New piece connects Bay Bridge span
(10-28) 14:43 PDT OAKLAND — With cheers, applause and a Christmas tree, the final stretch of the new Bay Bridge was lowered into place this morning, linking Oakland with Yerba Buena Island.
Crews hoisted the final small section of the bridge deck into place around 11 a.m., connecting the skyway with the suspension span.
Following ironworker tradition, a six-foot Christmas tree in a pot was placed on top of the roadway. For decades, ironworkers have attached a Christmas tree to the last piece of structural metal they install.
The segment weighs more than 1,000 tons and was lifted more than 150 feet into the air, according to Caltrans.
I just hope they get it done before “the big one” hits.