Tours

San Francisco -Oakland Bay Bridge Tour

Thursday, November 11 1:00pm-4:30pm

This tour consists of a presentation on the background and current status
of the seismic retrofit of the bridge followed by a short walk to a crew boat
for a tour of the project from the bay. The tour provides an overview of the
Skyway & Self Anchored Suspension Projects.

The Skyway, which comprises much of the new East Span, will drastically
change the appearance of the Bay Bridge. Replacing the grey steel that
currently cages drivers will be a graceful, elevated roadway supported by
piers, providing sweeping views of the Bay. The side-by-side east and
westbound decks will each have five lanes along with 10-foot-wide shoulders
to help keep traffic flowing.

Extending for more than a mile across Oakland mudflats, this is the longest
section of the East Span, between the new Self-Anchored Suspension (SAS)
span and the Oakland Touchdown. In addition to incorporating the latest
seismic-safety technology, the Skyway is up to current transportation requirements
with standard shoulders and lane widths. Designed specifically to move during a major quake,

the Skyway features several state-of-the art seismic safety innovations.

If one single element bestows the status of world-class on the new Bay
Bridge, it is the Self-Anchored Suspension (SAS) Span. This engineering
marvel will be the world's largest SAS bridge (2,047 feet).

The SAS is not just another suspension bridge. Traditional main cable suspension
bridges have twin cables with smaller suspender cables connected
to them. These cables hold up the roadbed and are anchored to separate
structures in the ground. While there will appear to be two main cables on
the SAS, there is actually only one. This single cable is anchored within the
eastern end of the roadway. The cable is carried over a single tower and
wraps around the two side-by-side decks at the western end.

Fee: $50 includes transportation