San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Collapsed 1989
On October 17, 1989, the
Loma Prieta earthquake, registering 7.1 on the Richter scale, struck San
Francisco. The quake caused the eastbound span of this double-decked bridge to
shift, shearing several connective bolts. One end of a 50-foot section of the top deck crashed to the lower
level, killing one motorist who was
unable to stop before driving into the gap. After the earthquake, California Department
of Transportation engineers reexamined roadways and strengthened or rebuilt
older structures across the state.
