Overview

The $2.2 billion Transbay Center was one of the largest public works undertaken in San Francisco during the period from 2000 until 2020, a combination multi-modal transit hub and public park, that recalled strongly New York's Highline, a linear 1.45-mile park located atop an abandoned, elevated train trestle.

Building History

When demolition of the previous Transbay Terminal was underway in 2010, the completion date for the new Transbay Center was estimated to have been 2017. Delays slowed the completion date until 08/2018.

Alteration

Soon after opening in 08/2018, some steel supports showed signs of deterioration that necessitated closing the Transbay Center completely to enable engineers to diagnose the cause of the problem. According San Francisco Chronicle reporters Matier and Ross, "The [Metropolitan Transportation] commission is reviewing plans for fixing the beams, where cracks were discovered just six weeks after the $2.2 billion transit center opened in August. Investigators are zeroing in on welding problems in the two 4-inch-thick steel beams as the possible cause of the cracks. But they still aren’t certain, and even if they eventually confirm it, fabricating and installing a fix is likely to take months." (See Matier and Ross, San Francisco Chronicle.com, "Transbay Transit Center could stay closed for 6 months," published 12/16/2018, accessed 01/09/2019.)

PCAD id: 22617