Golden Gate Bridge: Facts, History, Timeline, and Resources
Brief History of the Golden Gate Bridge?
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. As part of both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1, it connects the city of San Francisco on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula to Marin County. The Golden Gate Bridge was erected across the en-trance of the harbor at San Francisco, California, at a cost of approximately $35 million, by the Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District. The Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge span in the world when it was completed during the year 1937, and has become one of the most internationally recognized symbols of San Francisco, California, and of the United States. Despite its span length being surpassed by eight other bridges since its completion, it still has the second longest suspension bridge main span in the United States, after the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in New York City.
Quick Facts About The Golden Gate Bridge
How many lanes is The Golden Gate Bridge: 6 lanes of US 101 / SR 1, pedestrians and bicycles
Where is The Golden Gate Bridge located: San Francisco, California and Marin County, California
Who maintains The Golden Gate Bridge: Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District
Who designed The Golden Gate Bridge: Joseph Strauss, Irving Morrow, and Charles Ellis
How long is The Golden Gate Bridge: 1.7 mi
How wide is The Golden Gate Bridge: 90 ft
How tall is The Golden Gate Bridge: 746 ft
Longest span of The Golden Gate Bridge: 4,200 ft
Vertical clearance of The Golden Gate Bridge: 14 ft at toll gates, higher truck loads possible
Clearance below on The Golden Gate Bridge: 220 ft at Tide
When was The Golden Gate Bridge opened: May 27, 1937
Toll for The Golden Gate Bridge: Cars (southbound only) $6.00 (cash), $5.00 (FasTrak), $3.00 (carpools during peak hours, FasTrak only)
Daily traffic on The Golden Gate Bridge: 118,000
Fun Facts About The Golden Gate Bridge
Where did the Golden Gate Bridge get its name?
The Golden Gate Strait is the entrance to the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. It is generally accepted that the strait was named “Chrysopylae”, or Golden Gate, by John C. Fremont, Captain, topographical Engineers of the U.S. Army circa 1846.
How long did it take to build The Golden Gate Bridge?
Construction started on the bridge on January 5, 1933 and the Bridge was open to vehicular traffic on May 28, 1937.
How many people have died while working on The Golden Gate Bridge?
Until February 17, 1937, there had been only one fatality, setting a new all-time record in a field where one man killed for every million dollars spent had been the norm. On February 17, ten more men lost their lives when a section of scaffold carrying twelve men fell through the safety net.
What is the Halfway-To-Hell Club?
During construction, the net suspended under the floor of the Bridge from end to end saved the lives of 19 men who became known as the “Half-Way-to-Hell Club.”
How many people have committed suicide at The Golden Gate Bride?
The Golden Gate Bridge is the most popular place to commit suicide in the entire world. By 2005, this count exceeded 1,200 and new suicides were averaging one every two weeks. The fatality rate of jumping is roughly 98%. As of 2006, only 26 people are known to have survived the jump.
If they wanted to rebuild the bridge today, what would it cost?
The cost to construct a new Golden Gate Bridge would be approximately $1.2 billion in 2003 dollars.
Why is The Golden Gate Bridge painted orange?
Rejecting carbon black and steel gray, Consulting Architect Irving Morrow selected the distinctive orange color because it blends well with the span’s natural setting.
Is The Golden Gate Bridge repainted every year?
No. Painting the Golden Gate Bridge is an ongoing task and the primary maintenance job.
Since it opened, how many vehicles have crossed The Golden Gate Bridge?
As of November 2009, 1,874,100,431 vehicles have crossed the Golden Gate Bridge since opening in 1937.
Where is The Golden Gate Bridge located?
The Golden Gate Bridge crosses the Golden Gate Strait and connects the City of San Francisco and the County of Marin to the north.
What Movies Is The Golden Gate Bridge in?
1. Going the Distance (2010): A movie centered on a couple who try to keep their love alive as they travel to and from San Francisco.
2. Star Trek (2009): Once again, we see a few fleeting images of Star Fleet Academy which is located right next to the Golden Gate Bridge.
3. Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus (2009): The massive shark snacks on the Golden Gate Bridge.
4. Monsters vs. Aliens (2009): Susan is among the crew trying to save us from extra-terrestrial threats, and there’s a standoff on the Bridge.
5. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006): Magneto Man moves the Golden Gate Bridge.
6. The Core (2003): To save the Earth, they must drill down to the core and set it spinning again. The Golden Gate Bridge comes down along the way.
7. Boys and Girls (2000): A friendship is put to the test when two best friends end up together. The Golden Gate Bridge plays a part in that.
8. Homeward Bound II – Lost in San Francisco (1996): The pets navigate the streets, trying to find their home across the Golden Gate Bridge.
9. Murder in the First (1995): An eager and idealistic young attorney defends an Alcatraz prisoner accused of murdering a fellow inmate.
10. Interview with a Vampire (1994): A vampire tells his epic life story, with a dramatic ending on the Golden Gate Bridge.
11. Final Analysis (1992): This murder mystery includes scene of an ambulance crossing the Golden Gate Bridge roadway.
12. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991): The Star Fleet Academy is located at the Golden Gate Bridge.
13. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986): The Bridge is struck by a cosmic storm when a space probe is searching for a humpback whale.
14. A View to a Kill (1985): There is lots of dangling at the top of the Golden Gate Bridge tower with helicopter rescue scene.
15. Superman (1978): The Man of Steel arrives in time to save a school bus on the edge of the Bridge.
Timeline of the Building of The Golden Gate Bridge
January 5, 1933: Workers excavate three and a quarter million cubic feet of dirt for the bridge’s huge anchorages.
February 1933: Workers complete the two anchorages.
February 14, 1933: Russell B. Cone and his family arrive in San Francisco. Recruited by Strauss, Cone is appointed resident engineer.
June 1933: Workers complete the north pier on the Marin shore.
May 1934: Workers complete the north tower.
January 1935: After agonizing difficulties trying to build in the middle of a turbulent ocean channel, workers complete the south pier.
June 1935: The south tower is finished.
August 1935: Workers install a dizzying catwalk high above the water.
March1936: Workers finish spinning the suspension cables ahead of schedule.
May 20, 1936: The cable compression is finished.
June 1936: A large net is slung under the entire bridge, at a cost of over $130,000.
September 1936: The roadway steel is finished.
October 21, 1936: The first man killed in the building of the bridge is Kermit Moore, who is crushed by a support beam that falls.
February 17, 1937: Eleven workers lose their lives when a platform holding 13 men falls off the bridge and through the safety net.
March 3, 1937: Workers install a new safety net.
April 15, 1937: Workers complete the deck surface.
May 27, 1937: The Golden Gate Bridge opens to pedestrians for the first time. At 6am, 18,000 people are waiting to be the first to cross the bridge. San Francisco’s week-long celebration is called “The Golden Gate Bridge Fiesta.”
May 28, 1937: The bridge opens to vehicles after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt presses a telegraph key in the White House announcing the occasion to the whole world.
Resources About The Golden Gate Bridge
Information about The Golden Gate Bridge
Visitor Information about The Golden Gate Bridge
Website of the Golden Gate National Recreational Area
My name is Kim, I am a volunteer at a local Zoo in Chicago, IL. I have been a volunteer for about 5 years now and love it. My full time job is at a vet just outside of the city. I am intrigued by the nature of animals and how they interact with one another.
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