The Long Trip to Treasure Island
August 29, 2013 11:22 AM Subscribe
Unlike its original namesake or famous sibling, the new Eastern span of the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge opens with little fanfare on Labor Day. Even governor Jerry Brown, once mayor of Oakland and the political force [1998] behind its groundbreaking signature design, is skipping the party.
I'm glad they're finishing it. It is a beautiful design, despite the bolt difficulties. (Sure beats this. )
So, some delays and cost overruns... but it could've been MUCH worse.
posted by markkraft at 11:40 AM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
So, some delays and cost overruns... but it could've been MUCH worse.
posted by markkraft at 11:40 AM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
Please support the naming of the span for visionary and San Francisco icon, Emperor Norton.
posted by alamedarchy at 11:45 AM on August 29, 2013 [18 favorites]
posted by alamedarchy at 11:45 AM on August 29, 2013 [18 favorites]
Maybe now movies will show people driving over the Bay Bridge instead of the Golden Gate which looks great but doesn't really go too many useful places.
posted by octothorpe at 11:49 AM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by octothorpe at 11:49 AM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
I remember the original bridge snapping in the 1989 earthquake.
It is incredible to me that a project that began when I was a little kid just finished.
posted by miyabo at 11:49 AM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
It is incredible to me that a project that began when I was a little kid just finished.
posted by miyabo at 11:49 AM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
I'm sad about that too, gingerbeer. My grandfather walked across the GG bridge on opening day as a teenager in 1937 and I thought it would be cool to do the same with my son on the Bay Bridge. I was strangely nostalgic driving across it for the last time yesterday. Though it will be really cool to finally be able to see East Bay views heading home from SF.
posted by JenMarie at 12:03 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by JenMarie at 12:03 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
People that said goodbye to the wrong side of the Bay Bridge (Buzzfeed - my apologies)
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 12:09 PM on August 29, 2013 [8 favorites]
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 12:09 PM on August 29, 2013 [8 favorites]
There are questions about the bridge's structural integrity? No wonder Jerry Brown is skipping the party. There's also that large parts of the bridge were built overseas, it's not like "America" built the bridge with workers from all over the country showing up to celebrate their own handiwork. Which is kind of ironic given SF is home to one of the largest construction companies in the world for this sort of stuff, Bechtel.
posted by stbalbach at 12:26 PM on August 29, 2013
posted by stbalbach at 12:26 PM on August 29, 2013
All my acquaintances who actually live in SF would just as soon keep the bridge closed permanently. Which is a terrible idea, but I'm sure it'll be a quieter than normal long weekend in the city.
posted by GuyZero at 12:30 PM on August 29, 2013
posted by GuyZero at 12:30 PM on August 29, 2013
stbalbach, the parts of the bridge that structurally questionable were built in the US.
posted by alamedarchy at 12:38 PM on August 29, 2013
posted by alamedarchy at 12:38 PM on August 29, 2013
There are questions about the bridge's structural integrity?
Yes. But my understanding is that those pale in comparison to the not-questions-real-certainty-it's-gotta-go structural integrity of the old span.
posted by rtha at 12:42 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yes. But my understanding is that those pale in comparison to the not-questions-real-certainty-it's-gotta-go structural integrity of the old span.
posted by rtha at 12:42 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
All my acquaintances who actually live in SF would just as soon keep the bridge closed permanently.
That's an interesting mix of NIMBYism and good old fashioned absurdity. How would your acquaintances propose that any commercial goods get to San Francisco from the east...you know, where the other 99% of the country is? Or from overseas, since the Port of Oakland is, you know, east of the bridge?
posted by Brak at 12:56 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
That's an interesting mix of NIMBYism and good old fashioned absurdity. How would your acquaintances propose that any commercial goods get to San Francisco from the east...you know, where the other 99% of the country is? Or from overseas, since the Port of Oakland is, you know, east of the bridge?
posted by Brak at 12:56 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
Sorry, I know you qualified it as a "terrible idea"; I'd have a hard time not laughing outright at someone who proposed such a thing out loud, is all.
posted by Brak at 12:59 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Brak at 12:59 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
Maybe now movies will show people driving over the Bay Bridge instead of the Golden Gate which looks great but doesn't really go too many useful places.
The extremely wealthy citizens of Marin County beg to differ, while politely reminding you to get off their property.
posted by rhombus at 12:59 PM on August 29, 2013 [3 favorites]
The extremely wealthy citizens of Marin County beg to differ, while politely reminding you to get off their property.
posted by rhombus at 12:59 PM on August 29, 2013 [3 favorites]
How would your acquaintances propose that any commercial goods get to San Francisco from the east
Rowed over by hipsters in fixed-gear canoes probably.
posted by GuyZero at 1:20 PM on August 29, 2013 [11 favorites]
Rowed over by hipsters in fixed-gear canoes probably.
posted by GuyZero at 1:20 PM on August 29, 2013 [11 favorites]
Which is kind of ironic given SF is home to one of the largest construction companies in the world for this sort of stuff, Bechtel.
Geez, can we have one thread without someone bringing up the Bechtel Test? :\
posted by Dokterrock at 1:21 PM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
Geez, can we have one thread without someone bringing up the Bechtel Test? :\
posted by Dokterrock at 1:21 PM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
miyabo: "It is incredible to me that a project that began when I was a little kid just finished."
That's nothing.
NYC Water Tunnel #3 was authorized in 1954, and won't be complete for another 5 years, despite nearly continuous construction since 1970. The Chicago Deep Tunnel project has been under construction for almost as long, and won't be complete until 2029 at the earliest.
posted by schmod at 2:13 PM on August 29, 2013
That's nothing.
NYC Water Tunnel #3 was authorized in 1954, and won't be complete for another 5 years, despite nearly continuous construction since 1970. The Chicago Deep Tunnel project has been under construction for almost as long, and won't be complete until 2029 at the earliest.
posted by schmod at 2:13 PM on August 29, 2013
the Golden Gate which looks great but doesn't really go too many useful places
I traveled across the Golden Gate bridge for the first time recently to visit a world-class brewery. If there's anything more useful than such delicious beer, I don't wanna know.
posted by exogenous at 2:22 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
I traveled across the Golden Gate bridge for the first time recently to visit a world-class brewery. If there's anything more useful than such delicious beer, I don't wanna know.
posted by exogenous at 2:22 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
the Golden Gate which looks great but doesn't really go too many useful places
Uh, it's not like people are going to drive through OAKLAND on their way to Napa!
posted by GuyZero at 2:46 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
Uh, it's not like people are going to drive through OAKLAND on their way to Napa!
posted by GuyZero at 2:46 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
Let's not make this an oakland vs san francisco thing.
posted by thetruthisjustalie at 2:50 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by thetruthisjustalie at 2:50 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
If I could afford to live in Marin, I would hella live in Marin.
posted by entropicamericana at 2:50 PM on August 29, 2013
posted by entropicamericana at 2:50 PM on August 29, 2013
I love Marin, but would not live there. Likewise the East Bay. So many places for people to be happy, and soon we will have a bridge that will (probably) not collapse when we all visit each other!
posted by rtha at 2:53 PM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by rtha at 2:53 PM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
Maybe now movies will show people driving over the Bay Bridge instead of the Golden Gate which looks great but doesn't really go too many useful places.
Never gonna happen, I'm afraid. The Golden Gate Bridge is quick visual shorthand for "San Francisco", just as the Eiffel Tower is "Paris", and Big Ben is "London".
posted by Thorzdad at 2:56 PM on August 29, 2013
Never gonna happen, I'm afraid. The Golden Gate Bridge is quick visual shorthand for "San Francisco", just as the Eiffel Tower is "Paris", and Big Ben is "London".
posted by Thorzdad at 2:56 PM on August 29, 2013
Let's not make this an oakland vs san francisco thing.
ok, but really, it's silly to say the Golden Gate Bridge does not go to "too many useful places".
People live in Marin County. Those places are as "useful" as any other place. Unless the implication was that San Francisco was useless. Then I might agree.
posted by GuyZero at 3:04 PM on August 29, 2013
ok, but really, it's silly to say the Golden Gate Bridge does not go to "too many useful places".
