Agenda Item No. 11

GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE. HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT

   

MERVIN C. GIACOMINI, P.E.
 
DISTRICT ENGINEER


To:           Building and Operating Committee/Committee of the Whole Meeting of March 3, 2000
From:       Mervin C. Giacomini, District Engineer Celia G. Kupersmith, General Manager
Subject:   STATUS REPORT ON MISCELLANEOUS BRIDGE CAPITAL PROJECTS 
 

Recommendation:  
The following report is provided for informational purposes, and no action is required.


Background:
 

Golden Gate Bridge Public Safety Railing: 

    The Board, by Resolution No. 97-3 04, authorized execution of a Professional Services Agreement with Imbsen and Associates in an amount not to exceed $226,316 for the design and preparation of plans, specifications and bidding documents for a public safety railing located between the sidewalk and the roadway on the east and west sides of the Bridge. Engineering services are approximately 90% complete. On August 30, 1999, the District was notified that the State Historic Preservation Office had approved the project and that the Federal Highway Administration had issued a Categorical Exclusion Determination for the project. On October 19, 1999, staff presented the project to the BCDC Design Review Board. Staff and the consultant are presently working on responding to issues concerning the height of the railing and the placement of the railing in relation to the edge of the roadway raised by the BCDC Review Board. It is anticipated that these issues will be resolved with BCDC in the next few months and that the project will be ready to advertise for bids in May of this year. Funding in the amount of $2,520,000 (18% Federal! 82% District) is included in the Fiscal Year 1999/2000 Bridge Division Capital Budget. The District is working closely with Senator Burton to seek a state appropriation to cover the District share of the project cost.   

   

GGB Movable Median Barrier:   The Board, by Resolution No. 99-175, authorized execution of a Professional Services Agreement in the amount of $35,000 with Parsons Brinckerhoff for a feasibility study of the approved concept for a movable median barrier consisting of four issues:

·   Develop movable barrier end treatment and anchorage, including a cushioning system 
at the Toll Plaza.
·   Evaluate transfer vehicle storage requirement at the north end of the Bridge.
·   Evaluate lane markings on the Bridge.
·   Develop emergency response procedure for accidents or incidents that require emergency              response across the barrier.


    Issues pertaining to indemnification and insurance requirements have been resolved with Parsons Brinckerhoff, and the Professional Services Agreement was executed on February 18, 2000. The District Engineer has scheduled a project meeting with Parsons Brinckerhoff and Barrier Systems Inc. to start the project It is anticipated that this phase of the project will require approximately four months. The Board has also directed the District Engineer to evaluate two additional issues: the impact of narrow lanes adjacent to the baffler on traffic operations and the impact of an accident on the Bridge with the baffler in place on traffic operations. These items will be evaluated utilizing the results developed in the first phase study. Board authorization to augment the initial study’s scope of work will be requested to study the additional items when sufficient data has been developed in the first phase. There is currently no funding available for construction of this project. 

Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent:   The Board, by Resolution No. 97-106, authorized the development and construction of a suicide deterrent prototype utilizing the Z-Clip system. After reviewing the Z-Clip prototype, the Board rejected the concept of erecting a suicide deterrent such as a Z-Clip system at the roadway level because of its visual impact. Staff was directed to develop an alternative system below the roadway level. Staff has developed several alternatives but has been unable to develop a deterrent that meets three basic criteria: visually pleasing, reasonable in cost, and effective. Staff continues to evaluate new technologies and materials applicable to the development of a suicide deterrent. There is currently no funding available for construction of this project.

 Fiscal Impact:  There is no fiscal impact relative to this status report.

 

* Personal  Page Break on the reality of the District's Lack of Common sense:                 

Comment: 
Please notice there Recommendation and the Fiscal Impact of this report:  
   
Recommendation
The following report is provided for informational purposes and no action is required. 

Comment: There ha
s
been no action taken by the Bridge Board of Directors to insure Public Safety for the daily commuter and all who travel the world over to view the famous bridge for many years now. Somebody is being taken for a ride...

 Fiscal Impact:  There are fiscal impacts relative to this status report.

MCG/crh  
2.7.16.4.1 and 2.1.10.15 and 2.7.32.2.1  \\SFAppi\vol1\Shardata\Engin\Resource\B&O Report\Mar2000MiscProjs.doc)

This report was giving by Mervin C. Giacomini, P.E. District Engineer of the GGB,H&TD to the Bridge Board of Directors.

Comment: Because the Bridge District has other Agenda item's more important than Public Safety. The Bridge District Boards main objective is in the business of building a District County Owned Transportation Empire, which excluded public safety at this present time.


"Return Home Safe"