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Park for New Span of Oakland Bay Bridge Envisioned03-15-10 | News

Park for New Span of Oakland Bay Bridge Envisioned

Massive amounts of steel and concrete were added to the west span (the San Francisco side) of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a strengthening, seismic retrofit. The Oakland side of the bridge (east span) is being completely replaced. This Feb. 8, 2010 photo shows new roadway placement atop a temporary bridge shell on the new east span, which will be a self-anchored suspension bridge with a 525 ft. tower. The eastern span is scheduled to open in 2013. Ideas for a park design for the 50 acres of land beneath where the span descends are already underway. It?EUR??,,????'?????<

Although the new span for the Oakland side of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is under construction and won?EUR??,,????'?????<

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The first public meeting to explore those ideas took place Feb. 25, 2010. Public suggestions ran the gamut from sport fields to dog parks to a large Ferris wheel to enhance views of the bay, to artworks (perhaps France would like to donate another statue).

Caltrans officials have suggested a transportation museum.

The proposed parkland is presently used by Caltrans to park tow trucks; the U.S. Army owns another section, and yet another parcel is leased for billboard advertising.

Karen Alschuler of Perkins + Will is the architecture firm hired by nine public agencies to oversee the design. PWP Landscape Architecture is also involved in the design. A general design concept is expected by fall 2010.