Seismic resistance completed on the Golden Gate Bridge

North Bay commuters received a $400 million gift from the US Department of Transportation over the holidays. This is how much money the federal government will contribute towards completing the seismic upgrades on the Golden Gate Bridge. However, even if this gift is a cause for celebration, the constant quarrel over the suicide barriers on the bridge spoils the mood.

Recent earthquakes along the northern coast were a terrifying reminder that the next big earthquake could strike the region at any time. When it happens — not an “if” — the Golden Gate Bridge isn’t ready. If the bridge fails, as part of the Bay Bridge did in the 1989 earthquake, the important transportation link will be severed at a time when the area will be in full recovery mode. Emergency supplies, services and desperate populations will have to find longer, alternative routes.

The immediate consequences of the earthquake would only be the beginning of the problems if the bridge collapsed. About 40 million vehicles cross the Golden Gate Bridge annually. If major repairs or replacement are required after an earthquake, it will upend travel around the region for years.

And no one should ignore the sentimental value of an international icon. The Golden Gate Bridge is known all over the world. His loss would be a severe blow to the morale of the region amid the devastation.

Plans have been in the works for 25 years to modify the bridge so that it can stand an earthquake on par with the 1906 earthquake – with a magnitude of 8.3. Several upgrades were completed early on, but work stalled after 2014 with final upgrades to the range and two main towers yet to be completed. To a large extent this was due to a lack of funding. The estimated remaining cost to complete the project is $879 million.

The $400 million federal grant should reinvigorate the project. The money will come from the Department of Transportation’s Bridge Investment Program, which is part of the bipartisan 2021 infrastructure bill approved by Congress.

It’s not all the money needed, less than half, but it’s a sign that the federal government understands the importance of protecting the Golden Gate Bridge. Some of the remaining money may come from fees. The state will also participate. It is necessary for the leaders to find the rest so that the project can be completed as soon as possible.

In order to better sell the project, it is better for bridge leaders to end their dispute with contractors who are building a suicide prevention network on the bridge. This project is years behind schedule and could end up costing more than twice its original $142 million price partly due to delays and partly to unforeseen challenges. Duking in court with the contractors over changes isn’t a good look. Perhaps mediation or arbitration can reach an amicable settlement more quickly.

The Golden Gate Bridge is a prolific site for suicides. It is impossible to make an exact count, but since the bridge opened in 1937, it is believed that more than 1,800 people have killed themselves there. Each year of delay in installing the nets will allow time for twenty or more to jump.

The cost of retrofitting a decades-old suspension bridge is high. And the cost of replacing them after an earthquake will be much higher.

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