 Ask
San Anselmo resident Robert Guernsey, and he’ll be the first
to admit that the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation
District (GGBHTD) has taken more than its toll on him. Guernsey,
51, who is chairman and founder of the Citizens for a Safe
Golden Gate Bridge (CFASGGB), has dedicated the past four
years of his life in his pursuit to convince the transportation
district to install a Movable barrier that would eliminate
the risk of head-on collisions on the busy. Six-lane bridge.
The organization was formed by Guernsey in 1995 along with
half a dozen local residents, two of which had been injured
tired in automobile accidents on the bridge and nearby Doyle
Drive. According to the organization’s website, “the group
felt it necessary to petition the Mann County Board of Supervisors,
to engage an independent engineering firm to study the possibility
and feasibility for a new method to separate lanes of traffic
on the Golden Gate Bridge, other than that currently employed
today-the yellow plastic pylons.”
The past four years have been a labor of love for the organization,
as they have lobbied local residents, posted public notices
and sign up support forms in local newspapers and on the
Web donated funds to worthy causes, and, since the beginning
of October, have mailed proposal letters to over 125 major
corporations (including Microsoft, Lucas film, Saab, Pepsi,
AutoDesk, United Airlines, Coca-Cola, and Sprint), seeking
financial support in the building of the barrier. So far
the organization has received one positive response, to
which specific details have yet to be discussed and agreed
upon; Guernsey believes it will only take one contributor
to spark the interest and support of many other organizations.
According to Guernsey, there have been about 78 accidents
on the bridge during the past ten years, which have resulted
in eight fatalities and almost 50 injuries (according to
the official Golden Gate Bridge web site, an average of
41,381,000 vehicles cross the bridge every year). He began
considering ideas for permanent barriers back in 1989, and
eventually pursued and was granted a patent for his computerized
design in 1996, which he refers to as a “Retractable Delineator
System for Suspension and Truss Bridges.”
After spending about a year working on
a miniature scale model of the bridge (which included working
lights, an authentic Golden Gate Bridge, color paint job,
and a computerized mini barrier in place) Guernsey unveiled
his idea to the public at the Mann County Exhibit Hall in
June of 1996. The media turnout and support was overwhelming,
Guernsey remembered. The barrier consists of three separate
galvanized rectangular steel tubes (measuring 2” x 6”) imbedded
into the roadway for the entire length of the Bridge; each
could be independently lifted above the roadway surface
with computer controlled air-pneumatics. This allows traffic
engineers to control the separation of each specific lane,
depending upon traffic conditions and the volume of cars
on the bridge thus preventing head-on collisions between
opposing lanes of traffic. According to Guernsey, the entire
process would take about twelve minutes, unlike the current
method of manually placing orange cones as lane dividers,
which can take hours. Resistance has come from the transportation
district, which Guernsey believes is hiding behind unnecessary
extended environmental impact studies. He also believes
the district is holding up the development of other features
on the bridge including electronic toll collectors, public
safety railing, and a multi $300 million dollar seismic
retrofitting. Although the district has given their conceptual
approval for preliminary engineering, environmental analysis,
and possible construction of the barrier, Guernsey
said they have told him they would not have enough funds
in their budget to begin the construction until at
least the 2002-2003 fiscal year.
“The GGBHTD is willing to spend $300 millions
of dollars on earthquake retrofitting for an earthquake
that may or may not happen,” Guernsey pointed out. “But
they are ignoring actual death and injury statistics for
accidents that do happen on a frequent basis on the bridge.”
According to CFASGGB, the cost Lo create the barrier is
estimated to be a little over $7 million, however, the organization
argues that it would result in a 20 to 40 percent reduction
in accidents on the bridge, and eliminate head-on collisions
completely. “It’s a wonderful joy to have Robert as our
leader,” said John Ehlen, a San Francisco mining specialist,
who, along with his wife Alexandra, is an active member
of the CFASGGB. The Ehlen’s have donated $150,000 to the
cause, in hopes of igniting the flame that will see the
barrier to completion. According to Ehlen, who is a paraplegic,
his passion for the barrier stems back to his own father,
who taught him to drive on Doyle Drive and the bridge many
years ago? Ironically, I am using some stocks I received
from my father to help finance my donation,” he admitted.
“I believe that the transportation district has not shown
a serious interest in moving ahead with this project they’re
worried about any criticism, and the financial aspect of
it that’s where come in.”
CFSGGB director Frank Schweiger, who was
involved in a head-on collision on the bridge in early 1984,
admits he has a “personal vendetta against the bridge.”
Although he was not seriously injured, he now requires the
assistance of a cane to walk. “It’s a case of David battling
Goliath,” he said. “No one has ever taken on the transportation
district like us we are definitely rattling some cages.”
In fact, according to Guernsey, it was the suggestion and
persistence of the CFSGGB that was the catalyst for the
transportation district’s decision to lower the speed limit
on the bridge to 45 mph in 1997. “If any of the district
members’ family had been injured or killed in a head-on
collision on the bridge, you can be damn sure that they
would take actions immediately,” Schweiger said. “It is
unfortunate that so many people must die before anyone opens
their eyes to how dangerous and yet how preventative these
accidents can be.” He pointed out that similar barrier systems
have been successfully installed and maintained on the Auckland
Harbor Bridge in New Zealand, and the Coronado Bridge in
San Diego. The CFSGGB has overcome many obstacles to reach
its goal the solution is in sight, even though there is
still a long road of obstacles left to overcome.
“It has been a long and arduous process.”
admits Guernsey’s wife and fellow CFSGGB member Sarah Guernsey.
“But Robert is beyond persistent, and I 'am very proud of
his dedication he has gone above and beyond the call of
duty. With all this persistence and insistence, I have no
doubt the barrier will eventually come to fruition.” In
the end, Guernsey and the CFSGGB are simply advocates for
a renewed interest in taking preventative measures for increased
impregnability on the bridge. “I believe the district is
only interested in taking your three dollars every time
you cross the bridge, with no precautions for your safety,”
said Guernsey. “What we are proposing would be a guarantee
of safety that you’ll get on the bridge, and get off it
alive every time.” Those interested in lending financial
or voluntary assistance to the Citizens for a Safe Golden
Gate Bridge can visit their website at
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