbury's wolfhound, Roy, endeavour to bite him?)
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To: SmithL

as someone who laid track for Bethlehem Steel this makes me sick


29 posted on 12/30/2009 8:58:09 AM PST by usshadley (Orwell was an Optimist)
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To: ggrrrrr23456

So they go right back to the bad source and buy from them.

Is Obama crazy? Yes, and dumber than rocks too.


30 posted on 12/30/2009 8:58:11 AM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: stevecmd

Most of the price of steel is in the materials and transportation, not labor. And US labor in the steel mills is far more productive than most foreign labor.

The main problem is that there are no major US steel mills in California, Nevada, Arizona, or Utah rolling structural beams or plates to be fabricated into structural members. I believe the nearest mills is the old CF&I mill in Pueblo, CO and the Portland Steel Mill (both now part of the Evraz Group), and they have major “labor problems” as in not being very popular with the union types due to having fired and replaced its striking workers about 12 years ago.


31 posted on 12/30/2009 9:04:26 AM PST by Heliand
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To: SmithL

Huh????
And what is wrong with the steel produced in the US? NOTHING. Oh, I forgot we live in a Global economy.


32 posted on 12/30/2009 9:04:30 AM PST by Protect the Bill of Rights
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To: my small voice

“The OSM Rolling Mill is the only plate mill in the Western United States and adjacent Western Canadian Provinces.”

http://web.archive.org/web/20070813065049/http://www.oregonsteel.com/LocationsFacilities/OSMRollingMill/tabid/67/Default.aspx

ONE steel mill for the entire west of the US. That’s why the Chinese have the contract.


33 posted on 12/30/2009 9:14:26 AM PST by Heliand
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To: freekitty

I think we’re harmonically in tune this morning. That’s my precise thought.

“Delayed because of welding problems.” That sure instills confidence in me. NOT!


34 posted on 12/30/2009 9:35:26 AM PST by DoughtyOne (Good news. HC bill will not cover illegal aliens. Bad news. 20-35 million will become citizens.)
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To: gitmogrunt

Do you realize how many steel mills have been closed?


35 posted on 12/30/2009 9:49:11 AM PST by ThisLittleLightofMine
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To: ThisLittleLightofMine
Do you realize how many steel mills have been closed?

Yes. I'm a shareholder of U.S. Steel. Stock symbol X.

36 posted on 12/30/2009 10:22:29 AM PST by gitmogrunt (The stupidity of Liberal's never ceases to amaze me.)
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To: DoughtyOne

You got that right.


37 posted on 12/30/2009 10:44:57 AM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: Abbeville Conservative

IMO,American should say “thank you “ to China,because you pay less money and get better quality steel from China than US .hehe


38 posted on 12/30/2009 8:50:19 PM PST by oyxm36
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To: SmithL
I hope we didn't purchase this new Chinese "ultra-lite" steel:

CHINESE STEEL 1

CHINESE STEEL 2

Pictured: Shanghai Bridge Made of Rubbish Collapses - Made In China
39 posted on 01/03/2010 8:27:56 AM PST by JACKRUSSELL
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To: Sacajaweau
Humm. More likely Korean steel that long ago.
40 posted on 01/03/2010 8:31:50 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ (usff.com)
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