Hundreds of other parts on the new Bay Bridge were manufactured by the Ohio company that made the faulty steel rods which snapped under testing -- which means they all need to be checked before the bridge opens on Labor Day, according to reports.
Dyson Corp. produced the rods that secure cables on the new bridge's tower, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. About one-third of the 96 bolts supplied by Dyson snapped when workers tightened the nuts which hold them in place.
The bridge, a $6.4 billion project, has "hundreds" of others components also built by Dyson Corp. These will all now be "reinspected" by CalTrans before the bridge opens.
CalTrans told the newspaper that the bolts' quality was questioned before, but they were put in place just the same. It is believed the bolts failed because the presence of hydrogen made them brittle.
CalTrans did not comment when asked how many parts supplied by Dyson are in the bridge, or if reinspection of all the parts will delay the Sept. 3 opening date.
Dyson Corp. also built parts used in the original Bay Bridge, which opened in 1936.
It's too late to remove all of the bolts proven to be brittle from the bridge: they're already covered by asphalt roadways.
