Mercury-News, via MassTransitMag:



Bay Bridge Closing Strains Region's Transportation System

By Gary Richards
San Jose Mercury News (California)


CALIFORNIA - The nearly weeklong shutdown of the Bay Bridge exposed the warts in our transportation system.

Want to drive from Tracy to San Francisco across Highway 92? Bank on nearly three hours in the car on pothole-filled highways. Want to hop onboard BART in the East Bay? Good luck finding a parking spot or an empty seat on ancient cars, some in use since 1972.

Riding the ferry from Vallejo to the San Francisco terminal? Better wake up at 4 a.m. Planning to take your bicycle on Caltrain to ride the final few blocks from the depot to the office? Sorry, take a later train. The bike car is full.

Caltrans announced late Sunday that more repairs and checks were needed before it could reopen the span that carries 280,000 cars and trucks each weekday between Oakland and San Francisco. The main holdup was aligning the bars that are part of the assembly that failed Tuesday, bringing three pieces of steel crashing onto the bridge at the height of rush hour.

While transportation agencies have done their best to handle the tens of thousands of motorists who cross the span each day, the cracks in a failing highway and transit system are obvious to anyone who follows this and other commutes. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.masstransitmag.com/online/artic...