Oakland Bay Bridge


Oakland Bay Bridge
Photo by: Allan Ferguson, Creative Commons

San Francisco’s Oakland Bay Bridge is one of the well-known structures in California. The bridge crosses the San Francisco Bay via the Yerba Buena Island and connects Oakland and San Francisco. This marvelous creation was opened to the public in 1936 and was designed by Charles H. Purcell. Daily traffic is approximately 270,000 vehicles that traverse the 10 lanes of I-80, 5 westbound lanes on the upper level and the other 5 eastbound lanes at the lower level. Two halves of the bridge are connected by a tunnel known as the Yerba Buena Tunnel, which is also the largest bore tunnel in terms of diameter in the world.

The Bay Bridge was first called the James “Sunny Jim” Rolph Bridge to pay homage to the city’s then mayor and governor. However, he was not able to witness the opening of the inauguration of the bridge as he passed away two years before construction was completed. Today, this important and historical landmark is owned and maintained by CalTrans or California Department of Transportation together with 6 others. This steel and concrete bridge has double-decked suspension, a truss causeway, a tunnel and a cantilever bridge.

Because of the beauty and splendor of the bridge, it has been included in several literary pieces and has been featured in famous movies. The busy lanes from morning till nighttime exude an aura of magnificence, thus making it one of the favorite tourist spots in the area. Couples stroll along the beaches under the bridge. Families spend their weekends enjoying picnics around the area, simply enjoying the view and the peacefulness. The Oakland Bay Bridge is undeniably worth visiting.

San Francisco Famous Landmarks

One response to “Oakland Bay Bridge”

  1. vanessa says:

    thanks for the infomation it was abosoultly great facts

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