May 5, 2016 Comments Off on San Francisco Knows The Golden Gate Bridge Views: 2676 Urban Trekker

For decades, the Golden Gate Bridge makes an iconic image of the city of San Francisco. It was named so because San Francisco By resembles Istanbul’s Golden Horn, the estuary that splits the city in two.

The idea about a bridge emerging at the Golden Game was present long before the bridge was actually built. It was first proposed as early as 1872 by Charles Crocker, the executive who had constructed the transcontinental railroad in the States three years before. For the majority, it was a far-fetched idea that a bridge can be constructed on the spot, and it was not until 1919 when construction was thoughtfully considered. First estimates were that the Golden Gate Bridge would cost around $100 million.

It took four years to build the Golden Gate Bridge. Activities started out on January 5, 1933, in the midst of the notorious Great Depression and were completed ahead of schedule in 1937, also under budget.

The initial design of the bridge was changed as there were huge public debates how the bridge should look like, however, even with the final outcome not everybody was pleased. The Golden Gate Bridge faced some fierce enemies and in 1930, during its construction, as many as 2,300 lawsuits were thrown against the bridge. Who would file a bridge anyway? Well, one of the charges came from the side of the Southern Pacific Railroad company, that owned a business which helped people commute in between San Francisco and Marin County. Others were concerned that such bridge will jeopardize the natural beauty of the realm. But after several favorable court rulings, two federal hearings, and a guarantee that local workers will be the first to get the jobs, the bridge was at last approved.

The Golden Gate Bridge is notable for its strength and stamina and it has rarely been closed down when looking back in history. So far, it has been closed only a few times because of severe weather conditions (the huge fog doesn’t count), the first time which that occurred, on December 1, 1951. Reportedly, winds had reached a speed of 69 miles per hour and the bridge was closed for traffic per three hours. The last time it was closed (until 2015) due to severe winds was also on December 3, 1983, when the speed of wind had reached 75 miles per hour. The bridge remained closed for three hours and twenty-seven minutes which has made records in this context.

Today, it is estimated that around 110,000 vehicles pass the bridge daily. The bridge is also famous because it is perpetually repainted. As it is made of steel, painting is an ongoing assignment for the city administration. That is so because of the high salt content in the air that could cause the bridge to rust and corrode if not taken care properly.

Unfortunately, the iconic bridge is also one of the top suicide locations in the world. The first person that had committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge was a man named H.B. Wobber. The incident had occurred just three months after the opening of the bridge. Since then, more than 1,500 people have committed suicide by jumping from the bridge.

Last but not least, if you never reach the States to see the Golden Gate Bridge, note that there is one similar sitting in Lisbon, Portugal. It’s not the same but it’s also worth the visit.

You May Also Want to Read: Old Vintage Postcards of the O’Connell Street in Dublin

Tags: san francisco, USA