Golden Gate Bridge Facts
Golden Gate Bridge Facts
|
| Interesting Golden Gate Bridge Facts: |
|---|
| Frommer's Travel Guide has mentioned it as being ‘possibly the most beautiful, certainly the most photographed bridge in the world.' |
| Prior to the Golden Gate Bridge the only short way across the bay was by boat. A ferry ran from approximately 1820, but it wasn't until 1867 that a full ferry service began. By the 1920s this ferry company was the largest of its kind in the world. |
| The ferry trip took 20 to 27 minutes depending on which route was taken to cross. It is possible to drive across the bridge in 10 minutes if there is no traffic. The speed limit is only 45mph to increase safety and reduce traffic accidents. |
| Many said a bridge could not be built across the bay. There were strong winds, tides and currents, deep water that would prohibit such a project. |
| Despite concerns, construction began in January 1933 and the bridge was open to traffic on May 28, 1937. It only took four years to build. |
| Eleven men died during the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. |
| Even though it is named the Golden Gate Bridge it is actually orange. This color was chosen because it was thought that it would blend well with the natural setting. The color also enhances its visibility to boaters. |
| It is thought that it got the name ‘Golden Gate' because the harbour reminded a US army Captain of a harbor in Istanbul. It was named the ‘Golden Horn'. |
| The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. |
| The total length of the bridge is 8,981feet. It is 746 feet above the water. |
| The roadway is hung by two cables. These cables are made of 27,572 strands of wire that pass through the two main towers. They are then fixed in concrete at each end. |
| There are approximately 1.2 million rivets in the bridge towers, 600,000 in each. |
| The suspension span of the bridge is 4,200 feet and was the longest suspension bridge until New York City's Verrazano Narrows Bridge opened in 1964. |
| To build the bridge today it would cost approximately $1.2 billion. |
| It's estimated that more than 1.9 billion cars and vehicles have used the Golden Gate Bridge to cross San Francisco Bay. |
| There are six lanes and walkways on either side. |
| It has the unfortunate claim to being the second highest most common suicide site in the world. |
| The Golden Gate Bridge appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine on February 26, 1976. It was the backdrop for five well-known rock stars of the era. |
|
Related Links: Facts Wonders of the World Facts Animals Facts |