San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Weld Controversy - Design and Construction - Videos - Entire Project Drive-by and Fly-by Videos

Entire Project Drive-by and Fly-by Videos

A video from early June 2011, taken from a westbound coach in the right lane, gives a good overview of the project at about the same speed as it will be driven upon by its users during non-rush hours. There is no narration, but in an earlier version we could overhear the remarks of the riders — e.g. "Look at this big monstrous thing here!" and "Oh, guys, I hope it's worth it!".

• New San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge Under Construction (June 8, 2011)

0:00 – The Westbound touchdown (white "object" to left is a reflection of the sky through the windshield)

0:11 – The east end of the westbound skyway

0:13 – The first of three dual foundations that will support the eastbound touchdown

0:17 – The eastern end of the eastbound skyway

0:26 – A crossing between the eastbound and westbound skyway for the workers and inspectors

0:55 – Three poles, first of many to hold lighting fixtures

1:00 – Barges anchored in the distance are used to carry major bridge components

1:04 – A typical observation point for the pedestrian and bicycle path

1:15 – The roadbed on the last causeway segment curves to join the truss portion of the old span

1:21 – The first of the five through-truss spans is entered

1:30 – The spans of the skyway segments become shorter where the skyway curves

1:51 – The first steel box structures are seen, supported by temporary towers

2:09 – Entering the cantilever span

2:12 – The eastern main-span support is surrounded by falsework that will support the final SAS deck segments

2:22 – The SAS tower and its erection scaffold appears as the coach slows for the S curve

2:42 – Cross boxes can be seen here joining the east and west box deck structures

2:47 – The little red vehicle has nowhere to go except on the SAS

2:50 – Main span western counterweight

2:52 – Yellow tubular sacrificial keys will align the SAS to the YBITS

2:54 – Leaving the cantilever span to the S curve

2:56 – YBITS formwork for the westbound lanes

3:00 – Column head rebar

3:06 – Personnel access stairs

3:13 – Column casting formwork — from here, we see a mix of tall and short columns where the roadbeds will transition from side-to-side to over-and-under configuration

3:19 – Completed portion of the YBITS

3:24 – End of video, coach is about to enter the Yerba Buena Tunnel

A fly-by video was also shot on the same day from above. This video shows the current traffic and the construction progress of the SAS from an extraordinary aerial view.

• SAS and YBITS Construction Progress (June 8, 2011)