• The Bay Bridge was built using a cantilever design, which involves building the bridge from both sides and meeting in the middle.

• Two temporary piers were constructed in the middle of the bay to support the bridge during construction.

• The bridge’s 740-foot steel towers were built on these temporary piers.

• The bridge was constructed using an innovative technique called orthotropic steel deck, which is a thin, lightweight steel deck supported by steel girders.

• This technique allowed the bridge to be built faster and more economically.

Construction of the new eastern span (2002–2013)

• Construction of the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge began in 2002.

• The new span is a self-anchored suspension bridge, which is a type of bridge that uses its own weight to resist wind and seismic forces.

• The bridge’s two main cables are each made up of 25,000 individual steel wires.

• The new eastern span is 2.2 miles long and cost approximately $6.4 billion to build.

• It is the longest self-anchored suspension bridge in the world and is designed to withstand an 8.0 magnitude earthquake.