The Golden Gate Bridge, completed after
more than four years of construction at a cost of $35
million, is a visitor attraction recognized around the
world. The GGB opened to vehicular traffic on May 28,
1937 at twelve o'clock noon, ahead of schedule and under
budget, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressed
a telegraph key in the White House announcing the event.
The towers that support the Golden Gate Bridge's suspension
cables are smaller at the top than at the base, emphasizing
the tower height of 500 feet above the roadway.
Golden
Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge's 4,200 foot long main suspension
span was a world record that stood for 27 years. The
bridge's two towers rise 746 feet making them 191 feet
taller than the Washington Monument. The five lane bridge
crosses Golden Gate Strait which is about 400 feet,
or 130 meters, deep.
Linking San Francisco with Marin County the Golden
Gate Bridge is a 1.7 mile-long suspension bridge that
can be crossed by car, on bicycles or on foot.
Hours: Open to auto and bicycle traffic 24 hours,
pedestrians during daylight hours
Cost: Automobile toll southbound only
Location: West side of San Francisco on U. S. 101,
directions below
How Long: Allow half an hour to visit one of the vista
points, an hour or more if you walk on it
Best Time to Visit: Especially nice on a clear, still
day
