The Maze meltdown became the Maze miracle when two East Bay freeway connectors closed by a spectacular accident and fire reopened ahead of the announced schedule — and when predicted traffic chaos failed to materialize.
Left: Photo by Noah Berger Right: Heat from the tanker accident on the I-80-I-880 connector was so intense that it caused a section of the overpass above – the I-80 to eastbound I-580 connector — to melt onto the roadway below. (Photo by John Huseby, Caltrans)
By Brenda Kahn
Published: June, 2007
News of the Maze meltdown, as the media quickly dubbed the incident, dominated local headlines and TV broadcasts for days after the fiery April 29 tanker truck accident on the connector between westbound Interstate 80 and southbound Interstate 880. The heat from the resulting fireball was so intense that it caused a section of the overpass just above — the connector between the east end of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (I-80) and eastbound Interstate 580 — to literally melt onto the roadway below.
The two connectors are key elements of what is popularly known as the Maze, the multilevel web of roadways distributing traffic going to and from the Bay Bridge. According to MTC Director of Highway Operations Albert Yee, the incident couldn’t have occurred on a more crucial spot. It’s the convergence of three interstate freeways, so it’s the busiest interchange in the Bay Area, he said. Plus it’s the primary access to the Bay Bridge.
If there’s a luckily to this story, it’s that the meltdown luckily happened in the wee hours of Sunday morning when the freeways were virtually empty, thereby averting any associated accidents or loss of life. The weekend timing also gave officials breathing room to work out a game plan before the Monday morning commute.
MTC partnered with Caltrans and transit operators to quickly activate emergency services and to declare a free-ride day on all Bay Area public transit systems on Monday, April 30. They also scrambled to get the word out about commute alternatives via MTC’s 511.org traveler information Web site and 511 phone line, the news media, and other avenues.
BART added extra runs and lengthened trains, while the Alameda-Oakland Ferry added an extra boat. AC Transit also boosted service. The information blitz, extra service and free transit rides did the trick: Come Monday morning, the Bay Bridge toll plaza was virtually empty as commuters took alternate freeway routes or took advantage of the offer of free transit rides. Traffic on the return trip in the afternoon also was light. While traffic volumes started to return to normal as the week wore on, MTC, Caltrans and the transit agencies were able to keep gridlock at bay.
Governor Schwarzenegger did his part by declaring a state of emergency in three counties, promising to cover the $2.5 million cost of the free transit day and pledging to waive state contracting rules in order to expedite the reconstruction.
More good news was unveiled at an end-of-the-week press conference held at the site of the meltdown. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters was on hand to announce $2 million in emergency federal aid, which she called the first installment of funds that will give construction crews the support they need to do their jobs. Additional federal dollars are expected to follow once the full project cost is determined.
Meanwhile, crews labored around the clock to remove debris, test the viability of the damaged I-80/I-880 connector and make repairs. A mere week after the meltdown, Caltrans opened the I-80/I-880 connector in time for the Monday morning commute. The same day, Caltrans selected a firm to rebuild the I-80/I-580 connector – C.C. Myers, Inc. of Rancho Cordova, Calif., which came in with a low bid of $867,075. The firm stands to earn $5 million more in bonuses by completing the job by May 24 instead of by Caltrans’ original deadline of June 27.
Above: Workers survey the damage. (Photo by Noah Berger)
left: California Senator Barbara Boxer joined other state and federal officials at a press conference at the Maze site. (Photo by John Huseby, Caltrans) Below right: Caltrans and MTC moved quickly to alert commuters to traffic detours and the offer of free transit rides, with the result that the Bay Bridge toll plaza was virtually deserted the following Monday morning. (Photo by Noah Berger)
