Golden Gate Bridge is in need of some serious sprucing up
Q
What’s going on with the Golden Gate Bridge maintenance? The bridge appears to be deteriorating and the perpetual painting has ceased.
Van Ellison
A
You aren’t the only one asking. Some workers also are curious. The answer is that this great bridge is looking a little scruffy, especially the cables and the south tower. The exterior cables need painting and replacing, and that should be underway this year. The south tower should get a face-lift next year.
Recent inspections show that the bridge is in much better shape than it appears where it matters the most — on the inside of the towers. There is no trace of water leaking onto equipment that was installed in the 1930s and still looks almost spic-and-span. The original workers did a pretty damn good job.
Q
Can you enlighten us as to what’s going on with the widening of Highway 101 through Petaluma? It’s been under slow-motion construction for years, is a constant bottleneck in both directions and is getting worse. Yet seldom are workers seen on-site. Julian Osinski Woodside
A
Money to widen the final 8-mile stretch of 101 from south of Petaluma to Highway 37 is woefully short, and there’s no promise of when the roughly $250 million needed to finish it off will be allocated. But don’t give up hope. Work is being done on the first 3 miles of the project, and if tolls on Bay Area bridges are hiked $3 next year, it could lower the shortfall.
Q
My wife and I were driving on 101 one night between Petaluma and Novato. I noticed that we were very low on gas. The station I would have used at Kastania Road was closed. With a forecast “range” of only 5 miles, and the nearest station 9 miles away, I pulled onto a frontage road to call for assistance. AAA advised us that it might take two hours to get to us.
But a passing CHP motorcycle officer noticed us, and stopped to see if we were OK. When we explained our problem, he got on his radio, contacted a nearby service station, and told us they were on their way. Five minutes later we had enough gas to get to the next station.
Didn’t get the officer’s name, but would like to thank him for his help. Cops are good guys! Ken Judy
A
Especially when you’re almost out of gas.
Q
Some drivers must get to drive by their own rules. I wish I could. It’s commute time, 5 p.m. The whole world is trying to get on Highway 92 east. A thousand of us are at a standstill on Foster City Boulevard to turn right on Metro Center Boulevard. I see a commuter bus get out of the lane we are all waiting in, and drive to the light to cut everyone off. Not cool. Another car tries to pull the same thing. Car in front of me doesn’t let the car in; I don’t let the car in. There is some honking. Why is this person’s time more valuable than mine?
Anyway, she gets caught! The CHP is waiting for her. He had his motorcycle parked on the shoulder of the ramp, just waiting for this lady. Made my time in traffic feel good.
Ryan Langdon
A
Just good, or really good?