Could the Golden Gate Go Falling Down?
According to a new report, the Golden Gate Bridge could be in real danger of collapse in the event of a major earthquake. The status report from the Golden Gate Bridge district says the bridge is particularly vulnerable if an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 or higher strikes the San Andreas or Hayward faults.
The bridge has been undergoing seismic retrofitting for some time, but officials say the project won’t be completed until 2010.
The news comes on the heels of an April study by the U.S. Geological Survey that found a 62% chance of a 6.7 magnitude earthquake in the Bay Area in the next 30 years.
The Golden Gate Bridge sits just seven miles from the San Andreas Fault. The Hayward Fault is 15 miles to the east.