A tanker truck explosion caused the connector to Interstate 580 from the Bay Bridge to collapse onto the roadway connecting I-80 to I-880 and downtown Oakland. One piece has completely fallen down and another piece is hanging loosely and may fall today, Caltrans workers said.From Berkeley on the eastshore freeway heading toward the Bay Bridge there is no problem aside from traffic delays. But drivers hoping to go through the maze and continue on southbound on I-880 are being diverted onto I-580 and then onto I-980 and back onto I-880 because the only other route around the collapsed section would be on city streets.
Transit officials trying to find work-arounds
Well, several things come to mind. First, the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to cut 1.1 Billion dollars from the budget for public transportation. Without acceptable mass transit options, an event such as this puts the San Francisco Bay-Area's transit situation in jeopardy.
If everyone decides to jump on trains during rush hour, the transit authorities have no ability to add additional capacity to support them. The trains would be jammed, and someone such as myself who wants to bring my bike on board would be out of luck. If we fully funded our mass transit options, there would be multiple methods of getting to work, ensuring that California's economy keeps right on humming. I'm worried about outsourcing infrastructure, and diminishing public transportation as it greatly enhances the impact of disasters on the system.
Secondly, it exposes part of the problem of carrying hazardous materials around our highways. Gasoline is hazardous. Its another reason for using 100% electric vehicles and beefing up our nuclear energy program with more reactors.
technorati tags:explosion, San, Francisco, Bay, Area, I-880, I-80
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