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Bay Bridge

East Span Replacement

Bay Bridge Recommendations

After reviewing more than a dozen design options and several possible alignments, MTC's Bay Bridge Design Task Force and the Engineering and Design Advisory Panel in June of 1997 forwarded recommendations to the full MTC policy board. In July of 1997, MTC submitted recommendations -- summarized below -- to the California Legislature, Governor Wilson and Caltrans:

  • Two design options -- a self-anchored suspension bridge and a cable-stayed bridge -- should be developed by Caltrans to approximately the 30 percent design stage so that reliable information as to seismic performance, cost, visual design and other issues can be obtained before a final decision is made.
  • The new eastern span and the existing western span retrofit should be designed to provide post-earthquake "lifeline" service.
  • The new span should be built along the proposed northern alignment, adjacent to the existing bridge.
  • The bridge should not be double-decked, but should have two parallel decks on the skyway section, and two parallel decks or a single deck on the cable-supported span.
  • The bridge does not require a dedicated bus/carpool lane.
  • The bridge should be designed to accommodate possible future rail service.
  • Structural elements should be visually consistent throughout the span.
  • Bridge cable or suspension towers should be no taller than towers on the western span.
  • Yerba Buena Island ramps should be replaced to assure safe traffic flow on the bridge.

MTC also ranked its priorities for additional project funding authorized by the Legislature, with a cable-supported bridge as first priority, renovation/relocation of the Transbay Transit Terminal second, and adding bicycle/pedestrian access on the east span as a third priority. The 30 percent bridge designs will provide options both with and without a bike path, and are expected to be completed in the summer of 1998. A complete list of recommendations is available.