California's Most Ambitious Public Works Project - 1

Caltrans' new $5 billion project would be an engineering feat and is meant to serve as a lifeline in the event of a devastating earthquake.

1 minute read

August 23, 2004, 8:00 AM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


"How do you build a bridge in a region that is bordered by some of the most dangerous fault lines in the world? If you're the California Department of Transportation, you pull out every engineering trick in the book.

The agency, known locally as Caltrans, is in the midst of what is being called the most ambitious public works project in California's history: the replacement of the eastern half of the historic San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. In its place, Caltrans is erecting a modern concrete span consisting of a pair of 1.2-mile-long viaducts followed by the world's first single-tower, self-anchored suspension bridge. The project will be completed by 2010 at the earliest and is expected to cost a whopping $5 billion. "

Thanks to Abhijeet Chavan

Thursday, August 19, 2004 in Wired

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight