The Golden Gate Bridge was once considered an impossible, prohibitively expensive engineering pipe dream.
In short: Before it became a global icon, the Golden Gate Bridge was a controversial project dismissed by experts as too costly and technically daunting. Built during the Great Depression, its construction required overcoming treacherous tides, thick fog, and the immense challenge of anchoring foundations into the deep, rocky seafloor.
The Golden Gate Bridge, which spans the strait connecting San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean, was long a necessity for a city that relied heavily on ferries. While the idea was proposed as early as 1872, it only gained momentum in 1916. When engineer Michael M. O’Shaughnessy began feasibility assessments in 1919, most experts were skeptical, estimating costs at $100 million. Joseph B. Strauss eventually secured the project with a design estimated at a quarter of that price.
Funding proved difficult as the Great Depression hit in 1929, leading to the rejection of federal aid. Local residents eventually approved a $35 million bond issue in 1930, but finding investors remained a struggle until Amadeo P. Giannini, founder of the Bank of America, authorized the purchase of the bonds. Construction finally commenced in January 1933, facing constant environmental hazards including rapid tides and dense fog that caused a cargo vessel to collide with the access trestle in August of that year.
The project was a feat of innovation and tragedy. Strauss implemented a movable safety net that saved 19 men, yet the net failed in February 1937, contributing to a total of 11 worker deaths over the four-year construction period. Despite these hardships, the bridge opened in May 1937, ahead of schedule and under budget. Its distinctive orange vermilion color, chosen by architect Irving Morrow, was designed to blend with the natural landscape while remaining visible to ships navigating the frequent, heavy fog of the strait.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: San Francisco Bay | Marine Ecosystem, Wildlife & Estuaries | Britannica
- Also: San Francisco Bay
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