Changes afoot at the Golden Gate Bridge

  • 2015-01-22
The weekend of January 10-11 was the last time people from San Francisco were able to watch a little-known but important job performed by humans.

That Saturday and Sunday were the last time real people moved the yellow tubes that act as line dividers on the Golden Gate Bridge.

The tubes are 19 inches tall, made of bright yellow plastic, and are moved several times a day to create different lane configurations on the bridge. During the rush hour in the morning, for instance, the tubes were moved to create four lands southbound into the city, and two outbound. They were moved by hand by workers with nerves of steel who lean out the sides of a moving truck, with traffic streaking by at 50-60 miles per hour.

The following week, the lanes were changed by the installation of a barrier made of concrete and steel, and pulled into place by two trucks. It moves the same way a zipper closes a jacket. The barrier is 32 inches tall, 12 inches wide, and 13,340 feet long.

Bridge officials might consider working with a brochure printing company on a handout to be distributed at the toll plazas that explains the barrier and how it works. This could alleviate potential confusion and bring a temporary human touch back to an area that will now be automatically controlled.