How long is the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco?
San Francisco: Transportation. The orange-red Golden Gate Bridge, leading north to Marin county, was completed in 1937. It is a pure suspension bridge with a 4,200-foot (1,280-metre) centre span; the spectacular clear span was the longest in the world until 1964 when New York City’s Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opened.
How many wires are there on the Golden Gate Bridge?
On the south side of the bridge a 36.5-inch-wide (93 cm) cross-section of the cable, containing 27,572 wires, is on display. Until 1964, the Golden Gate Bridge had the longest suspension bridge main span in the world, at 4,200 feet (1,300 m).
How tall are the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge?
The Golden Gate Bridge has two main towers that support the two main cables. The height of a tower above water is 746 ft (227 m). The height of a tower above roadway is 500 ft (152 m). Tower base dimension (each leg) is 33 ft x 54 ft (10 m x 16 m).
How many people crossed the Golden Gate Bridge in one day?
As many as 200,000 people crossed the bridge that day. People competed to be the first to run, push a baby stroller, and even roller skate across the Golden Gate Bridge. The San Francisco Chronicle recorded some of the more outlandish firsts, including the first person to cross the Golden Gate Bridge on stilts.
What is the span of the Golden Gate Bridge?
4,200 ftLength of suspension span including main span and side spans is 1.2 miles (6,450 ft or 1,966 m). Length of main span portion of suspended structure (distance between towers) is 4,200 ft (1,280 m). Length of one side span is 1,125 ft (343 m). Width of Bridge is 90 ft (27 m).
What is the longest single span of the Golden Gate Bridge?
4,200 feetThe main span, 1,280 metres (4,200 feet) long, is suspended from two cables hung from towers 227 metres (746 feet) high; at midpoint the roadway is 81 metres (265 feet) above mean high water. Until the completion of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in New York City in 1964, it had the longest main span in the world.
How many feet does the Golden Gate Bridge sway?
The 17 mph winds blowing across San Francisco Bay caused the bridge to sway side to side. Fortunately, the bridge deck was designed to move 15 feet vertically and 27 feet from side to side.
How many bodies are buried in the Golden Gate Bridge?
Between 1937 and 2012, an estimated 1,400 bodies were recovered of people who had jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge, located in the San Francisco Bay Area in the United States.
Which bridge has longest span in us?
the Verrazano-Narrows BridgeOn November 21, 1964, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opened, and thousands of drivers pressed on the gas. For the first time, all five boroughs were connected by roads rather than waterways.
What bridge has the longest spans?
By total length the Mackinac Bridge, at 5 miles long, remains one of the longest bridges of its kind. By comparison, the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge in Japan, which is currently considered the longest suspension bridge in the world with a main span length of 6,532 ft, is less than 2.5 miles long in total length.
What are 3 interesting facts about the Golden Gate Bridge?
5 Fun Facts About the Golden Gate BridgeThe bridge is actually not golden at all! It's a bright red-orange.It was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.It took four years to build.There are approximately 600,000 rivets in each of the bridge's towers.It's the most photographed bridge in the world.
What year did the Golden Gate collapse?
1906The original Golden Gate Bridge collapsed during an earthquake in 1906, which was later determined to be caused by exposure to winds and long-term deterioration. The Golden Gate Bridge is about 9,000 feet long (nearly two miles) and is one of the most iconic bridges in the United States.
How many times has the Golden Gate Bridge been destroyed?
But nothing has fallen so frequently, and so spectacularly, as the Golden Gate Bridge. The film industry has destroyed the bridge so many times — nine in the past 10 years!
Are there sharks under the Golden Gate Bridge?
Thankfully, while Great Whites are numerous along the California coast, the menacing shark infrequently ventures under the Golden Gate Bridge to pay us a visit. However, there are 11 different species of shark that do call the San Francisco Bay home.
Are there bodies under the Golden Gate Bridge?
Most people who survive the leap do so with multiple broken bones and extensive internal injuries. As for bridge jumps sparing anyone from the shock of finding a body, that's not exactly accurate, either. Though many jumpers' bodies are caught by currents and swept out to sea, most are not.
Has anyone fallen off the Golden Gate Bridge?
To date, more than 1,800 people have plunged to their deaths from the Golden Gate Bridge, with 21 confirmed suicides last year alone, and four suspected, though no bodies were found, according to bridge officials. Two or three people jump each month as workers scramble to finish what they hope is a permanent solution.
Is Golden Gate Bridge Still longest?
Upon opening in May 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world. The middle span between the 44,000-ton towers stretches 4,200 feet. Even today, few suspension bridges are as long, and none more spectacular. It is a wonder of the world, and San Francisco's own golden gateway.
How many cars cross the Golden Gate Bridge every day?
