Government Planning San Francisco Bay Style

The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

One of the Bay Area's longest running stories, a tale of money, political power and amazing feats, with more twists, turns and trouble than a cable television drama, is finally reaching its end, albeit a beautiful yet slightly disappointing and unrewarding conclusion.

The new eastern span of the Bay Bridge is scheduled to open early Sept. 3, almost 24 years after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake snapped a section of the busy bridge, revealing its fragility, and almost 12 years since construction started[...]

The $6.4 billion eastern span of the bridge costs roughly five times its original estimate and took at least seven years longer than expected, depending on when you start counting the delays.[...]

But the biggest black eye came last spring, as construction of the new east span was seemingly moving smoothly into the final stages and transportation officials began planning a public grand opening including fireworks, footraces, a bike ride, even a flotilla of human-powered watercraft. In March, as contractors were tightening huge bolts attaching seismic safety devices to the bridge deck, the rods cracked.