Decrepit Bridge Thrill-Seekers Can Cross Plenty of Area Spans in Need of Repair

B. Kliban

'The Bridge of Considerable Difficulty'

For flimsy bridge fetishists -- those sick, twisted daredevils who thrill at the idea of crossing a bridge in dire need of repair -- the ongoing Bay Bridge closure needn't be a killjoy.

Rather, it serves as a reminder that there are plenty of other local spans whose inspection rating is in the same "structurally deficient" range as the Interstate 35W bridge that two years ago sent 20 Minnesota commuters plunging into the Mississippi.

Structurally deficient means a bridge should eventually be replaced, but is safe for travel. San Francisco, a city crisscrossed with aging viaducts, is a veritable amusement park for thrill- seekers. For those in need of post-weekend adrenaline rushes, we provide a news-you-can-use list, gleaned from this database:

By the way, I hereby offer a special prize of 12 -- that's right, 12 -- indie CDs to the first SF Weekly reader who coughs up the cross streets to all the San Francisco bridges with a so-called "Sufficiency Rating" of 50 or lower. Sufficiency Rating is a 0-to-100 bridge safety scale. Bridges scoring 50 or lower are eligible for replacement. Send entries here.

Route: I-80

Place: San Francisco

Facility Carried: INTERSTATE 80

Feature Intersected: SAN FRANCISCO BAY, 3 STS

Location: 04-SF-080-6.35-SF

Bridge Material and Design: Steel Suspension

Sufficiency Rating: 46.3 %

Structural Evaluation: Somewhat better than minimum adequacy to tolerate being left in place as is

Structure Length: 6281.3 meters

Year Built: 1936

Year Reconstructed: 1962

NBI Structure Number: ++++++34+0003

This bridge is Structurally Deficient

Route: U.S. 101

Place: San Francisco

Facility Carried: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Feature Intersected: CENTRAL VIADUCT

Location: 04-SF-101-R4.25-SF

Bridge Material and Design: Steel Stringer/Multi-beam or Girder

Sufficiency Rating: 52.8 %

Structural Evaluation: Somewhat better than minimum adequacy to tolerate being left in place as is

Structure Length: 3064.7 meters

Year Built: 1955

NBI Structure Number: ++++++34+0077

This bridge is Structurally Deficient

Route: U.S. 101

Place: San Francisco

Facility Carried: ST RTE 101 (5TH ST

Feature Intersected: BAYSHORE VIADUCT

Location: 04-SF-101-4.12-SF

Bridge Material and Design: Steel Stringer/Multi-beam or Girder

Sufficiency Rating: 49 %

Structural Evaluation: Somewhat better than minimum adequacy to tolerate being left in place as is

Structure Length: 2286.6 meters

Year Built: 1955

NBI Structure Number: ++++++34+0088

This bridge is Structurally Deficient

Route: U.S. 101

Place: San Francisco

Facility Carried: U.S. HIGHWAY 101

Feature Intersected: MARSHALL, HALLECK.....

Location: 04-SF-101-8.33-SF

Bridge Material and Design: Steel Stringer/Multi-beam or Girder

Sufficiency Rating: 24.8 %

Structural Evaluation: Meets minimum tolerable limits to be left in place as is

Structure Length: 1394.5 meters

Year Built: 1936

NBI Structure Number: ++++++34+0014

This bridge is Structurally Deficient

Route: I-80

Place: San Francisco

Facility Carried: TRNSBY TRNST TRMNL

Feature Intersected: FOLSOM,1ST,FREMONT,BEALE

Location: 04-SF-080-5.46-SF

Bridge Material and Design: Steel Stringer/Multi-beam or Girder

Sufficiency Rating: 72 %

Structural Evaluation: Equal to present minimum criteria

Structure Length: 1048.2 meters

Year Built: 1937

NBI Structure Number: ++++++34+0119Y

This bridge is Structurally Deficient

Route: U.S. 101

Place: San Francisco

Facility Carried: 280N - 101S (WU)

Feature Intersected: 280/101 INTERCHANGE

Location: 04-SF-101-1.79-SF

Bridge Material and Design: Concrete continuous Box Beam or Girders - Multiple

Sufficiency Rating: 62 %

Structural Evaluation: Somewhat better than minimum adequacy to tolerate being left in place as is

Structure Length: 607.5 meters

Year Built: 1960

NBI Structure Number: ++++++34+0136G

This bridge is Structurally Deficient