Golden Gate Bridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Golden Gate Bridge
View from the Presidio of San Francisco, 2017
Coordinates	37°49′11″N 122°28′43″W / 37.81972°N 122.47861°W / 37.81972; -122.47861
Carries	6 lanes of US 101 / SR 1 (see § Traffic) Bicycle route: Invalid type: USBR Eastern walkway: pedestrians or bicycles during selected hours (see § Usage and tourism) Western walkway: bicycles (only when pedestrians are allowed on the eastern sidewalk)
Crosses	Golden Gate
Locale	San Francisco, California and Marin County, California, U.S.
Official name	Golden Gate Bridge
Maintained by	Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District
Characteristics
Design	Suspension, Art Deco, truss arch & truss causeways
Material	Steel
Total length	8980 ft, about 1.70 mi (2.74 km)
Width	90 ft (27.4 m)
Height	746 ft (227.4 m)
Longest span	4200 ft, about 0.79 mi (1.27 km)
Clearance above	14 ft (4.3 m) at toll gates
Clearance below	220 ft (67.1 m) at high tide
History
Architect	Irving Morrow
Engineering design by	Joseph Strauss, Charles Ellis, Leon Solomon Moisseiff
Constructed by	Barrett and Hilp
Construction begin	January 5, 1933 (1933-01-05)
Construction end	April 19, 1937 (1937-04-20)
Opened	May 27, 1937; 88 years ago (1937-05-27)
Statistics
Daily traffic	88,716 (FY2020)
Toll	Southbound only FasTrak or pay-by-plate, cash not accepted Effective July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025 (2024-07-01 – 2025-06-30): $9.25 (FasTrak users) $9.50 (Pay-by-plate users) $7.25 (carpools during peak hours, FasTrak only)
California Historical Landmark
Designated:	June 18, 1987
Reference #:	974
San Francisco Designated Landmark
Designated:	May 21, 1999
Reference #:	222

The Golden Gate Bridge is a famous suspension bridge in California, USA. It stretches across the Golden Gate, a narrow water passage about 1 mile (1.6 km) wide. This strait connects the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. The bridge links the city of San Francisco to Marin County. It carries two major roads, U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1, along with paths for people walking and biking. It's also part of U.S. Bicycle Route 95.

The Golden Gate Bridge is known worldwide as a symbol of San Francisco and California. The American Society of Civil Engineers even calls it one of the Wonders of the Modern World. People started thinking about building a bridge here in the late 1800s. But it wasn't until the early 1900s that it became possible. Joseph Strauss was the main engineer for the project. Other important people like Leon Moisseiff, Irving Morrow, and Charles Ellis also helped a lot with its design. The bridge opened in 1937 and has been updated many times since then.

Many people say the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most beautiful bridges in the world. When it opened in 1937, it was the longest and tallest suspension bridge globally. It held these records until 1964 and 1998, respectively. Its main section is 4,200 feet (1,280 meters) long, and its towers reach 746 feet (227 meters) high.

Cool Facts About the Golden Gate Bridge

• On May 24, 1987, during a special walk for its 50th birthday, the middle of the bridge bent down 7 feet (2.1 meters) because so many people were on it!
• The Golden Gate Bridge has two fog horns. They make different sounds to help guide ships safely when it's foggy.
• It took 30 years, from 1965 to 1995, to remove all the old lead-based paint and replace it with safer, non-lead paint.
• The bridge is 90 feet (27 meters) wide. Its road is 220 feet (67 meters) above the water.
• The famous orange color of the bridge is called "International Orange." The paint company Sherwin Williams supplies it.
• Only two important leaders have ever had the bridge shut down just for them: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) and French President Charles de Gaulle.
• In 1985, the billionth person crossed the bridge!
• The steel used to build the bridge came from Bethlehem Steel.

Building the Bridge: A Look Back

Before the Bridge: Ferry Boats

Before the Golden Gate Bridge existed, the only way to get between San Francisco and Marin County was by boat. Ferry services started as early as 1820. By the late 1920s, the Golden Gate Ferry Company was the biggest ferry service in the world. These ferries were very important for the local economy.

The ferry ride took about 20 minutes and cost $1 per car. San Francisco was the largest U.S. city that still relied mainly on ferries. Many experts thought building a bridge across the Golden Gate was impossible. They worried about the strong currents, deep water (372 feet or 113 meters), and frequent strong winds and fog.

The Idea Takes Shape

Golden Gate with Fort Point in front, around 1891

In 1916, an article by James Wilkins suggested building a bridge. San Francisco's city engineer thought it would cost $100 million, which was too much back then. But engineer Joseph Strauss said he could build it for $17 million. Strauss had designed many smaller bridges, but nothing this big.

Strauss's first design was not very good-looking. So, he agreed to change it and get help from other experts. They decided a suspension bridge design was best because of new improvements in metallurgy (metal science).

