The California Dept. of Transportation is in the hot seat over allegations of cover-ups and faulty components on the new $6.4-billion San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The agency's management was grilled at a state Senate hearing on Jan. 24. To add fuel to the fire, an independent report on Jan. 30 prescribes a need for "modernization and organizational culture change" in Caltrans' ranks.
Produced by the State Smart Transportation Initiative of the University of Wisconsin, which interviewed more than 100 employees, the report criticizes the agency's management and operations.