Water Damage “For Years” Could Mean Corrosion on Bay Bridge Tower

Key parts of the new Bay Bridge's signature tower has been exposed to water "possibly for years," meaning the rods that hold the 525-foot-tall edifice in place could be corroded, according to reports.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that bridge officials have discovered water exposure "in almost all the dozen" rods that have been inspected since last week, when the water was first found.

There are a lot more rods to check: there are 424 rods in total, each 25 feet long and 3 inches thick, the newspaper reported.

Are the rods intact, or are they damaged? There's no way to know, Caltrans officials said: the water has since been drained, according to the newspaper, but "removing them to check" to see if they are solid would mean "cutting them into pieces."

Rainwater was also found surrounding some of the 32 anchor rods that broke on the $6.4 billion bridge in 2013, the newspaper reported.

Hydrogren in rainwater can cause hardened steel to crack suddenly, the newspaper noted.

The water in these rods likely has been there at least since 2010, one official said. The water has been sealed in place by caulk since then.

The series of water problems and leaks on the bridge -- 900 leaks were found in the "hollow steel structures that form the road decks" -- "smacks of utter carelessness," said Steve Heminger, the executive director of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.