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73-474: The California Hotel opened its doors on May 18, 1930. A 5-story structure with mezzanine and penthouse, it was the tallest building in the area. It cost $ 265,000 to build the 150-room hotel with commercial space on the ground floor. Though situated 1 1 ⁄ 2 miles from Oakland's city center, the new hotel was within walking distance of the passenger stations for both the Santa Fe Railroad and

146-653: A roof , terrace , balcony , walkway or other structure . The word comes ultimately from the Italian parapetto ( parare 'to cover/defend' and petto 'chest/breast'). Where extending above a roof, a parapet may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the edge line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a fire wall or party wall . Parapets were originally used to defend buildings from military attack, but today they are primarily used as guard rails , to conceal rooftop equipment, reduce wind loads on

219-503: A bridge had a widespread public and political appeal. Yet the task was too much of an engineering and economic challenge, since the bay was too wide and too deep there. In 1921, more than forty years after Norton's death, an underground tube was considered, but it became clear that one would be inadequate for vehicular traffic. Support for a trans-bay crossing increased in the 1920s based on the popularity and availability of automobiles. The California State Legislature and governor enacted

292-462: A center anchorage. Rincon Hill is the western anchorage and touch-down for the San Francisco landing of the bridge connected by three shorter truss spans. The eastern crossing, between Yerba Buena Island and Oakland, was a cantilever bridge with a double-tower span, five medium truss spans, and a 14-section truss causeway . Due to earthquake concerns, the eastern crossing was replaced by

365-531: A day on its two decks. It includes one of the longest bridge spans in the United States . The toll bridge was conceived as early as the California gold rush days, with "Emperor" Joshua Norton famously advocating for it, but construction did not begin until 1933. Designed by Charles H. Purcell , and built by American Bridge Company , it opened on Thursday, November 12, 1936, six months before

438-505: A dynamite blast on the eastern side of the island at 12:58 p.m. local time. Former President Herbert Hoover and Governor James Rolph were onsite; the two men were the first to turn over the earth with ceremonial golden spades. Other ceremonies took place simultaneously in San Francisco (on Rincon Hill ) and Oakland Harbor. The Yerba Buena Tunnel opened, along with the rest of the Bay Bridge, on November 12, 1936. As of 2019,

511-604: A former U.S. Congressman from California, traveled to Washington to help persuade President Herbert Hoover and the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to advance $ 62 million to build the bridge. Before work began, 12 massive underwater telephone cables were moved 1,000 feet (300 m) of the proposed bridge route by crews of the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Co. during the summer of 1931. Construction began on July 9, 1933 after

584-418: A groundbreaking ceremony attended by former president Herbert Hoover , dignitaries, and local beauty queens. The western section of the bridge between San Francisco and Yerba Buena Island presented an enormous engineering challenge. The bay was up to 100 feet (30 m) deep in places and the soil required new foundation-laying techniques. A single main suspension span some 4,100 feet (1.2 km) in length

657-751: A law, effective in 1929, to establish the California Toll Bridge Authority (Stats. 1929, Chap 763) and to authorize it and the State Department of Public Works to build a bridge connecting San Francisco and Alameda County (Stats. 1929, Chap 762). The state appointed a commission to evaluate the idea and various designs for a bridge across the Bay, the Hoover-Young Commission . Its conclusions were made public in 1930. In January 1931, Charles H. Purcell ,

730-431: A mezzanine balcony, stenciled ceiling panels, a Terrazzo floor, and a Fireplace with Mayan-style relief tiles. Each unit's bathroom features glazed ceramic tile wainscot in various color combinations, showcasing a range of unique designs. The building's roof, offering a 360° view, once hosted a neon-lit roof sign, "CALIFORNIA HOTEL," between the towers. The sign framework still stands, albeit empty and rickety. Despite

803-425: A new crossing that opened on Labor Day 2013. On Yerba Buena Island, the double-decked crossing is a 321-foot (98 m) concrete viaduct east of the west span's cable anchorage, the 540-foot (160 m) Yerba Buena Tunnel through the island's rocky central hill, another 790.8-foot (241.0 m) concrete viaduct, and a longer curved high-level steel truss viaduct that spans the final 1,169.7 feet (356.5 m) to