And yet it's also a working bridge, with about 200 employees working around the clock maintaining the bridge for more than 100,000 cars crossing daily, as well as pedestrians, bikers and people riding the bridge's ferries and buses.
Can you walk the Golden Gate Bridge?
Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge... It's free to walk or bike across the Golden Gate Bridge. The pedestrian walkway is the east sidewalk that runs along the east (bay) side of the bridge. Bikes ride on either side, according to the daily schedule. Drivers pay a toll ($7.25) but only coming into San Francisco.
How long is the Mackinac bridge?
26,372′Mackinac Bridge / Total length
What is the Golden Gate Bridge?
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the one-mile-wide (1.6 km) strait connecting San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The structure links the U.S. city of San Francisco, California —the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula —to Marin County, carrying both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1 across the strait. It also carries pedestrian and bicycle traffic, and is designated as part of U.S. Bicycle Route 95. Being declared one of the Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers, the bridge is one of the most internationally recognized symbols of San Francisco and California. It was initially designed by engineer Joseph Strauss in 1917.
How much did it cost to build the Golden Gate Bridge?
Although the idea of a bridge spanning the Golden Gate was not new, the proposal that eventually took hold was made in a 1916 San Francisco Bulletin article by former engineering student James Wilkins. San Francisco's City Engineer estimated the cost at $100 million (equivalent to $2.4 billion today), and impractical for the time. He asked bridge engineers whether it could be built for less. One who responded, Joseph Strauss, was an ambitious engineer and poet who had, for his graduate thesis, designed a 55-mile-long (89 km) railroad bridge across the Bering Strait. At the time, Strauss had completed some 400 drawbridges —most of which were inland—and nothing on the scale of the new project. Strauss's initial drawings were for a massive cantilever on each side of the strait, connected by a central suspension segment, which Strauss promised could be built for $17 million (equivalent to $404 million today).
What was the Golden Gate Bridge's first day of celebration?
The bridge-opening celebration began on May 27, 1937, and lasted for one week. The day before vehicle traffic was allowed, 200,000 people crossed either on foot or on roller skates. On opening day, Mayor Angelo Rossi and other officials rode the ferry to Marin, then crossed the bridge in a motorcade past three ceremonial "barriers," the last a blockade of beauty queens who required Joseph Strauss to present the bridge to the Highway District before allowing him to pass. An official song, " There's a Silver Moon on the Golden Gate ," was chosen to commemorate the event. Strauss wrote a poem that is now on the Golden Gate Bridge entitled "The Mighty Task is Done." The next day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt pushed a button in Washington, D.C. signaling the official start of vehicle traffic over the Bridge at noon. As the celebration got out of hand there was a small riot in the uptown Polk Gulch area. Weeks of civil and cultural activities called "the Fiesta" followed. A statue of Strauss was moved in 1955 to a site near the bridge.
Why did the Golden Gate Bridge collapse?
Although the Golden Gate Bridge design has proved sound, a later Moisseiff design, the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge, collapsed in a strong windstorm soon after it was completed, because of an unexpected aeroelastic flutter.
What paint was used on the bridge?
The bridge was originally painted with red lead primer and a lead-based topcoat, which was touched up as required. In the mid-1960s, a program was started to improve corrosion protection by stripping the original paint and repainting the bridge with zinc silicate primer and vinyl topcoats. Since 1990, acrylic topcoats have been used instead for air-quality reasons. The program was completed in 1995 and it is now maintained by 38 painters who touch up the paintwork where it becomes seriously corroded. The ongoing maintenance task of painting the bridge is continuous.
How long did it take to get to San Francisco from the Ferry Building?
The trip from the San Francisco Ferry Building took 27 minutes. Many wanted to build a bridge to connect San Francisco to Marin County. San Francisco was the largest American city still served primarily by ferry boats.
Why did San Francisco want to build a bridge?
San Francisco was the largest American city still served primarily by ferry boats. Because it did not have a permanent link with communities around the bay , the city's growth rate was below the national average. Many experts said that a bridge could not be built across the 6,700-foot (2,000-metre) strait, which had strong, swirling tides and currents, with water 372 ft (113 m) deep at the center of the channel, and frequent strong winds. Experts said that ferocious winds and blinding fogs would prevent construction and operation.
Who wrote the chapter on the Golden Gate Bridge?
This chapter by Thalia Anagnos found in the textbook Statics by Sheri Sheppard and Benson Tongue (Wiley, 2007) traces the loads through the elements of the Golden Gate Bridge. Several hands-on activities for exploring the loads on other bridge types are included at the end of the chapter.
What is the name of the line that runs across the bridge?
See the 500 vertical lines (steel suspender ropes) across the Bridge? They are the next step in the “load path ”, which is the term that describes how the weight of the Bridge, including the weight of traffic, is transferred ultimately to the ground. The deck trusses hand off their load to the ropes, which pull that weight up to the curving main cables. The weight of the deck is suspended from the main cables by these suspender ropes, hence their name.