Strauss spent over ten years trying to get support for the bridge. Many groups were against it. The Department of War worried it would block ship traffic. The U.S. Navy feared an attack on the bridge could block access to their main harbor. Unions wanted local workers to get the jobs. The Southern Pacific Railroad, which owned the ferry service, fought against the bridge because it would be a competitor.

In 1924, the Secretary of War approved using federal land for the bridge. The growing car industry also supported the bridge, as it would mean more roads and more cars sold. The bridge officially got its name, "Golden Gate Bridge," in 1923. This happened when a special group was created to design, build, and pay for it.

Designing a Masterpiece

South tower seen from walkway, with Art Deco elements

Joseph Strauss was the chief engineer. But he didn't know much about suspension bridges. So, other experts did most of the engineering and design. The beautiful suspension design we see today was mainly thought up by Leon Moisseiff, who also designed the Manhattan Bridge in New York City.

Irving Morrow, an architect, designed the towers' shape, the lighting, and the Art Deco style details. He also chose the famous "International Orange" color. The U.S. Navy wanted it painted with black and yellow stripes for visibility, but Morrow's orange won because it looked better and still helped in fog.

Senior engineer Charles Alton Ellis did most of the technical work. He worked with Moisseiff on the main structure. Ellis also designed a special steel arch to span over Fort Point, an old fort, so it wouldn't have to be torn down. Ellis was a brilliant mathematician and engineer. He did a huge amount of work, but Strauss often didn't give him credit. Later, Ellis's important contributions were finally recognized.

Below Golden Gate Bridge

Paying for the Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District was formed in 1928 to build and pay for the bridge. After the Wall Street Crash of 1929, it was hard to get money. So, they asked for a $30 million loan. People in the counties affected by the bridge approved this in 1930.

But they couldn't sell the bonds (like loans) until 1932. That's when Amadeo Giannini, who started Bank of America, agreed to buy all of them. This helped the local economy a lot during the Great Depression.

Building the Bridge

Construction started on January 5, 1933. The project cost over $35 million. It was finished ahead of time and under budget! The McClintic-Marshall Construction Co. built the bridge.

Joseph Strauss stayed in charge of the project. He made an important safety invention: movable safety netting under the workers. This saved many lives during construction. The bridge officially opened on May 27, 1937.

The Round House Café, a diner with an Art Deco design, was built near the bridge in 1938. It became a popular spot for tourists.

Bridge Upgrades

• Torsional Bracing: In 1951, a strong windstorm made the bridge sway and roll. So, in 1953-1954, engineers added strong braces to make the bridge deck stiffer. This helped it resist twisting, like what destroyed the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940.
• Deck Replacement: From 1982 to 1986, the old concrete road deck was replaced. The new steel deck was 40% lighter and stronger. This was done over 401 nights without fully closing the bridge to traffic. It was the biggest engineering project on the bridge since it was built.

Opening Parties and Anniversaries

A plaque on the south tower commemorating the 25th anniversary of the bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge and Fort Point

The bridge opening in 1937 was a huge week-long party! The day before cars were allowed, 200,000 people walked or roller-skated across it. On opening day, officials rode ferries and then crossed the bridge in a parade. President Franklin D. Roosevelt even pushed a button in Washington, D.C., to signal the official start of car traffic.

For its 50th birthday in 1987, the bridge was again closed to cars, and people could walk across. About 300,000 people crowded onto the bridge, causing the middle to flatten out. The bridge is designed to flex, so it was safe. For the 75th anniversary in 2012, they didn't allow uncontrolled walking because of safety concerns after 9/11.

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  A pedestrian poses at the old railing on opening day, 1937.

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  Official invitation to the opening of the bridge. This copy was sent to the City of Seattle.

Commemorative Bricks

For the 50th anniversary, people could buy special bricks with their names on them to help pay for the celebration. These bricks were placed in a walkway. Later, this walkway had to be rebuilt for safety reasons, and the bricks couldn't be saved. However, all the names and messages from the bricks are now written on panels inside the "Equator Coffees" building near the bridge. This way, everyone's contribution is still honored.

How the Bridge is Built

On the south side of the bridge a 36.5-inch-wide (93 cm) cross-section of the cable, containing 27,572 wires, is on display.

The Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world until 1964. Its main span is 4,200 feet (1,280 meters) long. Today, it's the second-longest in the Americas, after the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in New York City. The total length of the Golden Gate Bridge is 8,981 feet (2,737 meters).

The bridge's towers are 746 feet (227 meters) above the water. They were the tallest on a suspension bridge until 1993. The road's weight hangs from 250 pairs of vertical ropes, which are attached to two huge main cables. These main cables go over the two towers and are anchored in concrete at each end.

Each main cable is made of 27,572 strands of wire! The total length of wire used for both main cables is about 80,000 miles (129,000 km). That's enough wire to go around the Earth three times! Each of the bridge's two towers has about 600,000 rivets holding it together.

