Located in San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most recognizable structures in the world. It was designed by Joseph Strauss and is the longest suspension bridge in the world. The bridge spans a mile-wide strait between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
It's the longest suspension bridge in the world
Located on San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the world. It's also one of the most popular tourist attractions in California. It connects San Francisco with Marin County. This 1.7-mile-long bridge is a major transport route for commuters, who drive or take buses across it. The bridge attracts millions of visitors each year.
The bridge was constructed from January 1933 to April 1937. It cost $35 million. Construction was completed ahead of schedule. The design was created by Leon Solomon Moisseiff, who was known for designing suspension bridges. He worked alongside Joseph Strauss and Charles Ellis.
The main cables are anchored in bedrock, while the ends are secured in cement. They hold up 61,000 tons of vehicles and bridge deck. The smaller cables are 36 inches in diameter and contain over 27,000 strands of wire.
The Golden Gate Bridge has two towers, each standing 230 meters above the water. The central span is 4,200 feet long.
It was designed by Joseph Strauss
During the turn of the century, material innovations were at a high point. Strauss and others created hundreds of new bridges. The Golden Gate Bridge is a prime example of one of these innovations.
The bridge is one of the most famous engineering structures in the world. It has six lanes and can be crossed by foot or automobile. Originally, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. It opened in 1937 and was hailed as the worldwide symbol of San Francisco.
Strauss was a resourceful engineer who envisioned the bridge as a lasting work of art. He reworked his initial plans to create a more pleasing design. He also installed a safety net that would prevent vehicles from crashing into trains.
The project was a major undertaking. People feared that it would be too expensive. They were also worried that the bridge would be too ugly. However, Strauss worked hard to convince the locals and northern communities to support his plan.
It was dangerous to build
Despite the fact that it's the longest suspension bridge in North America, The Golden Gate Bridge was not a slam dunk. Construction was dangerous because of the lack of safety standards. Aside from the obvious dangers, the weather was treacherous. The bridge is built over a gorge, which produces strong currents and constant winds of 60 mph.
One of the most important innovations was a safety net, which saved the lives of 19 workers. The net was suspended under the floor of the bridge, from pylon to pylon. It was made of manila rope and was 6 inches square.
Another innovation was the glare-free goggles. In order to protect construction workers from the sun's rays, the E.D. Bullard Company developed special dietary supplements.
Several other notable safety measures were employed, including a hard hat, which is a quintessential feature of a construction worker. The company even issued special cream and goggles for workers' eyes.
The Golden Gate Bridge was the first of its kind. It was designed to withstand 2.3 million cubic feet of water per second at high tide. It also featured three foot thick cables. The main span is more than 1,200 feet long.
It was shut down three times
During its 75 years of history, the Golden Gate Bridge has been closed three times due to extreme weather conditions. These closures have affected the transportation community in a variety of ways.
In 1983, the bridge was shut down for three hours and 27 minutes. This occurred after winds reached a high of 75 mph.
The Golden Gate Bridge has also been closed for visiting dignitaries. This included President Charles de Gaulle of France and President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States.
The first earthquake hit the Golden Gate Bridge in 1935. This caused the structure to sway from side to side, but it did not cause any structural damage. The second incident happened around 5 p.m. when two tour buses stopped in the lane of traffic. The vehicle drivers spoke with police for ten minutes, and then the cars drove away.
In May 1987, the Golden Gate Bridge was closed to automobiles. The Bridge was also closed during its 50th anniversary celebration. At the time, over 80,000 people had expected to attend the Golden Gate Bridge walk.
