Remaking the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge by Karen Trapenberg Frick

Author:Karen Trapenberg Frick
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9780415736589
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Published: 2015-08-14T04:00:00+00:00

Both groups were similar in aggressive tactics to garner support. Pathway advocates successfully pursued legislation to include the West Span pathway as an eligible expense. Rail proponents secured major approval of the rail measure in four jurisdictions. The end result though did not lead to actual design change, but to additional studies as has been the tradition of the overall project – this time for the West Span pathway study and rail study.

However, the pathway and rail groups were markedly different in composition and inclusion in the process. The pathway constituency evolved into a formal group that was provided with a legitimate and specialized forum through the region's official advisory committee. By comparison, the rail constituency was an informal group consisting of elected officials and some individuals. They made their case at the ballot box, with public meeting testimony, and through letters of support.

Additionally, the two groups were separated in a divide and conquer 'zero sum' calculus over funding and physical space on the bridge: some pathway advocates were concerned that if they supported rail too eagerly, bridge toll funds that could go to the pathway would be used for rail. They also worried that rail would take up all the available space, particularly on the West Span or that the pathway could be converted to a rail line or for use by carpools, buses or even cars with solo drivers.

When simply comparing cost, the pathway was far less expensive at $50 million compared to rail and a relatively small portion of the overall $1.5 billion project. Also it could be built and operational solely on the new East Span even if less desirable, whereas, rail was only viable if it were on both spans. It was far easier for MTC to include the pathway and reject the rail line. That said, the pathway design debate demonstrates that effective organizing by a dedicated and persistent group of advocates can result in a significant change in a megaproject's design.

The next chapter details another major friction point in the bridge process that generated conflicting viewpoints from prominent actors over its political and technical consequences: the decision about whether to locate the new eastern span north or south of the original bridge.

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