Organized Labor

As part of the seismic safety retrofit work on the West Approach to the Bay Bridge, a one-mile section of Interstate 80, three on-ramps and three off-ramps were demolished over the Labor Day weekend.

Prior to retrofitting, the West Approach had an upper and lower deck configuration from 3rd Street to the Anchorage, with one foundation system supporting both decks. When the retrofit is completed, each deck will have an independent column and foundation support system. The roadway leading to the double decks between 5th and 3rd Streets will be similar to the East Span’s Skyway, with parallel concrete decks.

Crews are performing this intensive, round-the-clock work as hundreds of thousands of vehicles move to and from the bridge each day. To add to the challenge, because the work occurs in a highly-developed urban area, accessing the work site with large construction equipment is extremely difficult.

To keep traffic flowing, and to enable work to occur within arm’s reach of office buildings and apartments, bridge builders are performing a “retrofit by replacement.” Much of this work is performed during the very late hours of the night and on weekends to minimize impacts to heavy commute-hour traffic.

Members of the Operating Engineers, Laborers, Piledrivers, Carpenters, Ironworkers, Cement Masons. Masters, Mates & Pilots, and Teamsters unions are employed on the project.

from http://www.baybridgeinfo.org/