The Bridge on the Other Side of the Bay

A new Bay Bridge was built a few years ago, replacing a structure that partially collapsed (then was repaired) from the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989. The old bridge on the Oakland side of the Bay is slowly being dismantled and sent to China. Here's what it looks like today. 

As the infrastructure is being broken up into smaller pieces, its memories are slipping away. 

I wonder why we, meaning the US, could not recycle the steel? But I also wonder why we had to rebuild the bridge. 

It's sad to see the old bridge go as it had so much more character than the modern one. I guess this is progress. (But that reminds me of an old play on words....if pro means for and con means against.... we all know what progress means....therefore what does congress mean? But I digress!)