[Photo Source: Noah Berger]
We received this email last night from the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, and we’re sure you all heard about the Emergent Closure of the Bay Bridge yesterday due to a “cantilever section made over Labor Day weekend[,which] snapped and crashed onto the upper deck of the span late [yesterday] afternoon, striking three vehicles and forcing the indefinite closure of the region’s busiest bridge”, but in case you hadn’t, now you know.
If you live and work in the city, emails and events like this should have little impact on your daily life (like us), but if you’re B & T, you’re bumming…
Golden Gate Transit Bus, Golden Gate Ferry and Gate Golden Bridge Customers:
In light of the closure of the Bay Bridge [last night] Tuesday, October 27, and the unknown timing of its re-opening, we want to caution all our passengers to expect delays on our systems during the closure. At the Golden Gate Bridge, we will have all lanes in the Toll Plaza opened by 4 am in anticipation of heavy southbound traffic and the roadway will be configured with 4 lanes southbound into San Francisco for the morning commute. Golden Gate Ferry will be prepared to add a high-capacity Spaulding vessel to operate after 7 am from Larkspur to San Francisco, depending on the passenger demand. Golden Gate Transit buses will operate as close to schedule as they possibly can, given the traffic.
Oh…we often forget we have a lot of out of town readers that might not know what exactly “B & T” means. Maybe one of our readers can clarify, because we don’t dare go there. ;-)
Yet another one of the many “reasons we live here” in the city.
I am confused by this “reason”. I really am amazed at the “bubble” many San Franciscan’s live in if they think a long bridge closure would not impact the local economy. After the 1989 quake MANY corporations left the city, some rather famous restaurants were not able to ride out waiting for the bridge to re-open. A “city” that has as its number one industry TOURISM needs to stop pretending it is Manhattan.
I am “bumming” because although I live both in Chicago and the Marina, when I am in the city at my house, I sometimes like to drive over the bridge to Oliveto, Chez Panisse, Kermit Lynch Wines, Rockridge Market and The Cheese Board. There is life over there too, and I would rather live in Claremont or Rockridge than the Sunset or parts of Bernal.
What the bridge closure should remind Bay Areans is that we are a long way from having a “world class” regional transit system.
“What the bridge closure should remind Bay Areans is that we are a long way from having a “world class” regional transit system.”
Well said, and we even Tweeted our Mayor about this today.
Now that is an arse kicking of a commute now! Even going across the GGB is a pain in the ass due to the diverted trafffic.
It’s all about City living.
Oliveto is worth a 40 minute roundtrip drive over the Bay? I just ate Oliveto food last night. It’s nice and all but similar quality food is available in the city at the Ferry Building and elsewhere.
I wouldn’t even dream of driving to Rockridge. not when you can BART there and don’t even worry about drunk-driving back home.
There are not so many destination outside the city you cannot reach by BART nearly as easily as driving there.
BTW – time to review your emergency plan. In case of an earthquake, NOT ONLY will ALL THE BRIDGES be closed for a few days, but cell phones might be down etc.
What is your plan for the day mom or dad is stuck on the wrong side of the bridge? who will pick up the children at school without even you needing to tell them to do so (because you won’t be able to reach them)?
This incident is coming on the heals of the Great California ShakeOut – http://www.shakeout.org/ – it’s just an ironic “forced rehearsal” for disaster management. ;)
Speaking of emergency plans, I am not sure how many of you lived in the city in 1989, but here are some of the lessons I learned.
1.) Always have at least half a tank of gas in the car. All gas stations were closed in the city, and those in outlying areas were shut down for safety reasons, or were out of gas.
2.) Keep plenty of cash. ATM’s were down for days. Banks were offline, and no point of sale network was up.
3.) Go to the Nikko Hotel! They have FULL POWER with their emergency generators and while the rest of the city was dark, the Nikko was running like nothing happened. We got a room since the Marina was a mess and used the pool, gym, restaurants and watched cable while most in the city did not have power. They gave discounts to Marina residents and it became a sort of mini-vacation.
I am a regular visitor here in SFO and I want to know what “B & T” means. Will somebody please e-mail me.
bridge and tunnel
Now bay bridge is totally screwed up…
To add to Sophie’s comments, not only will the bridges be closed (due to damage to their approach ramps : the bridges themselves should remain standing), but just about any other way in or out of the city will be down. The section of 101 over landfill (near Brisbane) will be destroyed and there will be enough landslides and overpass damage on 280 to close it. Ferries ? Naw, their docks will be too damaged.
Plan on staying put for at least a week without power, water, or any other utilities. The only way in or out will be on foot around Mt. San Bruno and down the peninsula.
Stockpile water, get to know your neighbors and make an emergency plan.