Bay Bridge East Span's 288-foot Truss Removal

On November 2, Caltrans’ removal of the original East Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge continued eastward toward the Oakland shoreline. Fourteen 288-foot trusses, stretching from Pier E9 to Pier E22 for approximately three quarters of a mile, will be removed. This lowering process is more complicated and extensive than the lowering of the larger 504-foot trusses that were successfully dismantled over the last several months. This time, the team will use a hydraulic push-up jacking system. This method entails stacking special barrels on top of jacks that reach just beneath the truss. The truss is then cut, separated, pushed up and extended out. It is then lowered down to barges and pushed over to the Port of Oakland.

This is the second part in a three-part process to dismantle the original East Span of the Bay Bridge. Phase I was completed at the end of 2015, with the demolition of the cantilever section and S-curve to Yerba Buena Island. During Phase II of the demolition process, crews continue removing the bridge's truss section, which included the five 504-foot segments and the upcoming removal of the fourteen 288-foot sections. The complete demolition of the span is expected by the end of 2018. Extensive monitoring and mitigation efforts continue during this operation, as the environmental team works alongside demolition crews to ensure the ongoing safe dismantling of the bridge.