Bay Bridge Uses Google Earth to Showcase Iconic East Span Construction Process

Caltrans and Google Earth are teaming up to give Bay Area residents and bridge enthusiasts around the world a sneak peek of the new San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge East Span, and the ability to observe its ongoing construction from their computers.

Google Earth users who have the “3D Buildings” feature turned on can view a model of the future bridge and monitor the ongoing construction of the self-anchored suspension span (SAS), the most iconic element of the seismic upgrade project. Sections of the SAS will appear in Google Earth soon after they are lifted into place on San Francisco Bay. Deck and tower sections that are being lifted will appear green on Google Earth, and will turn solid after they are in place; the remainder of the under-construction bridge is transparent. Already, the first deck section is visible.

“This is an unprecedented opportunity to take information about the SAS to a whole new level,” said Bay Bridge Public Information Officer Bart Ney. “Google Earth offers a rich interactive environment that allows people to experience the bridge in a whole new way.”

The new East Span of the Bay Bridge debuted on Google Earth in December 2008, the first time Google featured a construction project in the program, enabling users to envision the finished bridge. Visitors to the site can see the Bay Bridge from any angle as well as experience the bridge in ways they cannot in the real world, from “driving” across the side-by-side decks of the new East Span to “climbing” the SAS’s 525-foot-tall tower.

“There are now more than 600 million people around the world that can have a personal understanding of the visual impact of this new bridge,” said Michael Jones, Google’s chief technology advocate. “We’re proud to do our part to provide the tools to make that possible.”

Users will see how construction of the SAS is progressing, and, when clicking on the bridge, can click-through to the project Web site BayBridgeInfo.org, where they will find detailed real-time information on each SAS deck lift, from size and weight to high-resolution videos and photos showcasing various facets of the construction process.

“Google Earth’s immersive environment combined with the in-depth media we’re going to provide on BayBridgeInfo.org will be the next best thing to being there,” said Ney.

The new East Span is a joint project of the Toll Bridge Program Oversight Committee, consisting of Caltrans, MTC's Bay Area Toll Authority and the California Transportation Commission.