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876-650: A parapet, a portion of the wall extending above the roof. The parapet is required to be as fire resistant as the lower wall, and extend a distance prescribed by building code. Parapets on bridges and other highway structures (such as retaining walls ) prevent users from falling off where there is a drop. They may also be meant to restrict views, to prevent rubbish passing below, and to act as noise barriers . Bridge parapets may be made from any material, but structural steel , aluminium , timber and reinforced concrete are common. They may be of solid or framed construction. In European standards , parapets are defined as

949-474: A polygonal lot resembling a flatiron with the tip cut off. The main arm of the L-plan contains a lobby, commercial spaces on the ground floor and mezzanine, and hotel units on the floors above. The northern arm extends 80 feet back from San Pablo, housing a balconied lobby and Banquet room, apartment units on floors two through five, and a penthouse with observation towers. The hotel parking lot, accessed through

1022-559: A project which created the artificial Treasure Island . The contract to build the Yerba Buena Cable Anchorage, Tunnel & Viaduct segment was opened for bids on March 28, 1933, and awarded to the low bidder, Clinton Construction Company of California, for $ 1,821,129.50 (equivalent to $ 34 million in 2023 ). Yerba Buena Island was the main site of the official groundbreaking for the Bay Bridge on July 9, 1933, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt remotely set off

1095-488: A run-down condition with some missing ornaments and minor vandalism, the California Hotel retains its original character, including tiled parapets , a galvanized iron Cornice , tile storefront bases (now painted), mezzanine clerestory windows covered with modern metal cladding, a metal marquee , and most of the original windows. The building's L-plan spans approximately 214 feet along San Pablo Avenue , forming

1168-436: A sub-category of "vehicle restraint systems" or "pedestrian restraint systems". A parapet fortification (known as a breastwork when temporary) is a wall of stone, wood or earth on the outer edge of a defensive wall or trench , which shelters the defenders. In medieval castles , they were often crenellated . In later artillery forts , parapets tend to be higher and thicker. They could be provided with embrasures for

1241-421: Is 76 feet (23 m) wide and 58 feet (18 m) high overall, and the dimensions of the tunnel interior are 66 feet (20 m) wide and 53 feet (16 m) high. In 1936, it was hailed as the world's largest-bore tunnel. The cross-sectional area of the upper half is 1,500 square feet (140 m ), and the lower half is 1,000 square feet (93 m ). Reminders of the long-gone bridge railway survive along

1314-607: Is a 5-story and Mezzanine and penthouse , L-plan structure made of reinforced concrete, designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival Style . Situated in west Oakland near the border of Emeryville and adjacent to the MacArthur Freeway ( Interstate 580 ), the building stands out with its pressed red brick exterior in American bond , complemented by off-white and painted Stucco trim. Notably,

1387-532: Is in use as an access to the EBMUD treatment plant) and onto 40th St. Due to falling ridership, Sacramento Northern and IER service ended in 1941. On September 13, 1942, a stop was opened at Yerba Buena Island to serve expanded wartime needs on adjacent Treasure Island. Despite the vital role the railroad played, the last train went over the bridge in April 1958. The tracks were removed and replaced with pavement on

1460-522: The Departments of War , Navy , and Commerce . The state applied for permits from the 3 federal departments as required. The permits were granted in January 1932, and formally presented in a ceremony on Yerba Buena Island on February 24, 1932. On May 25, 1931, Governor James Rolph Jr. signed into law two acts: one providing for the financing of state bridges by revenue bonds, and another creating

1533-570: The George Washington Bridge had a longer span between towers. As part of the celebration a United States commemorative coin was produced by the San Francisco Mint . A half dollar , the obverse portrays California's symbol, the grizzly bear , while the reverse presents a picture of the bridge spanning the bay. A total of 71,369 coins were sold, some from the bridge's tollbooths. The Yerba Buena passage utilizes

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1606-528: The Golden Gate Bridge . It originally carried automobile traffic on its upper deck, with trucks, cars, buses and commuter trains on the lower, but after the Key System abandoned its rail service on April 20, 1958, the lower deck was converted to all-road traffic as well. On October 12, 1963, traffic was reconfigured to one way traffic on each deck, westbound on the upper deck, and eastbound on

1679-408: The Key System . Freight trains never used the bridge. The tracks left the lower deck in San Francisco just southwest of the end of 1st St. They then went along an elevated viaduct above city streets, looping around and into the terminal on its east end. Departing trains exited on the loop back onto the bridge. The loop continued to be used by buses until the terminal's closure in 2010. The tracks left

