The race to seismic safety : protecting California's transportation system (original) (raw)

The Race to Seismic Safety is a comprehensive report to the director of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) justifying the urgent need for the California legislature to institutionalize practices that will lead to adequate seismic performance of the state's transportation system. The report, prepared by the Caltrans Seismic Advisory Board (SAB), identifies a disturbing trend to de-emphasize seismic safety, as evidenced by the passage of Assembly Bill 2996 in 2002. This trend, if continued under the current administration, increases the probability that California will lose its race to achieve a safe transportation system before the next damaging earthquake, with possible catastrophic implications for life safety and the economy of California.