- Home
- California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
- Loma Prieta Oral History of Dennis Gunsell, Bill Kimball and Chuck Wimer
Loma Prieta Oral History of Dennis Gunsell, Bill Kimball and Chuck Wimer
- Metadata
Title
Loma Prieta Oral History of Dennis Gunsell, Bill Kimball and Chuck Wimer
Alternative Title
Caltrans Earthquake History of Dennis Gunsell, Bill Kimball and Chuck Wimer
Created Date
November 16th, 1989
Description
In the wake of the October 17, 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, Caltrans commissioned an oral history project to document the personal and professional experiences of Caltrans employees who worked to restore the State's damaged transportation system.
At the time of the Loma Prieta Earthquake, Dennis Gunsell, Bill Kimball and Chuck Wimer were heavy equipment operators for Caltrans at the Ettie Street Maintenance Station. At the time of the earthquake, Bill Kimball was in Pittsburg, then drove to the Walnut Creek maintenance yard, where he stayed there until he was sent to work at the Cypress Viaduct. Dennis Gunsell was called later in the evening and told to report to the Telegraph Maintenance Yard, to work on a cone truck to close lanes and divert traffic off of I-80. Chuck Wimer, came to the Ettie Street Maintenance Station right after the earthquake, and closed the Ashby off-ramp to westbound I-80. Later, he was asked to close the on-ramp to Oakland Army Base to westbound 580. Then they discuss the liquefaction they saw while doing lane closures around Highway 13, Bay Bridge, and I-80. Then they mention their concerns being at the Ettie Street Maintenance Yard, and how they were amazed that chunks of concrete in the yard missed all the trucks that were parked in the yard. Then they mention the repair work that was done around I-80 that they worked on and how it was open just a few days after the earthquake.
Creators and Contributors
Creator:
Loma Prieta Oral History Project
Interviewer: Horiuchi, Carol Lynne
Interviewee: Gunsell, Dennis
Interviewee: Kimball, Bill
Interviewee: Wimer, Chuck
Copyright holder: California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
Interviewer: Horiuchi, Carol Lynne
Interviewee: Gunsell, Dennis
Interviewee: Kimball, Bill
Interviewee: Wimer, Chuck
Copyright holder: California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
Genre
Language
Media Type
Format
Audio cassette
Extent
1
Tape
Generation
Original
Track Standard
NTSC
Copyright Statement
Copyrighted. Rights are owned by California Department of Transportation. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owner. In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Country of Creation
United States
Copyright Date
November 16th, 1989
Contributing Organization
Contributing Organization Contact Information
Email: library@dot.ca.gov
Phone: (916) 654-4601
Phone: (916) 654-4601
Organization Websites
Link to Internet Archive