The Engineering Behind The Golden Gate Bridge

If you’ve ever been to San Francisco, there’s no doubt you’ve taken in the beauty of the Golden Gate Bridge. Spanning 3 miles across the Golden Gate Strait, it’s nearly impossible to miss! The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most impressive results of early engineering and human ingenuity. Without it, people would still be traveling across the Bay Area by ferry. The history of the Golden Gate Bridge is an example of how much we can accomplish with engineering.

Building The Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco was one of the fastest developing cities in the late 19th century but the city had a major problem to face: a lack of quick, easy, and reliable transportation. Although the ferries were popular for visitors exploring the area, they weren’t practical for locals who needed to travel for work. The demand for a bridge was met with skepticism about the ability to build such a long bridge. It wasn’t until an engineering student, James Wilkins, proposed a structure in 1916 that people began to see the bridge as a possibility. 

Joseph Strauss, an engineer and poet, took Wilkin’s plan and began building the Golden Gate Bridge in 1933. But Strauss couldn’t do it alone. It took the minds of Leon Moisseiff, Irving Morrow, and Charles Ellis to design the structure that we stand in awe of today. The bridge was opened to the public on May 27th, 1933. 

Structure

Let’s dive into the structure of one of the most iconic bridges in the United States. At the time it was built, the Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world! It connects San Francisco with Marin County at a height of 227 meters. Suspension bridges are built by hanging a deck below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. It takes trusses, suspension cables, towers, and anchorages to construct a suspension bridge. The Golden Gate Bridge used over 80 miles worth of wire and more than 1.2 steel rivets to secure the bridge. 

Construction was quite dangerous at this time so Strauss decided to hang a safety net below the bridge in case workers fell. During construction, 19 men were saved by the safety net while 11 men unfortunately died. Survivors formed the Halfway to Hell Club and became local celebrities in the Bay Area. 

The Golden Gate Bridge Today

Today, the Golden Gate Bridge is as iconic as ever. You can find the bridge featured in many artworks, movies, and mentioned in many songs and poems. The orange paint is constantly being touched up to prevent corrosion, so the bright orange bridge sparkles year-round. It is estimated that nearly 40 million people cross the bridge each year. 

Conclusion

The Golden Gate Bridge is a symbol of innovative engineer and human creativity. The feat of engineering changed the lives of people in the Bay Area for the better and continues to attract people from all over the world who come to see its beauty. For anyone with an interest in engineering, the Golden Gate Bridge is a must see!