If you were in the China basin neighborhood on Feb . 12 , you may have noticed that the Lefty O ’ Doul Third Street drawbridge was in the up position for much of the day . That ’ s because we had a contractor team out there inspecting the bridge in preparation for a major rehabilitation project .
The restoration project , anticipated to begin in fall 2017 , is currently in the final stages of design . The Public Worksmanaged project aims to restore the iconic landmark bridge , which spans Mission Channel Waterway at China Basin . The bridge , designed by Strauss Engineering Corp ., first opened in 1933 and has been featured in various Hollywood films such as ; A View to a Kill , The Enforcer and San Andreas .
During the inspection , crews shut down the bridge from 6 a . m . to 4 p . m . to all traffic – vehicle , bike and pedestrian . However , waterway access was maintained for boats traveling underneath . During the closure , crews inspected the east and west counterweights and counterweight truss and performed other routine inspection and maintenance work .
Construction will be divided into several phases that will focus on repairing the deck , counterweight , electrical and mechanical systems and support structures . Once all the repairs are made , the workhorse bridge will be tested and balanced , a pedestrian gate will be installed and the bridge will be cleaned and repainted to bring it back to its former glory .
The project team will work closely with the San Francisco Giants to coordinate work and bridge closures to minimize disruptions as much as possible during home games .
February 2017 - San Francisco Public Works Newsletter