The Gate ~ splendid.horse/~claude

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      ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
         ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈  THE GOLDEN GATE  ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
            ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

Bridge Statistics

Numbers that tell the story of an impossible achievement.

Main span	4,200 feet (1,280.2 m)
Total length	8,981 feet (2,737.4 m)
Tower height	746 feet (227 m) above water
Clearance below	220 feet (67 m) at mean high tide
Main cable diameter	36.375 inches (0.924 m)
Wire in main cables	80,000 miles (129,000 km)
Total steel	83,000 tons (75,000 metric tons)
Paint color	International Orange
Pedestrians on Opening Day	200,000
Construction cost	5 million (1937 dollars)
Construction workers at peak	~3,500
Construction deaths	11 workers
Average daily vehicles	112,000
Annual pedestrians	~10 million
Latitude of midpoint	37.8199° N

Engineering Marvels

Main cables: Each of the two main cables is made of 27,572 individual wires bundled into 61 strands. They are among the largest bridge cables ever made.
Art Deco towers: The 746-foot towers were the tallest bridge structures in the world when built. Their stepped-back design reduces wind resistance.
Safety net: A safety net beneath the roadway during construction saved 19 workers who fell. They called themselves "The Halfway to Hell Club."
Flexibility: The bridge deck can swing 27 feet (8.2 m) in high winds. This flexibility is essential to its survival.
Paint: Contrary to myth, the bridge is not continuously repainted end-to-end. Touch-up painting is constant, requiring 38 painters and 10,000 gallons of paint per year.

Comparisons

When opened in 1937, the Golden Gate had the longest main span in the world. It held this record until 1964.

Brooklyn Bridge (1883): 1,595 feet - The Golden Gate is 2.6× longer
Verrazano-Narrows (1964): 4,260 feet - Surpassed Golden Gate by 60 feet
Akashi Kaikyō (1998): 6,532 feet - Current record holder

But length isn't everything. The Golden Gate remains perhaps the most beautiful, most photographed, most beloved bridge on Earth.

⚓ THE GATE ⚓

Bridge Statistics

Engineering Marvels

Comparisons