Golden Gate Bridge is one of the largest and most spectacular suspension bridges in the world. It spans the Golden Gate, a strait at the entrance of San Francisco Bay. The bridge, which has a total length of 8,981 feet (2,737 meters), connects northern California to the peninsula of San Francisco. It contains about 88,000 tons (75,000 metric tons) of steel, 390,000 cubic yards (300,000 cubic meters) of concrete, and 160,000 miles (260,000 kilometers) of wire in its two main cables.
Loading the player...Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
Towers stand on either side of the bridge, about 1,120 feet (340 meters) from the ends. They hold up the two steel cables, 363/8 inches (92 centimeters) in diameter, from which the bridge hangs. The section between the towers is 4,200 feet (1,280 meters) long, one of the world’s longest spans. The floor is 220 feet (67 meters) above the water and 90 feet (27 meters) wide. It has a six-lane road and sidewalks.
The idea for a bridge across the Golden Gate was popularized in 1916 by James H. Wilkins, a San Francisco journalist. The United States War Department, which owned the land around the strait, approved the project in 1924. The Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District was formed in 1928. Joseph B. Strauss was appointed chief engineer of the project and designed the bridge. The bridge was planned and constructed to withstand strong tidal forces, wind, and earthquakes. Irving F. Morrow, an architect hired by Strauss, designed the towers and selected the bridge’s distinctive rust color.
Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge began in 1933. The bridge was completed in 1937 at a cost of $35.5 million..million5.
