Ten Key Points: Loma Prieta Mitigation and Reconstruction

Ten Key Points about Loma Prieta Earthquake Mitigation and Reconstruction

Download: Loma Prieta Ten Key Points

1. Prior to the Loma Prieta earthquake, Candlestick Park had been built with reinforced concrete which prevented thousands of deaths and injuries during the earthquake.

2. The San Francisco City Hall underwent base isolation seismic retrofitting after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and is currently the second largest building in the world to have this feature along with the San Francisco International Airport which opened in 2000.

3. The Oakland Bay Bridge’s western span has undergone a considerable amount of seismic retrofitting since 1989. This includes the addition of diagonal beams (reduces lateral motion), modifications of concrete support, and new nuts and bolts were added.

4. The eastern span of the Oakland Bay Bridge is currently being replaced as it is an older bridge and much more is now known about seismic engineering.

5. The San Francisco water system has undergone numerous improvements since 1989 including: 67 emergency drinking water fire hydrants and a new main line.

6. Many programs including the NERT program have been established to increase preparedness among people living and working in earthquake prone areas.

7. The 1989 earthquake exposed the buildings which were not safe. These buildings included those that were old as well as those that had not followed building codes.

8. The Loma Prieta earthquake raised awareness about the need for seismic retrofitting, rebuilding, planning, and stricter enforcement of building codes. These steps have lead to increased preparedness for when the “big one” hits.

9. The Cypress Street Viaduct was part of the Nimitz freeway and collapsed during the Loma Prieta earthquake killing 42 people because the two levels had not been properly reinforced as well as liquefaction. This portion of the freeway was rerouted with earthquake engineering in mind.

10. The San Francisco government is considering offering tax rebates to homeowners who invest to improve the earthquake resistance of their homes.