People live in Marin County. Those places are as "useful" as any other place. Unless the implication was that San Francisco was useless. Then I might agree.
posted by GuyZero at 3:04 PM on August 29, 2013
Maybe now movies will show people driving over the Bay Bridge instead of the Golden Gate which looks great but doesn't really go too many useful places.
They actually did this in the second Thin Man movie.
posted by entropicamericana at 3:05 PM on August 29, 2013
They actually did this in the second Thin Man movie.
posted by entropicamericana at 3:05 PM on August 29, 2013
From wikipedia, the Bay bridge has appeared in: "Fly-Away Baby, Shadow of the Thin Man, The Graduate, Koyaanisqatsi, George of the Jungle, 2012, Basic Instinct, The Towering Inferno, Zodiac, and The Dead Pool."
Also, Gymkhana Five.
posted by GuyZero at 3:08 PM on August 29, 2013
Also, Gymkhana Five.
posted by GuyZero at 3:08 PM on August 29, 2013
Maybe little fanfare on the opening, but local news has been ALL BRIDGE CLOSURE ALL THE TIME for the last few days.
Sad that they didn't have time to have an opening day with the opportunity to walk across it. I was really looking forward to that.
I was looking forward to running over it, but the off-again-on-again "we're going to have to delay" / "oh no we're not" stuff with the defective bolts killed off the celebration events.
The now-defunct Bay Bridge Celebration website says "the planned public celebration has been postponed to a future date" so there may yet be a chance to walk it.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 3:14 PM on August 29, 2013
Sad that they didn't have time to have an opening day with the opportunity to walk across it. I was really looking forward to that.
I was looking forward to running over it, but the off-again-on-again "we're going to have to delay" / "oh no we're not" stuff with the defective bolts killed off the celebration events.
The now-defunct Bay Bridge Celebration website says "the planned public celebration has been postponed to a future date" so there may yet be a chance to walk it.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 3:14 PM on August 29, 2013
Seems unlikely that they would close it again just to let people walk (or run) on it. I think we're out of luck on that particular option.
posted by gingerbeer at 3:43 PM on August 29, 2013
posted by gingerbeer at 3:43 PM on August 29, 2013
This new span is beautiful, and I'm excited to both drive and walk/ride across it. I love giant public works that are also beautiful, and this is such an improvement. Plus, you know, safer etc.
posted by LooseFilter at 4:04 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by LooseFilter at 4:04 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
How would your acquaintances propose that any commercial goods get to San Francisco from the east
Quadcopter!
posted by zippy at 4:50 PM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
Quadcopter!
posted by zippy at 4:50 PM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
Maybe little fanfare on the opening, but local news has been ALL BRIDGE CLOSURE ALL THE TIME for the last few days.
I got breaking news alerts several times last night and this morning related to the Bay Bridge closure.
"BREAKING: Bay Bridge now shut down"
"TRAFFIC ALERT: San Mateo, Dumbarton Bridges have heavier volumes today with BAY BRIDGE CLOSURE"
"TRAFFIC ALERT: WB 80 Through Berkeley/Emeryville JAMMED"
and so on, followed slightly later in the morning with
"The commuting nightmare b/c of #BayBridge closure never really happened this morning."
posted by TwoWordReview at 5:18 PM on August 29, 2013
I got breaking news alerts several times last night and this morning related to the Bay Bridge closure.
"BREAKING: Bay Bridge now shut down"
"TRAFFIC ALERT: San Mateo, Dumbarton Bridges have heavier volumes today with BAY BRIDGE CLOSURE"
"TRAFFIC ALERT: WB 80 Through Berkeley/Emeryville JAMMED"
and so on, followed slightly later in the morning with
"The commuting nightmare b/c of #BayBridge closure never really happened this morning."
posted by TwoWordReview at 5:18 PM on August 29, 2013
You know what? The Golden Gate Bridge is just not that impressive. Yeah, I said it. It looks nice from a distance, but it's not at all memorable to travel across. Hell, whenever I've been on it, I feel like I blinked and then it was over. Plus there's the new awful toll thing going on there to fuck with and confuse the tourists. Poor tourists.
