James McMahon served as head of the Division of Highways, Bridge Department from 1960 until his retirement in early 1973. Prior to that, he was Principal Bridge Engineer in charge of the Los Angeles office. Under McMahon’s leadership, the Bridge Department won a number of awards in competitions sponsored by the US Department of Transportation, the American Institute of Steel Construction, and the Prestressed Concrete Institute. Under McMahon’s leadership the bridge department built major projects-Vincent Thomas Bridge between San Pedro and Terminal Island, the Benicia-Martinez Bridge on Interstate 680, the Mission Valley Bridge on Interstate 805 and the Officer Eugene and Marine Lance Cpl. Patrick M. Doran Memorial Bridge on Interstate 280. Important tunnels that were built during his tenure were Collier Tunnel, under Oregon Mountain on Route 199, the Third Bore Caldecott Tunnel on Route 24, and the Webster Street Tube under the Alameda Estuary on Route 61.
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