How Long Is the Golden Gate Bridge?
A marvel of modern engineering, the Golden Gate Bridge is 1.7 miles long and 90 feet wide. Its 4,200-foot main span between the two towers was the longest for a suspension bridge until 1981, while its 746-foot towers made it the tallest bridge of any type until 1993.
Why was the Golden Gate Bridge closed?
The Golden Gate Bridge withstood the destructive Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989, and was closed to traffic only three times in its first 75 years due to weather conditions.
How deep was the first bridge support?
As a 1,100-foot trestle extended off the San Francisco side, divers plunged to depths of 90 feet through strong currents to blast away rock and remove detonation debris.
When did the bridge and highway district get its bond money?
In November 1930 , a measure passed to allow for the issuance of $35 million in bonds to pay for the project. However, the Bridge and Highway District struggled to find a financial backer amid the difficulties of the Great Depression, a problem exacerbated by years of expensive legal proceedings.
Who built the bridge on the northern end of the strait?
The job went to a Chicago-based engineer named Joseph Strauss, a drawbridge builder who believed he could complete the grand-scale project for a modest $25 to $30 million. After submitting his sketches for a cantilever-suspension hybrid span in June 1921, Strauss set about convincing the communities on the northern end of the strait that the bridge would be to their benefit.
When was the trestle of the trestle destroyed?
The trestle was damaged when it was struck by a ship in August 1933 and again amid a powerful storm late in the year, setting construction back five months.
What are some interesting facts about the Golden Gate Bridge?
Here are eight historical and surprising fast facts about the Golden Gate Bridge. 1. An earthquake struck the bridge before it was even completed. pinterest-pin-it.
When was the Golden Gate Bridge opened?
San Franciscans celebrated the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge with Pedestrian Day on May 27, 1937. As many as 200,000 people crossed the bridge that day. People competed to be the first to run, push a baby stroller, and even roller skate across the Golden Gate Bridge.
What is the longest suspension bridge in the world?
At its completion in 1937, the suspension bridge was considered an engineering marvel—the longest main suspension bridge span in the world. It held that record until New York City's Verrazano Narrows Bridge opened in 1964 and, as of 2019, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan boasts the world’s longest span.
What paint is used on the Golden Gate Bridge?
A massive cleanup effort to remove all the lead-based paint from the bridge started in 1965 and ended in 1995. Today, a zinc-based primer paint is used instead. The Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District calls the zinc a “sacrificial metal” that protects the steel from rust.
Why did the Golden Gate Bridge have lead paint?
The architects intended the lead-based paint to protect the steel structure from corrosion, but later learned that lead is harmful to humans and the environment.
How much was the Golden Gate Bridge toll?
The initial toll for the bridge was 50 cents each way—roughly equivalent to an $18.00 roundtrip today—a hefty price to pay in the midst of the Great Depression. Today, Golden Gate Bridge tolls are collected in one direction only, heading southbound into the city of San Francisco.
Why is the Golden Gate Bridge painted blue?
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images. The U.S. Navy had lobbied that the bridge be painted in blue and yellow stripes to increase its visibility.
Which type of bridge has the longest span?
Suspension bridges have the longest spans of any type of bridge. Cable-stayed bridges, the next longest design, are practical for spans up to just over 1 kilometre. Therefore, as of 2021. , the 29 longest bridges on this list are the 29 longest spans of all types of vehicular bridges (other than floating pontoon bridges ).
Which bridge has the longest central span?
The Akashi Kaikyō Bridge has the longest central span of any suspension bridge. The world's longest suspension bridges are listed according to the length of their main span (i.e. the length of suspended roadway between the bridge's towers). The length of main span is the most common method of comparing the sizes of suspension bridges, ...
What is the longest suspension bridge in the world?
Arouca Bridge (Portugal). Opened in 2021, it is the longest suspension pedestrian bridge in the world (516 m). Baglung Parbat Footbridge (Nepal). Opened in 2020, is the longest suspension footbridge in the world with a span of 567m.
Where are suspension bridges built?
Most of the large suspension bridges built in recent years have been in the People's Republic of China. As the following list shows, most of the bridges under construction are also in China.
How wide is the Qiongzhou Strait?
A suspension bridge is being considered to cross the 22.5-kilometre-wide (14.0 mi) Qiongzhou Strait. One design consists of four bridges strung together with four main spans of 2,000 m, two main-spans of 1,800 m, five anchorages and 10 towers. If completed this bridge will assume six of the top seven longest spans.
How many lanes are there on the Golden Gate Bridge?
There are six traffic lanes on the Golden Gate Bridge.
How many people died building the Golden Gate Bridge?
