Rehabbing under Traffic

Redecking the Golden Gate Bridge with a light weight orthotropic steel plate deck left the 49 year old monument 11,000 tons lighter, 2 feet wider, and ready to carry traffic for the next 100 years. By day, workers prepared for the night crew, which sawed out existing deck sections and placed the new prefabricated units. Sidewalk sections were also removed but were rebuilt and replaced. The work took 401 nights, and contractors were assessed heavy penalties for lingering beyond 5:30 a.m., when the closed lanes had to be reopened to full traffic. An OCEA Special Citation for outstanding achievement in infrastructure rehabilitation.