by Molly Oleson
Driving from Marin to San Francisco (and vice-versa) over the Golden Gate Bridge got a lot safer over the weekend, when the iconic span was closed to traffic for the installation of a $30.3 million median barrier.
The one-foot-wide and approximately 13,340-foot-long Moveable Median Barrier (MMB) system, which separates opposing directions of traffic, will virtually eliminate the possibility of crossover collisions between the estimated 120,000 vehicles that traverse the bridge daily. The MMB replaces manually distributed 19-inch-tall plastic tubes, spaced at 25-foot intervals and moved throughout the day based on traffic.
In addition to increased safety, the median will allow the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District to more efficiently reconfigure lane changes to optimize traffic operations. Enjoy a less worrisome ride on that 1.7-mile scenic stretch.
