Golden Gate BridgePresented by: Roberta AquinoHoang Nguyen

Niels RasmussenDaniel Serrao

Describe the bridge History Vision Permit & Financial problems Construction Scope, Time, & Cost Facts today

Objective

Suspension bridge from San Francisco to Marin County

Golden Gate Strait Longest span in 1937, now 9th worldwide Total length is 1.7 miles or 8,981 feet Width of 900 feet 220 feet clearance above high water

Description

Ferry system was the only way until 1900’s Demand for transportation due to increase in

population James Wilkins revived the idea in 1916 The bridge cannot be built according to

engineers Estimated cost $100 million

History

Joseph Strauss Ohio-born structural engineer Designed nearly 400 spanning bridges Feasible to build Chief Engineer Estimated cost of only $20-30 million Quote: “A great city with water barriers and no

bridges is like a skyscraper with no elevators. Bridges are a monument to progress.”

Vision

Preliminary sketches with cost estimate of $27 million in 1921

Golden Gate Bridge Highway District Act passed in 1923

Secretary of War approved transfer of land in 1924

Final permit issued in 1930

Permit to Build

Voters put their homes, farms, & business properties up for collateral

Support $35 million bond

$23,843,905 awarded for the construction in 1932

Financial

Commenced in 1933 11 died during construction 19 saved by the bridge’s safety net Expected 35 to die – 1 life per $1 million Completed after 4 years

Construction

Scope: To build a bridge connecting San Francisco & Marin County

Time: Although no set time, considered ahead of schedule

Cost: $1.3 million under budget Bonds were retired in 1971, $35 million in

principal & $39 million in interest Paid entirely from tolls

Scope, Time, & Cost

Cash tolls to cross is $6 for a 2-axle car

Over 40 million vehicles cross every year

1994: Seven Wonders of the Modern World by American Society of Civil Engineers

The most photographed bridge in the world

Facts Today

Zuehike, Jeffrey (2010). The Golden Gate Bridge. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Lerner Publications Company.

MacDonald, Donald, & Nadel, Ira (2008). Golden Gate Bridge: History and Design of an Icon. San Francisco, California. Chronicle Books LLC.

Malloy, B. (2001). Golden Gate Bridge Facts. Retrieved August 2, 2012, from http://gocalifornia.about.com/cs/sanfrancisco/a/ggbridge_3.htm

Elliot, Kathleen (2001). Golden Gate Bridge Changes Engineer’s Reasoning: Construction Bridged a Frontier in History. Retrieved August 3, 2012, from http://www.californiahistorian.com/articles/golden-gate-bridge.html

Highway & Transportaion District (July 1, 2011). Auto and Multi-Axle Toll Rates. Retrieved August 3, 2012, from http://goldengatebridge.org/tolls_traffic/toll_rates_carpools.php

Wikipedia (July 31, 2012). Golden Gate Bridge. Retrieved August 3, 2012, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Bridge

References

Questions