Facts about the Golden Gate Bridge
- 07
Golden Gate Bridge's distinctive International Orange color was chosen to increase visibility in San Francisco's frequent fog, even though the U.S. Navy initially wanted the bridge painted in black and yellow stripes.
- 06
In 1987, the Golden Gate Bridge's 50th anniversary celebration drew nearly 300,000 pedestrians onto the bridge simultaneously, causing it to flatten by 7 inches under their combined weight.
- 05
Each day, approximately 120,000 vehicles cross the Golden Gate Bridge, generating toll revenue that has funded major infrastructure improvements since the bridge opened in 1937.
- 04
Approximately 10 million rivets hold together the Golden Gate Bridge's steel structure, with workers installing them by hand during the 1933-1937 construction period.
- 03
Wind resistance forced engineers to design the Golden Gate Bridge's suspension cables to sway up to 27 feet side to side without structural damage.
- 02
Designed by engineer Joseph Strauss, the Golden Gate Bridge's main suspension span stretches 4,200 feet, making it the longest suspension bridge in the world when completed in 1937.
- 01
Over 5,000 workers spent four years painting the Golden Gate Bridge's 25,000 gallons of International Orange paint during its 1933-1937 construction.