The Golden Gate Bridge Sagged On Its 50th Anniversary Celebration!
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge across the Golden Gate or the strait that connects San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. On May 24, 1987, this iconic bridge experienced a significant, unexpected event. At its 50th-anniversary celebration, the Golden Gate Bridge sagged approximately 7 feet under the weight of hundreds of thousands of people. The bridge faced an unprecedented load as close to 300,000 celebratory crowd gathered. Let’s explore how this incident unfolded.
The Build-Up to a Celebration
The 50th-anniversary celebration in 1987 was intended to honor its history. Months of planning had gone into ensuring the event would be memorable. “Friends of the Golden Gate Bridge,” a group made up of five members of the bridge district board of directors organized the event. San Francisco’s residents and visitors from across the nation were eager to participate in the celebration. Organizers expected a large turnout. But no one could have anticipated the actual number of people who would show up that day.
“Organizers estimated that around 50,000 people would walk across the bridge that day, but in reality, the crowd swelled to over 300,000.”
San Francisco Chronicle
The bridge, designed to carry heavy loads, had never before been subjected to the sheer volume of foot traffic seen on its 50th anniversary.
The day began with clear skies and a festive atmosphere. People lined up to walk the 1.7-mile span. The main suspension span of 4,200 feet, the longest in the world at the time, was designed to handle intense wind forces and the weight of vehicles and pedestrians. Yet, no one had ever considered that over a quarter of a million people would congregate on the bridge at one time.
A Sudden Realization
As the celebration progressed, those standing on the bridge began to notice something unusual. Pedestrians who had crossed the bridge numerous times were taken aback. “I remember looking down at the roadway and realizing something wasn’t right,” recalled Joe Eskenazi in an article for Underscore SF. “It wasn’t flat; it was curving.” The bridge was sagging. The steel cables, which had stood the test of time for half a century, were bearing a weight they were not designed to endure.
The weight of the crowd pushed the bridge down by an estimated seven feet, causing what many described as a “flattening” of the iconic structure. The mid-span, which was normally slightly arched, appeared almost straight. The San Francisco Mercury News reported, “Pedestrians walking the bridge that day described it as both exciting and terrifying.”
The moment was surreal for those present. What had begun as a joyous celebration quickly shifted into concern.
“You could feel the bridge vibrating underfoot. It was subtle but noticeable. You realized the sheer number of people was having an effect. I’ve never felt anything like it.”
Dan Mohn (an engineer and long-time resident of San Francisco)
Safety Concerns and Crowd Management
Despite the sagging, there was no immediate danger of collapse. The bridge’s design allowed for flexibility, and the cables, although stretched to an extreme that day, held firm. However, it became apparent to city officials and event organizers that they had severely underestimated the turnout and, more critically, the load capacity for such an event.
“We never anticipated that many people. The bridge was safe, but it was clear that the sheer volume of attendees was far beyond what we had planned for.”
Paul Muller (the official spokesperson for the Golden Gate Bridge District at the time, commented in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle)
By the time officials realized the full extent of the situation, the bridge had already reached its capacity. Pedestrians continued to stream onto the structure, adding to the strain.
Panic on the Golden Gate Bridge
“People just kept coming. There were no barriers, no way to control the crowd,” said Laura Moncure, who was among those walking the bridge that day. Her statement echoed the sentiments of many others who experienced the chaotic scenes. Event organizers tried to manage the situation, but the crowd was too large, and many people remained on the bridge longer than anticipated, captivated by the rare opportunity to be part of such an event.
“While trapped shoulder to shoulder in the mob, unable to move for more than two hours, I remember discussing with my wife the real possibility that we were about to participate in one of the 20th century’s landmark disasters. The Golden Gate Bridge, all 419,000 tons of it, groaned and swayed like an old wooden plank thrown across a ditch. Frightened and seasick people vomited on their shoes.”
San Francisco painting and plastering contractor Winston Montgomery recounted.
According to Montgomery, people began throwing bicycles and strollers off the bridge to lighten the load.
Engineering Behind the Sagging of the Golden Gate Bridge
To understand how the Golden Gate Bridge could withstand such weight without serious damage, it is crucial to look at the engineering behind the structure. The design involved enormous steel cables, which were strung between two massive towers. These cables held the weight of the roadway and allowed for some movement, which is critical when dealing with winds, earthquakes, or in this case, many pedestrians.
The bridge’s steel structure is capable of handling extreme conditions. The bridge can sway up to 27 feet and has withstood major earthquakes.
“What happened during the 50th anniversary is a demonstration of its design’s resilience,The sagging wasn’t a structural failure; it was a natural consequence of an unanticipated event.”
John Van Der Zee (an author who wrote extensively about the bridge’s history)
Aftermath and Lessons Learned
Once the crowd had dispersed and the celebrations concluded, engineers thoroughly inspected the bridge. They found no lasting damage, but the event served as a wake-up call for future public gatherings on the Golden Gate Bridge. “The bridge performed exactly as it was supposed to under the circumstances,” stated Harold Miller, a structural engineer with the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District. “But we’ve learned valuable lessons about crowd management and capacity planning.”
In the years following the anniversary, strict protocols were in place for large gatherings. “We’re never going to let that happen again,” said Paul Muller in a follow-up interview. The 75th anniversary, celebrated in 2012, saw far more careful planning and significantly smaller crowds. Access to the bridge was restricted to prevent a repeat of the 1987 sag.
Brief History of the Golden Gate Bridge
Before the building of the bridge, a ferry service operated across a section of San Francisco Bay. This however took about 20 minutes to go across. Many experts said that a bridge could not be built across the 6,700-foot (2,000-metre) strait. Because it had strong, swirling tides and currents, with water 372 ft (113 m) deep. However, brilliant engineer Joseph Strauss took up the challenge. He had experience in completing more than 400 bridges by that point. The design of the suspension bridge follows the intricacies of the environment. With the help of several architects building of the bridge began in January 1933. Strauss completed the bridge for opening on May 27, 1937.
Conclusion
The sagging of the Golden Gate Bridge on its 50th anniversary was an extraordinary event that left a lasting impression on those who witnessed it. Though the bridge survived the experience without damage, the celebration highlighted the importance of understanding and respecting the limitations of even the most well-engineered structures. The Golden Gate Bridge remains an iconic part of American history. But its 50th-anniversary celebration is forever remembered for the moment when the bridge sagged under the weight of its admirers.
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