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McSweeney's Bay Bridge Investigative Report Released

Jay Barmann — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:00:38 GMT

As promised, as part of their San Francisco Panorama broadsheet newspaper, the one-time printing of which is available today at various local booksellers for the special price $5, McSweeney's investigative report on the Bay Bridge is available online via The Public Press. The report includes multiple segments, including this nice timeline of the Bay Bridge's eastern span reconstruction, and this piece by Patricia Decker about the fabrication of the new span, which is being done by a Chinese vendor.

The main investigative piece, by Robert Porterfield and Patricia Decker, includes this up-to-the-minute bit of news about the $6.3 billion price tag for the bridge rising even higher:

Caltrans officials are expected to announce this week that problems in Asia, where the majority of the bridge is being manufactured, will push those costs even higher. Among those are problems with fabrication and shipping of critical steel components in China that could add $100 million or more to the final price tag, and international bickering over design drawings and blueprints that could ultimately cost tens of millions more.

Bay Bridge Closed Monday to Reopen On Monday

Brock Keeling — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:28:07 GMT

Without giving an estimated time as to when it will reopen, officials said today that the Bay Bridge will remain closed for Monday's morning commute.

For those of you keeping score, this makes week no. 2. Alas.

Update: The bridge, according to reports, will reopen by 9 a.m.

Scene from a Snapped-Cable Bay Bridge Accident Victim

Brock Keeling — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:50:50 GMT

Schlomo snapped and posted this image of the car injured in yesterday's Bay Bridge snafu.

According to Examiner, "A Ryder rental truck, a rental Nissan Sentra driven by a couple from Vancouver, Canada and a Lexus were hit by the falling debris." Above is the Sentra. The passenger, Evelyn Mau, from Vancouver, Canada told KTVU news that "she is still shaking and scared from the incident."

In related news, wind is being blamed for the Bay Bridge deterioration.

Donate To Bay Bridge Investigation Fund

Jay Barmann — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:52:54 GMT

This couldn't come at a better time, and leave it to a snapped eastern span Bay Bridge cable to make us find this: Baynewser reported just two weeks back about a joint venture between McSweeney's and the Public Press to examine (in old school investigative journalist style) and report on the whole Bay Bridge fiasco. The project to build a new eastern span is 6 BILLION DOLLARS over budget and already ABOUT A DECADE LATE, and honestly, today's event should be enough to make everyone who uses this bridge majorly fucking furious. It wasn't even an earthquake and that wasn't even a suspension span!

The Public Press/McSweeney's non-profit project (which you can, and should, donate $4 to today here) is looking to fund the hiring of an independent investigative reporter, a structural engineering expert, and a line editor to produce a broadsheet newspaper piece on this very subject to be distributed nationwide. Think of it as your first step in remembering (and financially supporting) the need for good investigative journalism in moments when we're being fleeced and misinformed at our own peril.

Anyway THX. Sorry to get all righteous and whatever. But srsly. Donate.

UPDATE: It's been confirmed that this investigative piece will be published online, and it will be included in the McSweeney's Issue 33, the newspaper issue. The day it prints, November 13th, the McSweeney's folks will be out on the streets of SF selling copies.

Snapped Cable Shuts Down Bay Bridge

Brock Keeling — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:13:35 GMT

After a snapped support cable struck three cars on the upper deck at around 5:45 p.m., the Bay Bridge was shut down in both directions this evening to check the structural integrity, according to ActionNewsSF.

SFGate reports:

CHP Officer Peter Van Eckhardt said what appeared to be a cable and a steel bracket fell from the eastern span's overhead steel support structure and onto the upper deck. The parts fell at about 5:30 p.m. Eckhardt said the passengers in one vehicle hit by the falling debris were shaken up but not injured.

Mercury News, however, says that one person has been injured.

Expect major delays. Check 511 for updates on traffic.

Update (7:45): Image of Bay Bridge overpass empty after tonight's closure went into effect. CHP is now diverting eastbound traffic onto Fourth Street. Also, Muni line 108 Treasure Island service has been suspended until further notice.

Update (8:08): The bridge will be closed for "at least 24 hours." Vehicles are backed up at the toll plaza. Nightmareish scene tonight, folks.