1. CALTRANS San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Construction
Large, defining, signature bridges are always a sight to behold but so too are
the construction efforts and innovation to successfully turn concept into reality.
The newly released video at:
http://www.fluor.com/about_fluor/Pages/videos.aspx?channel=4&videoid=314
describes one such endeavor entering its final stages. The East Span of the San
Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is the largest public infrastructure project in
California’s history.
I hope you enjoy the video and as always I appreciate your feedback!
FACT SHEET
CALTRANS San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Construction
Client: California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS)
Location: San Francisco, CA, U.S.
The American Bridge/Fluor Joint Venture (ABFJV) is constructing the $1.43-billion, 625-meter-long
East Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. This first-ever, single-tower, self-anchored
suspension (SAS) bridge is the largest public infrastructure project in California’s history.
The project team has met major construction milestones, including erecting the world’s largest cable
saddle on top of the steel tower at 495 feet (151 meters) and installing the final, main cable strand on
the SAS bridge five weeks ahead of schedule.
The ABFJV team designed a cable hauling system to install the strands from the deck anchorage on the
eastside, over the tower saddle, around the west cap beam, back through the tower saddle, and finally

2. into the cable anchorage on the eastside. The cable erection equipment includes a primary strand
hauling system or tramway and secondary hauling systems with transfer arms to float and install the
strands into the deviation saddles on the westside and through the tower saddle.
Next the installed 137 strands will be compacted into a bundle and wrapped with zinc paste and
stainless steel S-wire before being painted.
Client's Challenge
The eastern span of the Bay Bridge was damaged during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake when a
section of the bridge’s upper deck collapsed onto the lower deck. While the damage to the bridge was
relatively minor, its structural failure underscored the seismic vulnerability of this major transportation
link for the San Francisco area. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) specified the
bridge withstand major seismic activity. Additionally, in an area known for its signature bridges, the
aesthetics of the bridge also demanded construction excellence.
The suspension cable system is a major construction challenge with a single cable anchored on one end
of the bridge crossing over the top of the single tower, looping under the span’s opposite end, and
crossing back over the tower top to the other side. Additional challenges include construction of the
falsework supporting the new road deck and the single tower, followed by the transfer of the road decks
to the suspension cable system and incorporation of elements that will provide seismic stability.

3. Our Solution
The American Bridge/Fluor joint venture (ABFJV) began construction on the SAS portion of the bridge in
2006. When finished in 2013, the SAS, together with the Skyway and Oakland Touchdown, will complete
the East Span of the Bay Bridge. Initial construction activities included logistics planning and long-range
procurement. A 400-foot-long, 1,700-metric-ton-capacity shear leg crane barge was constructed to lift
the massive segments of the deck and tower. Bridge components are being fabricated in the United
States, Europe, and Asia. A secondary office was established in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, to
oversee production of the main structural steel fabrication and supply.
ABFJV erected a falsework structure to support the new road deck. Bridge components shipped via eight
shipments, arriving every two months from China. Road deck segments are lifted from the barges onto
the falsework by the shear leg crane barge, with the road deck in-place after 28 lifts. The 160-meter tall
single tower from which the bridge is suspended will complete concurrently. After installing the 800-mm
diameter main cable and suspender cables, the deck weight will be transferred from the temporary
falsework to the main cable.
Conclusion
The completion of the SAS Bridge will provide the San Francisco Bay area with not only a breathtaking
bridge but also a sound structure that will withstand major seismic events and serve as an emergency
lifeline route for disaster responses. ABFJV is providing new levels of innovation and an exacting
precision in work performance and construction quality to deliver a signature bridge that meets these
requirements.
This project exemplifies the high-level coordination required between contractors, agencies, and the
public to make sure all elements of this highly complex, multi-segmented, mega project come together
as planned.