The symbolism is almost too apt: The Bay Bridge is rusting.

To be sure, last month's announcement of a small amount of corrosion found inside side barrier walls on the older, eastbound span doesn't mean the whole 4.3-mile span is corroding.

And the temporary fix, which involves installing steel brackets and guardrails, is a relatively minor undertaking, though it will cause major headaches for motorists over the next several weeks.

What's more worrisome is what the discovery of the corrosion suggests about not just the Bay Bridge, but all the other roads, bridges and tunnels across the state and nation. What else is...