1752-563: The Yerba Buena Tunnel , also known as the Yerba Buena Island Tunnel . The tunnel is 76 feet (23 m) wide, 58 feet (18 m) high, and 540 feet (160 m) long. It is the largest diameter transportation bore tunnel in the world. The large amount of material that was excavated in boring the tunnel was used for a portion of the landfill over the shoals lying adjacent to Yerba Buena Island to its north,

1825-462: The median of the road for bridge employees; the parking lot is about 1,900 feet (580 m) long, stretching from about 800 feet (240 m) east of the toll plaza to about 100 feet (30 m) west of the metering lights. During the morning commute hours, traffic congestion on the westbound approach from Oakland stretches back through the MacArthur Maze interchange at the east end of

1898-494: The Bay Bridge, including the construction of the Yerba Buena Tunnel. Before starting excavation, the ground through which the western half of the tunnel would be bored was stabilized by injecting cement grout under pressure through 25 1.5-inch (38 mm) holes bored into the loose rock over the crown of the tunnel. After excavating the western and eastern open portals, three drifts were bored from west to east along

1971-516: The Board of Supervisors, in which compromise with the Central Pacific was recommended; also the bridging of the bay at Ravenswood and the granting of railroad facilities at Mission Bay and on the water front. Wm. C. Ralston, ex-Mayor Selby and James Otis were on this committee. A daily newspaper attempts to account for the advice of these gentlemen to the city by hinting that they were afraid of

2044-487: The San Francisco entrance to the bridge, was jammed with a slowly moving auto caravan. Every available policeman in the department was called to duty to aid in regulating the city's greatest parade of autos. One of the greatest traffic congestions of the evening was at Fifth and Mission Streets, with downtown traffic and bridge-bound traffic snarled in an almost hopeless mass. To add to the confusion, traffic signals jammed and did not synchronize. Police reported that there

2117-524: The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge Division of the State Department of Public Works. On September 15, 1931, this new division opened its offices at 500 Sansome Street in San Francisco. During 1931, numerous aerial photographs were taken of the chosen route for the bridge and its approaches. That year, engineers had not determined the final design concept for the western span between San Francisco and Yerba Buena Island, although

2190-554: The State Highway Engineer of California, who had also served as the secretary of the Hoover-Young Commission, assumed the position of Chief Engineer for the Bay Bridge. Glenn B. Woodruff served as design engineer for the project. He explained in a 1936 article that several elements of the bridge required not only new designs, but also new theories of design. To make the bridge feasible, a route

2263-545: The Transbay Terminal ramps and Bay Bridge. The Key System handled buses over the bridge until 1960 when its successor, AC Transit , took over operations. It still handles service today, running to a new transbay terminal located in the same vicinity in San Francisco, the Salesforce Transit Center . Parapet A parapet is a barrier that is an upward extension of a wall at the edge of

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2336-658: The appearance of a flat roof which accorded with the desire for classical proportions. In Shilpa Shastras , the ancient Indian science of sculpture, a parapet is known as hāra . It is optionally added while constructing a temple. The hāra can be decorated with various miniature pavilions, according to the Kāmikāgama. In the Bible the Hebrews are obligated to build a parapet on the roof of their houses to prevent people falling (Deuteronomy 22:8). Many firewalls are required to have

2409-472: The area, declined; black entertainers could now stay in any hotel, and patrons followed them to white-owned clubs and other venues. By the 1970s, the hotel was in bad condition and was boarded up. In the 1980s, it was repaired and rented out as subsidized housing. In 2012, a start was made on restoring the building and in 2014, after a renovation costing $ 43 million, it was once more opened as low-rental housing. The California Hotel, constructed in 1929–1930,

2482-411: The bay to Oakland was spanned by a 10,176-foot (3.102 km) combination of double cantilever, five long-span through-trusses, and a truss causeway, forming the longest bridge of its kind at the time. The cantilever section was longest in the nation and third-longest anywhere. Much of the original eastern section was founded upon treated wood pilings. Because of the very deep mud on the bay bottom, it

2555-404: The bridge onto the three feeder highways, Interstate 580 , Interstate 880 , and I-80 toward Richmond . Since the number of lanes on the eastbound approach from San Francisco is structurally restricted, eastbound backups are also frequent during evening commute hours. The eastbound bottleneck is not the bridge itself, but the approach, which has just three lanes in each direction, in contrast to

