Construction work continues on California’s tallest bridge, the Foresthill Bridge. Part of the $70 million project, which began in early 2011, involved steel shot blasting paint from the bridge. The bridge first opened in 1973 and is in the process of being repainted for the first time.
When the Foresthill bridge was first designed, lead-based paint was used to protect the steel from weathering. This renovation involved steel shot blasting the paint away from the bridge so that hazardous material could be captured and removed from the site. Shot blasting helped to remove close to 200,000 pounds of hazardous paint material from the bridge.
Shot blasting the bridge is the process of blasting the service with small steel balls at a high velocity. This eliminates any hazardous chemicals.
The bridge is in the process of being repainted in its original green color. In addition, the team will continue to install new steel and pour fresh concrete. The project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2014.
