The New Bridge and Tunnel crowd

The few conversations I've had with others about the Central Subway project in San Francisco , lead me to believe many San Franciscans are not aware of this complete undertaking. And, yes, it is taking SF under. The news yesterday about $2.9 million in additional BART funding for Homeland Security reminded me about how we will have a new bridge and tunnel eventually.

Basically, The Central Subway project (to be completed in 2015) is comprised of three phases: light rail along Third Street to Visitacion Valley (nearly complete), light rail connection to CalTrain station, and a new tunnel from SOMA to Chinatown. So far the total cost of the light rail extension is about $700 million to date. The estimated cost of the Central Subway tunnel is $700 million per mile (1.7 miles)... But if you believe that, well... I've got a bridge to sell ya.

Remember my Bay Bridge blog post, the estimated build cost was $780 million and in actuality, the cost keeps rising but is estimated at $6.3 billion now (and time to completion is prolly 24 years from the starting date of 1989). The Boston Big Dig took over 13 years to complete, and cost $14.6 billion for 7.8 miles of underground tunnels.

The Central Subway is planned to connect the AT & T Park in SOMA with Chinatown by tunnel. Completion is projected for 2015, but that's 9 years away and it really hasn't even started yet. The $14.6 billion Big Dig project was the most expensive public works project in U.S. history. If the Bay Bridge is any indication, the Central Subway may take the longest. The Central Subway should open (I'm speculating) sometime around late 2019, you read it here first.

Back to the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge... Everyone (yes, everyone) seems to compare the Viaduct de Millau bridge in France, to the disarray that is the bridge in the bizzay. Completed in just over three years (ahead of schedule), for about $522 million (half the estimated cost). It's only four lanes (vs our ten lanes) and not as long a span (1.6 miles vs. our 2.2 mile span). Just because it cost 8% of the cost of our new bridge and finished in 1/8th of the time, what's the big deal? huh.

Historically, most bridges take about 5 years to build. From the Golden Gate Bridge to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay. Us here in SF, let's just take our time.

Today is Thursday; and as such, I'll get my post up a bit later for this weekend's events around SF. Plus I've got a few fun links to put up. Cheers.

image credits: Third St at 20th projected view from sfcityscape.com, Viaduct de Millau construction pic from abelard.org