2628-455: The bridge's five. The western section of the Bay Bridge is currently restricted to motorized freeway traffic. Pedestrians, bicycles, and other non-freeway vehicles are not allowed to cross this section. A project to add bicycle/pedestrian lanes to the western section has been proposed but is not finalized. A Caltrans bicycle shuttle operates between Oakland and San Francisco during peak commute hours for $ 1.00 each way. Freeway ramps next to

2701-423: The bridge, the new eastern section is a single deck carrying all eastbound and westbound lanes. Demolition of the old east span was completed on September 8, 2018. The bridge consists of two crossings, east and west of Yerba Buena Island , a natural mid-bay outcropping inside San Francisco city limits. The western crossing between Yerba Buena and downtown San Francisco has two complete suspension spans connected at

2774-608: The cantilever bridge. The toll plaza on the Oakland side (westbound traffic only since 1969) has eighteen toll lanes, with all charges now made either through the FasTrak electronic toll collection system or through invoices mailed through the USPS , based on the license plate of the car per Department of Motor Vehicle records. Metering signals are about 1,000 feet (300 m) west of the toll plaza. Two full-time bus-only lanes bypass

2847-478: The car driving public, the hotel's owners added a "motorists patio" in 1933, with a separate entrance from the parking area directly to the lobby. Next to the patio was a garage building, a service station and a repair shop. An advertisement in the 1943 Oakland City Directory described the hotel amenities as "commodious airy rooms, all with shower and tub baths, dining, banquet and meeting rooms, coffee shop and cocktail lounges, garage adjoining". During World War II,

2920-703: The city would lose its position as the regional center of trade. Businessmen had considered the concept of a bridge spanning the San Francisco Bay since the Gold Rush days. During the 1870s, several newspaper articles explored the idea. In early 1872, a "Bay Bridge Committee" was hard at work on plans to construct a railroad bridge. The April 1872 issue of the San Francisco Real Estate Circular reported on this committee: The Bay Bridge Committee lately submitted its report to

2993-422: The construction of the Bay Bridge was part of the upper deck lining in late summer 1936. This included the emplacement of regularly spaced refuge bays ("deadman holes") along the south wall of the lower deck tunnel, escape alcoves common in all railway tunnels into which track maintenance workers could duck if a train came along. These remain and are visible to eastbound motorists today. The completed tunnel bore

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3066-519: The entrance to the bay, San Francisco was well placed to prosper during the California Gold Rush . Almost all goods not produced locally arrived by ship, as did numerous travelers and erstwhile miners. But after the first transcontinental railroad was completed in May 1869, San Francisco was on the wrong side of the Bay, and separated from the new rail link. Many San Franciscans feared that

3139-555: The former US president Herbert Hoover , Senator William G. McAdoo , and the Governor of California , Frank Merriam . Governor Merriam opened the bridge by cutting gold chains across it with an acetylene cutting torch . The San Francisco Chronicle report of November 13, 1936, read: the greatest traffic jam in the history of S.F., a dozen old-fashioned New Year's eves thrown into one – the biggest and most good-natured crowd of tens of thousands ever to try and walk

3212-593: The hotel was known for the blues, jazz and similar 'race music' being played in its ground floor bars and ballrooms. African American patrons were denied rooms due to segregation, but they came in large numbers to hear the music. On January 16, 1953, new ownership took control, and the hotel ended its discrimination policies. A grand "reopening" was held with invited guests that included Oakland-born comedian Eddie "Rochester" Anderson , boxing champion Joe Louis and acclaimed singer Lena Horne . The hotel attracted many high-profile black visitors to Oakland. At that time, it

3285-434: The idea of a double-span suspension bridge was already favored. In April 1932, the preliminary final plan and design of the bridge was presented by Chief Engineer Charles Purcell to Col. Walter E. Garrison, Director of the State Department of Public Works, and to Ralph Modjeski , head of the Board of Engineering Consultants. Both agencies approved and preparation of the final design proceeded. In 1932, Joseph R. Knowland ,