I think the Bay Bridge is awesome. IT GOES THROUGH A FREAKING ISLAND, you guys! That's memorable! The view is lovely, and it's a long enough bridge to give you a good show. And if they're making it less easily breakable, so much the better!
LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR NORTON BAY BRIDGE!
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:56 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
I think the Bay Bridge is awesome. IT GOES THROUGH A FREAKING ISLAND, you guys! That's memorable! The view is lovely, and it's a long enough bridge to give you a good show. And if they're making it less easily breakable, so much the better!
LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR NORTON BAY BRIDGE!
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:56 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
The impressive thing about the GG Bridge is the approach from Marin side, going through the tunnel that opens into the Headlands descending to the bridge. It's quite the vista. Cold as hell to ride a bike over though.
posted by WASP-12b at 9:43 PM on August 29, 2013
posted by WASP-12b at 9:43 PM on August 29, 2013
I didn't realise the last time I drove over the bay bridge was the last time. Bugger.
posted by schwa at 7:41 AM on August 30, 2013
posted by schwa at 7:41 AM on August 30, 2013
ok, but really, it's silly to say the Golden Gate Bridge does not go to "too many useful places".
Sorry, I overstated that and didn't mean to dis Marin County, just pointing out the movie cliche of always showing the protagonist driving over the Golden Gate Bridge when The Bay Bridge is much heavier traveled but you seldom see it in movies/TV.
Uh, it's not like people are going to drive through OAKLAND on their way to Napa!
I drive that way every time I'm in the bay area. SFO -> Bay Bridge -> Rt. 80 -> Rt. 29. My in-laws live just north of Napa.
posted by octothorpe at 8:24 AM on August 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
Sorry, I overstated that and didn't mean to dis Marin County, just pointing out the movie cliche of always showing the protagonist driving over the Golden Gate Bridge when The Bay Bridge is much heavier traveled but you seldom see it in movies/TV.
Uh, it's not like people are going to drive through OAKLAND on their way to Napa!
I drive that way every time I'm in the bay area. SFO -> Bay Bridge -> Rt. 80 -> Rt. 29. My in-laws live just north of Napa.
posted by octothorpe at 8:24 AM on August 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
Agreed, GG bridge is often a shitshow to get to Wine Country.
posted by WASP-12b at 9:40 AM on August 30, 2013
posted by WASP-12b at 9:40 AM on August 30, 2013
The old span is actually six bridges stuck end-to-end (a cantilever bridge and five truss bridges), plus two causeways. The other span is two suspension bridges.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:34 AM on August 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by kirkaracha at 10:34 AM on August 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
Here are some pictures of the new span and the old, just before the closure.
posted by twsf at 9:22 PM on August 30, 2013
posted by twsf at 9:22 PM on August 30, 2013
Plan to name new Bay Bridge span after Willie Brown opposed
posted by homunculus at 11:57 AM on August 31, 2013
posted by homunculus at 11:57 AM on August 31, 2013
1) Though I think something cool should get Emperor Norton's name, the Oakland-side span of the Bay Bridge aint it. That's some SF-centricism right there.
2) The new span looks really cool but it clashes with the existing western span. When taken together they feel like a strange and awkward mashup.
posted by wemayfreeze at 4:13 PM on August 31, 2013
2) The new span looks really cool but it clashes with the existing western span. When taken together they feel like a strange and awkward mashup.
posted by wemayfreeze at 4:13 PM on August 31, 2013
It is unclear if the Bay Bridge troll will be moved to the new span.
posted by eye of newt at 4:40 PM on August 31, 2013
posted by eye of newt at 4:40 PM on August 31, 2013
It's open! Huzzah!
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 6:07 PM on September 2, 2013
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 6:07 PM on September 2, 2013
According to the incessant bridge-news-watching my mom was doing all weekend, the troll has definitely been saved from the old bridge, at least.
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:12 PM on September 2, 2013
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:12 PM on September 2, 2013
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posted by gingerbeer at 11:37 AM on August 29, 2013