Officially, eleven people died building the Golden Gate Bridge.
How many people fell off the bridge during construction?
The nineteen people who fell off the bridge during construction and were saved by the net formed what they call
When to avoid the Bridge?
The times to avoid the Bridge are during commute hours, or when something big is going on in the city, like ball games or parades.
Is the Golden Gate Bridge closed?
Golden Gate Bridge is closed to pedestrians from sunset until sunrise, but if you're driving to Vista Point it's as safe as any beach. Because it is considered more of a "photo op" spot rather than a beach, you'll be fine visiting for an hour or so. It is commonly used as a make-out spot for locals because of the solitude and amazing views, but there are regular patrols by law enforcement to discourage... *ahem* ... loitering.
Is Vista Point a Golden Gate Park?
Vista Point falls under the purvue of the Golden Gate Park Authority, and as such generally follows the same schedule as most State Parks but has a lot more leniency with regards to visiting hours.
What is the Golden Gate Bridge?
Golden Gate Bridge, suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate in California to link San Francisco with Marin county to the north. Upon its completion in 1937, it was the tallest and longest suspension bridge in the world. The Golden Gate Bridge came to be recognized as a symbol of the power and progress of the United States, ...
Why is the Golden Gate Bridge important?
The Golden Gate Bridge came to be recognized as a symbol of the power and progress of the United States, and it set a precedent for suspension-bridge design around the world.
How long is the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge?
The main span, 1,280 metres (4,200 feet) long, is suspended from two cables hung from towers 227 metres (746 feet) high; at midpoint the roadway is 81 metres (265 feet) above mean high water. Until the completion of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in New York City in 1964, it had the longest main span in the world.
When was the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge opened?
The bridge opened to vehicular traffic on May 28, 1937, under budget and ahead of schedule. The main span, 1,280 metres (4,200 feet) long, is suspended from two cables hung from towers 227 metres (746 feet) high; at midpoint the roadway is 81 metres (265 feet) above mean high water. Until the completion of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in New York City in 1964, it had the longest main span in the world.
Overview
History
Before the bridge was built, the only practical short route between San Francisco and what is now Marin County was by boat across a section of San Francisco Bay. A ferry service began as early as 1820, with a regularly scheduled service beginning in the 1840s for the purpose of transporting water to San Francisco.
Structural specifications
Until 1964, the Golden Gate Bridge had the longest suspension bridge main span in the world, at 4,200 feet (1,300 m). Since 1964 its main span length has been surpassed by seventeen bridges; it now has the second-longest main span in the Americas, after the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in New York City. The total length of the Golden Gate Bridge from abutment to abutment is 8,981 feet (2,73…
Aesthetics
Aesthetics was the foremost reason why the first design of Joseph Strauss was rejected. Upon re-submission of his bridge construction plan, he added details, such as lighting, to outline the bridge's cables and towers. In 1999, it was ranked fifth on the List of America's Favorite Architecture by the American Institute of Architects.
Traffic
Most maps and signage mark the bridge as part of the concurrency between U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1. Although part of the National Highway System, the bridge is not officially part of California's Highway System. For example, under the California Streets and Highways Code § 401, Route 101 ends at "the approach to the Golden Gate Bridge" and then resumes at "a poin…
Issues
The Golden Gate Bridge is the most used suicide site in the world. The deck is about 245 feet (75 m) above the water. After a fall of four seconds, jumpers hit the water at around 75 mph (120 km/h; 30 m/s). Most die from impact trauma. About 5% survive the initial impact but generally drown or die of hypothermia in the cold water.
See also
• 25 de Abril Bridge, a bridge with a similar design in Portugal
• The Bridge, a 2006 documentary on suicides from the Bridge
• Golden Gate Bridge in popular culture
• List of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks
Further reading
• Cassady, Stephen (1979). Spanning the Gate (Commemorative edition, 1987 ed.). Squarebooks. ISBN 978-0916290368.
• Dyble, Louise Nelson; the Golden Gate Bridge (2009). Paying the Toll: Local Power, Regional Politics. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 9780812222784.
• Friend, Tad (October 13, 2003). "Jumpers: The fatal grandeur of the Golden Gate Bridge". The New Yorker. Vol. 79, no. 30. p. 48. Archived from the original o…
• Cassady, Stephen (1979). Spanning the Gate (Commemorative edition, 1987 ed.). Squarebooks. ISBN 978-0916290368.
• Dyble, Louise Nelson; the Golden Gate Bridge (2009). Paying the Toll: Local Power, Regional Politics. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 9780812222784.
• Friend, Tad (October 13, 2003). "Jumpers: The fatal grandeur of the Golden Gate Bridge". The New Yorker. Vol. 79, no. 30. p. 48. Archived from the original on November 8, 2006.