The Bridge's Look and Color

Aesthetics, or how beautiful something looks, was a big reason why Joseph Strauss's first design was rejected. The final design, with its elegant towers and lighting, is much more pleasing to the eye. In 1999, the American Institute of Architects ranked it fifth on the List of America's Favorite Architecture.

The bridge's official color is "International Orange." The architect Irving Morrow chose this color. He thought it looked great with the natural surroundings and helped ships see the bridge better in the fog.

The bridge was first painted with a lead-based paint. In the mid-1960s, they started a big project to remove the old paint and repaint the bridge with safer materials to prevent rust. This project finished in 1995. Now, 38 painters work full-time to keep the bridge looking good and protected from corrosion. Painting the bridge is a never-ending job!

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  A view of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Marin Headlands on a foggy morning at sunrise

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  View of Marin from the south tower

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  Top of the south tower

Traffic and How People Use It

Installation of the movable median barrier system in January 2015

The Golden Gate Bridge is part of U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1. It's a very busy bridge, carrying about 112,000 vehicles every day.

The bridge has six lanes for cars. A special movable barrier separates traffic. This barrier is moved several times a day to change how many lanes go in each direction. For example, in the morning, four lanes might go into San Francisco. In the afternoon, four lanes might go north. This helps manage traffic flow.

Before 2015, only small plastic markers separated traffic. This led to some head-on crashes. To make it safer, a movable median barrier was installed in January 2015. This required closing the bridge to private cars for 45.5 hours, the longest closure in its history.

Walking and Biking on the Bridge

The bridge is very popular for people walking and biking. It has walkways on both sides of the car lanes. In 2003, railings were added between the walkways and the traffic lanes to keep bicyclists safe. The bridge is also part of U.S. Bicycle Route 95.

The main walkway is on the eastern side. It's open to both walkers and bikers during certain hours on weekdays. On weekends, it's mostly for walkers during the day. The western walkway is only for bikers during specific times.

You can also get to the bridge by bus. San Francisco Muni and Golden Gate Transit offer bus services across the bridge. There's also a visitor center and gift shop on the San Francisco side, which opened in 2012 for the bridge's 75th anniversary.

The lands and waters around the bridge are home to many animals, like bobcats, harbor seals, and sea lions. Even some types of whales have returned to the area!

Paying to Cross: Tolls

You only pay a toll when you drive southbound into San Francisco. Since 2013, you can't pay with cash. You use an electronic device called FasTrak, or the license plate tolling program, or pay online.

Currently, for passenger cars, the regular toll is $9.50. If you use FasTrak, it's a bit cheaper at $9.25. Carpools with three or more people get a discount during busy hours. If you don't pay within 48 hours, you'll get a fine.

History of Tolls

When the bridge opened in 1937, the toll was 50 cents per car in each direction. Over the years, the toll changed. In 1968, they started collecting tolls only from southbound traffic.

From 1937 to 1970, people walking across the bridge also paid a 10-cent toll. The money from tolls paid off all the construction loans by 1971. Tolls have continued to be collected and have slowly increased over time to help maintain the bridge.

In 2011, the Golden Gate District decided to remove all toll takers by 2013 to save money. Now, it's all electronic.

Wind and Sound

The Golden Gate Bridge is built to handle winds up to 68 mph (109 km/h). It has only been closed three times due to very strong winds. In 2019, new railings were installed on the pedestrian walkway. These new railings are thinner and more flexible, allowing the bridge to withstand even stronger winds, up to 100 mph (160 km/h).

However, these new railings sometimes create a loud humming sound when strong west winds blow. This sound can be heard across San Francisco and Marin County. Engineers are looking into ways to fix this.

Earthquake Safety

South approach sub-structure with seismic isolators (short black cylinders) added as part of the Seismic Retrofit Construction Project

The Golden Gate Bridge is close to the San Andreas Fault, a major earthquake zone. Because of this, a big project was started to make the bridge safer during earthquakes. Engineers added special parts to help the bridge withstand strong shaking with only minor damage. This project cost $392 million and involved complex work to strengthen the bridge's supports.

The old road leading to the bridge on the San Francisco side, called Doyle Drive, was built in 1933. It was old, had only four lanes, and was vulnerable to earthquake damage. A new, safer road called the Presidio Parkway was built to replace it. Construction started in 2009 and was completed in 2015.

Images for kids

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  Panorama showing the height, depth, and length of the span from end to end, looking west

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  Panorama of the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset, as seen from just north of Alcatraz Island

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  Panorama of San Francisco with two bridges (Western section of Bay Bridge in the left background), Coit Tower (in background to the left of north tower), and Fort Mason (on the San Francisco waterfront in the background behind the north tower) from Marin

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  Panorama of the Golden Gate Bridge at night, with San Francisco in the background

See also

In Spanish: Puente Golden Gate para niños

• 25 de Abril Bridge, a bridge with a similar design in Portugal
• Golden Gate Bridge in popular culture
• List of tallest bridges
• List of San Francisco Designated Landmarks
• San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge
• Suspension bridge