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The original Bay Bridge was built in 3 years, with 1930s technology. We used to not be a bunch of incompetent idiots when it came to building infrastructure, bu
by jblow 8y ago
The original Bay Bridge was built in 3 years, with 1930s technology. We used to not be a bunch of incompetent idiots when it came to building infrastructure, but now we clearly are. I understand why people don’t want to pay large amounts of tax money to pay incompetent idiots to take a long time building tiny amounts of infrastructure.
- closeparen 8y agoYep. In many ways we are simply stuck with whatever we built before we lost the ability to build things. Not because it’s the best, but because it’s no longer cost effective to improve at current efficiency levels.
- selestify 8y agoHow did we become so inefficient?
- scruple 8y agoI don't really think that it's about inefficiency or incompetence. Rather, it's about where our priorities, as a society, are today when it comes to infrastructure projects vs. what it was in the post Great Depression era. Here [0] is an article to covers parts of this exact subject. [0]: https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2013/08/09/building-the-bay-bridge-1930s-vs-today/ https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2013/08/09/building-the-bay-bri...
- masonic 8y agoThe original design for the Bay Bridge retrofit was $400 million. Instead, we got a less-safe, grandiose art piece for over $8 billion. $400 million more if you want a bike lane.
- diogenescynic 8y agoIs this corruption or incompetence? I honestly think it’s corruption. Why can’t we just outsource this to a European engineering company that is capable of accomplishing this? It just makes no sense to me.
- masonic 8y agoOf course it's corruption (in this case, Jerry Brown and Willie Brown and their minions being the primary drivers).
- closeparen 8y agoCorruption was blatant and rampant in the era that saw most of our infrastructure development. The New York City subway was built in the era of Boss Tweed. Honestly I think this is not a coincidence. Projects that balance their own goals with fairness and deference to “stakeholders” will naturally be pathetic compared to projects that simply pursue their goals.
- masonic 8y agoThe New York City subway was built in the era of Boss Tweed The NYC subway system wasn't fully public-operated until 1940.
- dagw 8y agoa European engineering company that is capable of accomplishing this? What makes you think European engineering companies are any better? Europe is just as littered with failed, bloated, late and vastly over budget infrastructure projects. Hell the small bridge down the road from my office was supposed to be closed for 4 month for some maintenance work, it's now been closed for 14 month and there is still no estimate for when it will be done.