
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) — With less than six months until the scheduled opening of the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge, more than two dozen giant bolts holding the $6.4 billion bridge together have reportedly snapped.
According to a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, at least 30 of the 288 bolts have snapped. The bolts, also known as rods, anchor steel pieces to concrete. The bolts are 9 to 17 feet in length and about 2.5 inches in diameter.
READ MORE: COVID Reopening: SF Restaurants Get Set For Indoor Dining Under Red TierThe problem was discovered last week, when workers started tightening the nuts on the ends of 96 bolts, and found a third of them snapped several days later.
Randy Rentschler of the MTC said the problem shouldn’t cause alarm. “The bridge itself is well, well, way overdesigned,” he said. “And this is a seismic element that is important, but Caltrans is confident that they have a design option to design around this.”