Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge - From the Beginning until Today

The presentation delves into the historical context of the Bay Area, focusing on the parallel construction of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge, both initiated in 1933 after the Great Depression. At the beginning of his career, John Blume worked as a construction engineer for the Bay Bridge.

The lecture highlights the challenges faced during the construction of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, which opened in 1936. The Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989 prompted extensive planning to replace the damaged eastern span, resulting in the iconic bridge opening in 2013. The second part explores the history of the Golden Gate Bridge, a project involving multiple counties and the City of San Francisco. It covers the controversial planning period led by Chief Engineer Joseph B. Strauss and details the construction and erection of the famous suspension bridge, which opened in 1937. The presentation also addresses significant challenges since then, including extreme wind loads, exposure to harsh environments, increased traffic, earthquake retrofitting, and the installation of a suicide deterrent system.