Golden_Gate_Bridge_1

1.

SAN FRANCISCO
·
CALIFORNIA
Golden Gate
Bridge
An icon of engineering, design, and the
California coast

2.

The Bridge at a Glance
4,200
746
1.7
1937
feet of main span
(1,280 m)
feet tower height
above the water
miles total length
(2.7 km)
year it opened
(May 27)
When it opened, its main span was the longest of any suspension bridge in the world, a record it
held until 1964.

3.

From Idea to Icon
1846
1921
1930
1933
Explorer John C.
Frémont gives the
strait its "Golden
Gate" name
Engineer Joseph
Strauss begins
pitching a bridge
across it
Voters approve a
$35 million bond to
pay for the project
Construction begins
on January 5
1937
Opens to
pedestrians May
27; cars follow the
next day

4.

Engineered to Flex
27 ft
How far the middle of the
span can sway sideways in
strong wind. It is flexible by
design, not by accident.
Massive cables
Each main cable is 36 inches thick and holds 27,572
strands of wire.
80,000 miles of wire
Enough wire in both cables to circle the Earth more than
three times.
Riveted towers
The two Art Deco towers rise 746 feet and hold roughly
600,000 rivets each.

5.

Why It's Orange
Chosen by an architect.
Irving Morrow selected the color; the U.S. Navy had pushed for
black-and-yellow stripes for ship visibility.
Made for its setting.
The warm hue complements the hills and sea, and stays visible in
fog.
Art Deco details.
International
Orange
Morrow shaped the towers, lamps and railings in a clean,
streamlined style.
Myth: always being painted.
In reality, a full-time crew touches up rust spots year-round.

6.

How It Compares
Main span length (feet)
Akashi Kaikyō (Japan)
6 532
Verrazzano-Narrows (NYC)
4 260
Golden Gate (San Francisco)
4 200
George Washington (NY–NJ)
Brooklyn (NYC)
3 500
1 595
Not the longest
anymore
Longer spans have been
built since, but few bridges
are as recognized around
the world.

7.

Building in Hard Conditions
1933–37
19
11
years of construction
men saved by the safety net
workers lost during the build
Strong tides, thick fog and deep water made the south tower foundation one of the hardest
jobs. Strauss insisted on a movable safety net beneath the crews, unusual at the time. Men
who fell into it and survived joined the informal "Halfway to Hell Club."

8.

Seeing It for Yourself
1
2
Battery Spencer
Classic postcard view from the Marin Headlands
Fort Point
Stand beneath the south end of the bridge
3
Crissy Field
4
Golden Gate Vista Point
Beach and bay views with the span overhead
Walk-up viewing area at the north end
Good to know
Summer fog is common, so mornings
often give the clearest views.
You can walk or bike across; check
current hours and rules first.
Tolls are collected southbound only,
and all electronically.

9.

Built to last,
painted to be seen.
Over 100,000 vehicles cross it on an
average day.