The opening of the original Bay Bridge on November 12, 1936, in the midst of the Great Depression, was marked with a gala celebration that lasted five days and nights.
Published: November, 2011
The opening of the original Bay Bridge on November 12, 1936, in the midst of the Great Depression, was marked with a gala celebration that lasted five days and nights. The bridge was constructed in five phases: first the East Span, followed by the tunnel through Yerba Buena Island, and then the West Span. This was followed by the Interstate-80 West approach and on-and-off-ramps, and finally, the Transbay Terminal in San Francisco. The terminal housed the control center for the four railroad lines along the bridge’s lower deck. It took three years and $77 million to build the original bridge and Transbay Terminal. Photo © Moulin Studios
