Placement of the final 450t deck segment this month marked the successful completion of one of the greatest challenges in the upgrading of California's Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. The entire east and west decks of the 1,067m trestle section have been replaced in a series of major night-time operations over a 16 month period. New deck sections more than 30m long were lifted from barges immediately after the old 15m sections were removed. Adding to the challenge was the need to keep the bridge open even on the nights when the deck sections were being replaced. One side would be shut down and the traffic would be transferred to the other to clear the deck that was scheduled for replacement. "It's a bit like tearing down an old house and simultaneously building a new one in its place without displacing the family," said Caltrans project spokesman Bob Haus. Placement of the 64th section marked completion of new deck on both carriageways.
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