The challenge was to safely lower the 3,500 ton steel base for the

Main Bay Bridge Tower to the bottom of San Francisco Bay.

The challenge was to safely lower the 3,500 ton steel base for the

Main Bay Bridge Tower to the bottom of San Francisco Bay.


Stan Sheppard, co-owner of C. H. Company worked with the engineers of KFM Construction Company the prime bay bridge contractor to solve the problem.

The solution required the use of sixteen 500 ton jacks to be used in groups of four. Each jack was centered between two threaded rods. Using a three point lift and the threaded rod the base was safely and accurately lowered 28 feet to the bottom of the bay. Once in position on the pre in-stalled piles it was filled with over 3000 tons of concrete and now anchors the main tower.