Bad Bolts

Faced with uncertainty over bad bolts, fundraising for the Bay Bridge’s big Labor Day opening bash has been put on hold.

 For weeks, officials have been scrambling to figure out just what caused 32 giant bolts — used to attach earthquake stabilizers to the bridge — to snap. They also are trying to determine if the problem was limited to the galvanizing process used on one set of bolts or if it might extend to hundreds of other bolts used in the construction of the $6.4 billion eastern span.

Transit officials desperately hope the bridge can open on time over Labor Day, because they need to shut the entire bridge for five full days to finalize work on the eastern span. A three-day weekend, when traffic is light anyway, is an ideal time.