Our Golden Gate.com

Alert: Doyle Drive to be closed April 27-30, 2012

 

We have all the information you need on the closure at our sister site, OurSausalito.com.  Click here to go to the story.

Reminder: Carpools Must Have FasTrak to get Toll Discount as of Mon. July 19

We just wanted to remind carpool drivers on the Golden Gate Bridge that as of Monday, July 19 2010 you must have a FasTrak in your car to get the reduced Bridge toll.

Make sure to go through a toll plaza lane that has a real live human being.  They will confirm that you have three or more people in your car (and no cardboard cut-puts of Darth Vader, Marilyn Monroe or Captain Kirk) and hit the Magic Button so you're charged $3.00 instead of the full toll to cross the Golden Gate Bridge.

We have all the information here.

Copyright (c) 2010, OurGoldenGate.com.  All Rights Reserved.

Reminder: Carpool Tolls on the Golden Gate Bridge Start Tomorrow

July 1st marks the rollout of the new Golden Gate Bridge carpool tolls;   We have all the information here.

Copyright (c) 2010, OurGoldenGate.com.  All Rights Reserved.

Golden Gate Ferry and Bus Fares to Rise 5% on July 1

Fares for Golden Gate Transit buses and Golden Gate Ferry trips will go up by 5% on Friday, July 1.  

The new fare charts are on the Golden Gate Bridge website.

Copyright (c) 2010, OurGoldenGate.com.  All Rights Reserved.

73 Years Ago Today: The Golden Gate Bridge Opened to Cars

We mentioned yesterday that when the Golden Gate Bridge was opened, only pedestrians were allowed to cross, and a series of events were put on as part of a big festival.  Among the 200,000 people who walked the span that first day were a newlywed San Francisco couple who were grandparents of one of our Editors.

The next day -- 73 years ago today -- it was the cars' turn.  President Franklin Roosevelt pushed a button (actually a telegraph key) in Washington D.C. to signify that the Bridge was now open to traffic.  The newsreel cameras were rolling (this is before TV was available in homes) so it was a great White House photo op!

Cars paid 50 cents each way to cross the Bridge, a total of $1.00 for the round trip.  Sounds great... until you check with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and discover that $1.00 in 1937 bought what $15.14 buys now!  Please, don't remind the Bridge District Board about that!

Curious about rules of the road in 1937?  We have them here.

Text Copyright (c) 2010 OurGoldenGate.com.  All Rights Reserved.

 

73 Years Ago Today: The Golden Gate Bridge Opened to Pedestrians

 

On May 27, 1937 the Golden Gate Bridge was opened, and on that first day pedestrians were the only ones allowed.  An estimated 200,000 came out, including a newlywed San Francisco couple who happened to be the parents of one of our Editors.

It cost a nickel to cross the Bridge that first day, but early on there were so many people that the coin machines jammed.

A few months before, at the opening of the Bay Bridge, thousands of people had spontaneously walked across the Bridge when it opened, snarling traffic.  The Golden Gate Bridge officials turned the event into a big  festival, wonderfully described in this article from the 50th anniversary.

Bridge walkers were offered an array of souvenirs for the occasion, including an official hat with Mariachi-style tassels, some of which people appear to be wearing in the photo below.  Although the Depression was easing a little by 1937, the Bridge was a bright addition to what for many people was a very dark time.

 

Text Copyright (c) 2010 OurGoldenGate.com.  All Rights Reserved.

 

Golden Gate Bridge Carpool Tolls May be Approved This Week

 

In mid-May the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District held public hearings to get public feedback on proposals to start charging a toll for carpools and other steps designed to reduce the budget deficit.

This Friday, May 28, the District Board will vote on a plan that is expected to turn the free car pool program into a $3.00 car pool toll (half of the regular $6.00 toll for non-FasTrak users).  Although Carpools will have to stop at a toll booth with a human being in it, carpool drivers will be required to buy a FasTrak transponder because the District may go to an all-FasTrak system as soon as 2012.

The carpool time windows on the Golden Gate Bridge will remain unchanged, at 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM on weekdays.   As now, carpools will get no discounts on the weekends.

Yes, Proofreaders: The first version of this page had a typo in the headline that read, "Carpoll Tolls" and we didn't catch it for two hours.  We chalk it up to working too hard and developing Carpoll Tunnel syndrome.

Copyright (c) 2010, OurGoldenGate.com.  All Rights Reserved.

My Ride Remains Un-pimped: Golden Gate Bridge License Plates Not Coming Soon

 

We reported recently that the State might be close to getting the 7,500 pre-paid orders they needed to issue special Golden Gate Bridge license plate.  The plates are targeted at Bridge illuminati (like us) who wish to brand our behinds (er, our vehicles' rear ends) with the image of our favorite engineering miracle.

Now comes word that the idea fell far short of our goal, though we did get more signups than the concurrent Sierra Nevada Mountains plate.  This can probably be traced to the fact that no westward bound settlers froze to death in their wagon trains on the Golden Gate Bridge.

In any event, the glorious day of our license plating may eventually come... just don't hold your breath!

Copyright (c) 2010, OurGoldenGate.com.  All Rights Reserved.

Bridge District Schedules Public Hearings on Carpool Tolls, Bus Route Changes May 12-14

 

Dates, Times and Locations:

Wednesday, May 12, at 6pm, at Whistlestop Wheels in San Rafael.  This is the old train station across the street from the bus and transit area at 3rd and Hetherton.

Friday, May 14, at 9:30am, Golden Gate Bridge Toll Plaza Administration Building in San Francisco.  This is the building adjacent to the toll plaza; coming from Marin, use the far right toll booth to exit the Bridge, then turn right into the parking lot.  Coming from San Francisco, exit at the south Bridge parking lot, bear left and follow the road under the Bridge to the parking lot.

The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District has announced the dates and times for two public hearings to get public feedback on proposals to start charging a toll for carpools, to increase multi-axle vehicle tolls on large trucks and buses, and to implement changes to Golden Gate Transit commute bus service routes and schedules.

Extensive information on the proposals is available on this page on the Bridge District website.  Apart from going to the meetings, comments on the proposals can also be submitted in several other ways (no later than 4:30pm, Friday, May 14):

Email to publichearing@goldengate.org

Online using the Bridge District comment form

In writing to District Secretary, PO Box 9000, Presidio Station, San Francisco, CA 94129

Copyright (c) 2010, OurGoldenGate.com.  All Rights Reserved.

Overnight Closure of Ramp to Park Presidio Postponed

 

Apparently the temporary roadway that will lead from the end of Doyle Drive down to the MacArthur Tunnel and Park Presidio Blvd. (Highway 1) is not yet completely 100% stop-the-presses ready to drive on..

The ramp closure planned to connect the new roadway by the Golden Gate Bridge has been "postponed until further notice."  The banner on the map below was provided by CalTrans.

Ironically, we were one of those people driving to the airport on Saturday night to meet a family member who might have been affected by the closure as originally scheduled.  Maybe this will start some juicy rumors that we have mysterious pull somewhere inside CalTrans!

For more information (about the project, not our mystical influence over events), you can check the Caltrans page with information about the project.

 

Text Copyright (c) 2010 OurGoldenGate.com.  All Rights Reserved.