415 921 5858
www.goldengate.org
Cruises operate Mar–Oct
The length of the steel wires used to make the cables of the bridge is enough to circle the earth three times. It is also brilliantly “over-engineered” and is said to be five times stronger than it needs to be to withstand the winds and tides it endures daily. At the time it was built, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world (it still ranks seventh) and took just over four years to build. More than 41 million vehicles cross the bridge annually, streaming across six lanes of traffic, along its 1.7-mile (2.7-km) length. The bridge is equipped with two foghorns, each with a different pitch, and 360-degree flashing red beacons. The bridge has been closed due to high winds only three times in its history.
For a uniquely powerful view of the bridge while enjoying a Sunday champagne brunch, opt for one of the many cruises on the Bay, departing from the Embarcadero Pier and Sausalito. Excellent purveyors are Signature Yacht Events (415 788 9100, www.signaturesf.com), and Seaward (415 331 3214, www.callofthesea.org).
The orange color was actually the original rust-proof undercoat, but it complements the natural setting so well that it was kept.
Pedestrians may access the east sidewalk 5am–9pm daily. In-line skaters and skateboards are not allowed.
Deco Style
The bridge owes its striking style to the consulting architects Irving F. Morrow and his wife Gertrude. They simplified the pedestrian railings to uniform posts placed far enough apart to allow an unobstructed view.
Maintenance
Repairing and painting the bridge is an ongoing task. The paint protects it from the high salt content in the air, which corrodes the steel components.
Fort Point Lookout
On the city side stands an 1861 fort. This spot provides a view of the soaring underside of the structure and the pounding waters of the ocean.
Marin Vista Point
Crossing from the San Francisco side, pull off just before you reach the end of the bridge and take in the startling panorama from the specially constructed Vista Point and look back at the hills and spires of the city. If there’s fog, note how the bridge’s tower tops disappear in the mist.
Star Turns in Movies
The bridge has starred in many movies, most notably Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, in which James Stewart pulls Kim Novak from the raging surf, just east of Fort Point . In the James Bond movie, A View To A Kill, Grace Jones and 007 battle it out, both of them clinging to the bridge’s aerial heights.
Protective Barriers
The Golden Gate Bridge is the number one spot in the world for suicides. As yet there are no effective preventative barriers but there are bars for general safety.
Building the Bridge
Joseph Strauss introduced the use of hard hats, goggles, and safety belts for the first time, as well as a vast safety net under the bridge, which saved 19 workers.
Bridge Celebrations
The bridge opened on May 28, 1937, with some 200,000 pedestrians. Fifty years later, on May 24, 1987, the ritual was repeated with about 300,000 people.
Hiking and Biking
No visit to San Francisco would be complete without a walk or bike-ride across at least part of the bridge.
Toll System
Beginning May 28, 1937, the toll to cross the bridge was 50 cents each way, with a 5-cent charge if a car had more than three passengers. The toll is currently $5 per vehicle, only charged to city-bound traffic.
