Building the Golden Gate Bridge

In the mid-1930s, two massive towers loomed above the morning fog, signaling the ambitious endeavor to construct California's Golden Gate Bridge. These towering structures, weighing 22,000 tons and stretching 227 meters into the sky, had to be meticulously dismantled, packaged, and transported over 4,500 kilometers from Pennsylvania to their final destination. Charles Ellis and Joseph Strauss, the lead engineers of the project, faced numerous challenges, from logistical hurdles to fierce opposition.

Before construction even began, the military expressed concerns about the bridge's potential vulnerability as a target. Ferry companies feared the loss of their business, and local residents voiced their desire to preserve the natural scenery of the area. Moreover, many engineers considered the project to be an impossible feat. The Golden Gate Strait presented formidable obstacles, including powerful winds reaching speeds of 96 kilometers per hour, swirling tides, a constant shroud of fog, and the earthquake-prone San Andreas fault. However, Strauss remained steadfast in his belief that the bridge could be built and would provide reliable passage for commuters to San Francisco.

Initially, Strauss proposed a cantilever bridge design, consisting of two cantilevers connected by a central structure. However, Ellis and his colleague Leon Moisseif persuaded Strauss to embrace a different approach—the suspension bridge. Unlike cantilever bridges that rely on a single anchored beam, suspension bridges suspend their decks from cables spanning the gap. This design offers greater flexibility and resilience against winds and varying loads. Although suspension bridges had been used for smaller rope bridges, the advanced steel manufacturing techniques of the 1930s allowed for the creation of bundled wire cables strong enough to support large-scale construction. The innovative design of the Golden Gate Bridge, the longest and tallest suspension bridge attempted at the time, became feasible due to these technological advancements.

Constructing cables and towers of such magnitude required large steelworks on the east coast of the country. While transportation via the recently completed Panama Canal facilitated the delivery of these components to California, reassembling the towers on-site presented challenges. Finding a stable foundation for the north tower was relatively straightforward, but building the south tower involved erecting a ten-story structure underwater. Unable to drill or dig due to the strait's depth, workers resorted to dropping bombs on the ocean floor to create openings for pouring concrete. A seawall was built to protect the site from strong currents, and workers operated in brief shifts between tides. The towers' intricate design with multiple compartments necessitated workers carrying sets of plans to avoid getting lost. Additionally, an earthquake caused the south tower to sway nearly 5 meters in each direction. To prioritize worker safety, Strauss implemented strict measures, such as mandatory hard hat usage and the installation of safety nets. However, despite these precautions, a scaffolding platform collapsed in 1937, tragically claiming the lives of ten workers.

Once the towers were complete, workers painstakingly spun the cables in place, hung suspenders at regular intervals, and laid down the concrete roadway. The construction of the bridge was an impressive feat, but there was one final task remaining—painting it. During production, the steel had been coated with a reddish primer, which was retained throughout the construction process. However, the Navy pushed for a tactical black and yellow paint scheme. Consulting architect Irving Morrow favored the primer's natural appearance against the backdrop of the strait and garnered support from the local community through numerous letters. Morrow's compelling 30-page pitch to paint the bridge in "international orange" prevailed over the Navy's plan. To this day, the iconic color of the Golden Gate Bridge harmoniously blends with the strait's blue waters, green hills, and enveloping fog.

The completion of the Golden Gate Bridge stands as a testament to the ingenuity, perseverance, and collaborative efforts of engineers, workers, and visionaries who transformed a seemingly impossible concept into a marvel of engineering and a cherished symbol of San Francisco.

Henrik Leandro