Jaxon Van Derbeken, writing for the SF Chronicle:
Caltrans ended up paying the eastern span’s main contractor, American Bridge/Fluor, more than $3 million to make the fixes in 2011. But that was not the end of the problems.
In the process of making the repairs, crews discovered that tapered pieces of metal inserted where the rail posts were bolted down on the path were too thin.
The metal pieces, known as shims, were supposed to keep the rail upright. They tended to slide out of place, creating a safety hazard, according to Caltrans documents.
While replacing the shims, crews also found that many of the bolts holding down the rail had been incorrectly welded and had sheared off. The bolts were supposed to be able to move as steel segments of the bike path expanded and contracted, depending on the air temperature, but had been welded too tightly. About 200 ultimately were replaced.
I don’t get it. Is this kind of crap workmanship typical? Pay $6 billion for a bridge that’s broken?
In what universe is this acceptable?