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Heavy Lifting

The Left Coast Lifter will soon be put to work on the new Bay Bridge.

© 2009 Erik Simonson

You may have seen it already, and if not, you won’t be able to miss it when you’re sailing near Treasure Island. “It” is a gargantuan crane built to help with construction on the Bay Bridge’s new eastern span. Even gargantuan doesn’t do the Left Coast Lifter justice. Just the barge that supports it (built in Oregon) is 400 feet by 100 feet wide and cost $20 million to build. The crane, constructed in China, cost $30 million. Its 328-ft boom weighs almost 1,000 tons, is some 30 stories high and can lift 1,800 tons — the equivalent of a 270-ft medium duty Coast Guard cutter. It arrived in the Bay a week ago aboard a ship, and was offloaded yesterday when the specially-prepared ship flooded its ballast tanks and partially ‘sunk’ itself, allowing the crane to float free.

The Lifter will be used to hoist parts of the main roadway, as well as the 525-ft main tower for the self-anchored suspension bridge. The ‘new’ portion of the bridge, at $6 billion-plus, is the largest public works project in state history. You’ll recall that the project was started after the existing double-decker span proved vulnerable during the Loma Prieta earthquake, which took place 20 years ago this October.

Boaters should be aware that some areas of the Bay east of Treasure Island may be closed at various times while the Left Coast Lifter does its work. Keep an eye on ‘Lectronic Latitude for when and where those restrictions will occur.

Incredibly, although the Left Coast Lifter is the largest floating crane ever to operate on the West Coast, it is not the largest floating crane. That distinction belongs to Japan’s ‘Yoshida’ crane, which can lift 3,700 tons — the equivalent of a full-size, 380-ft Coast Guard high-endurance cutter.

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