PICKING ON THE BAY BRIDGE - AMERICA USED TO BE A WORLD LEADER IN CONSTRUCTION. WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE?

Perhaps having spent many years in Hong Kong in my youth and watching the skyline changing yearly has left me with unrealistic expectations; but when I watch the slower than snail's pace work on the Oakland side of the Bay Bridge I am frustrated by another example of why America is not a global competitor when it comes to construction. Bogged down by union regulations, OSHA codes and a tendency to over think projects, it seems like Asia can do it faster, better, safer, bigger and for a lot less money without sacrificing safety.  In the end we are the ones who lose out. Case in point. Hong Kong's Stonecutter's Bridge cost $350 million to build. Work started in 2004 and is about to conclude. The bridge will be the second longest of its type in the world, with a span of 1,018m and an overall length of 1,596m. The longest stay cables supporting the bridge superstructure are more than 670m (2,198ft) long. For reasons of durability and to enhance the appearance, further studies concluded that the tower skin should be fabricated from a duplex stainless steel (grade 1.4462 to BSEN10088) with a shot peened surface finish. The deck itself will be made of steel in the main span and of concrete in the side spans.   Click HERE for an aerial tour of the bridge. Compared to the Bay Bridge's eastern span (remember that they are not replacing the whole bridge) which was planned out after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and started in 2000 is still in progress after labor disputes last year with the Port of Oakland, and skyrising costs. Originally budgeted at $740 million in 1997, the figure was quickly revised to $2.6 Billion to the current $6.3 Billion (compared to Hong Kong's $350 million.) Here is the Dept. of Transportation's page on the bridge work.  "Under legislation signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (July 2005), tolls will rise at bridges across the Bay Area to help finance the long-delayed project, now estimated to cost at least $6.3 billion -- nearly six times the original cost."  THE CHOICES: Smaller bridge for $6.3 Billion or world's 2nd largest bridge for $350 million? 20 years in the making and counting or 5 years to complete? Does anyone else see an issue? And don't go quoting safety and earthquake concerns. For one thing, the new bridge is expected to survive an earthquake, but as we know that is a statement that should only be made after the fact. In Hong Kong typhoons hit with winds up to 200 miles per hour - they have safety issues as well. And it is not just an isolated project. Click HERE to watch an EXTREME ENGINEERING episode (10 minutes) about the building of the new airport in 1998 and the island land reclamation suspension bridges, rail line, and freeways all done in an amazing period of time. The construction of Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok was one of the biggest operations in the industry. The core program cost more than $20 Billion and involved four major sponsors, ten separate projects, 225 construction contracts and over 1,000 critical interfaces. I just wonder what happened to America's dominance in construction... Publisher's Weekly wrote about this book: "Harvard economist Porter suggests that it is no accident that Japan leads in exporting electronics and computer-controlled machinery, Italy in fabrics and home furnishings, and the U.S. in software, medical equipment and movies. In each of the 10 countries that he and his international research team investigated, clusters of firms gained a global competitive edge by capitalizing on innovation, raising productivity, and drawing on unique elements of their country's history and character. Porter, who served on Reagan's Commission on Industrial Competitiveness, sees government's proper role as pusher and challenger, rather than as giver of subsidies to protect industries. Stressing renewed effort and competition as keys to gaining global advantage, he questions regulations that would limit competition and recommends enforcement of U.S. antitrust laws to end monopolistic mergers."  It makes you wonder what the future will bring if we do not change out national attitudes about progress, education and imposing a higher standard of expectation upon our citizenry. And it is worrisome. Click the book cover to read more on this topic. MisterWriter