3358-430: The lower deck and the bridge was closed for a month. Reconstruction of the eastern section of the bridge as a causeway connected to a self-anchored suspension bridge began in 2002; the new eastern section opened September 2, 2013, at a reported cost of over $ 6.5 billion; the original estimate of $ 250 million was for a seismic retrofit of the existing span. Unlike the western section and the original eastern section of

3431-571: The lower deck in Oakland. The Interurban Electric Railway tracks ran along Engineer Road and over the Southern Pacific yard on trestles (some of it is still standing and visible from nearby roadways) onto the streets and dedicated right-of-ways in Berkeley, Albany, Oakland and Alameda. The Sacramento Northern and Key System tracks went under the SP tracks through a tunnel (which still exists and

3504-514: The lower deck, with trucks and buses also allowed on the upper deck. In 1986, the bridge was unofficially dedicated to former California governor James Rolph . The bridge has two sections of roughly equal length; the older western section, officially known as the Willie L. Brown Jr. Bridge (after former San Francisco Mayor and California State Assembly Speaker Willie L. Brown Jr. ), connects downtown San Francisco to Yerba Buena Island , and

3577-402: The newer east bay section connects the island to Oakland. The western section is a double suspension bridge with two decks, westbound traffic being carried on the upper deck while eastbound is carried on the lower one. The largest span of the original eastern section was a cantilever bridge . During the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake , a portion of the eastern section's upper deck collapsed onto

3650-527: The north facade features two off-square towers, making it the tallest building in the vicinity. The ground floor houses a well-preserved original southwest-style lobby . Since its inception, the structure has seen minimal changes. Initially intended as a 150-room commercial hotel with ground-floor commercial spaces and permanent units, the hotel/residential floors have remained vacant for the past twelve years. There are ongoing plans to rehabilitate and convert these floors into low-income housing. Despite being in

3723-566: The original gateway on San Pablo Avenue, retains its brick pylons and metal Arch , though a new gate has been installed. However, the rear section of the lot has become an abandoned junkyard. Adjacent to the building, there used to be an auto repair shed along the Chestnut Street line, and several small 1-story structures, including a 1956 concrete block addition, a 1939 frame bottle storage shed altered in 1946, are slated for demolition. Brick 1-story entry, storage, and mechanical rooms at

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3796-451: The path of the tunnel: one at the crown and the other two at the lower corners. The first drift broke through in July 1934, approximately one year after the start of construction. A ceremonial party led by Governor Merriam celebrated the completion of the first 12-foot-square (3.7 m) drift on July 24 by walking through it, followed by a short speech. The space between the three drifts

3869-504: The railroad company, and therefore made their recommendations to suit its interests. The self-proclaimed Emperor Norton decreed three times in 1872 that a suspension bridge be constructed to connect Oakland with San Francisco. In the third of these decrees, in September 1872, Norton, frustrated that nothing had happened, proclaimed: WHEREAS, we issued our decree ordering the citizens of San Francisco and Oakland to appropriate funds for

3942-517: The rear angle of the L-plan will be retained. The San Pablo facade is a two-part vertical composition, divided into five bays with off-white stucco panels and featuring balconies resting on consoles. The storefronts maintain their original Clerestory windows behind 1971 metal cladding, with bases clad in glossy black glazed ceramic tiles. The lobby windows, although altered, retain the original metal marquee and entry lanterns . The lobby itself, though unfurnished, preserves its original design, including

4015-552: The regional Key System streetcars. The hotel was located at 3501 San Pablo Avenue, near major highways, and passing traffic was increased in 1937 by the opening of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge . In 1962 construction of the elevated MacArthur Freeway blocked the street view of the hotel but made it visible to hundreds of thousands of bridge commuters. The hotel opened in difficult economic times. The hotel's first manager, Axel Bern, an experienced hotelier,

4088-539: The rock face along the western side of the rock clearly show where the rest of this wall once stood. Parapets surrounding roofs are common in London . This dates from the Building Act 1707 which banned projecting wooden eaves in the cities of Westminster and London as a fire risk. Instead an 18-inch brick parapet was required, with the roof set behind. This was continued in many Georgian houses, as it gave

4161-534: The roof, and to prevent the spread of fires. Parapets may be plain, embattled , perforated or panelled, which are not mutually exclusive terms. The Mirror Wall at Sigiriya , Sri Lanka built between 477 and 495 AD is one of the few surviving protective parapet walls from antiquity. Built onto the side of Sigiriya Rock it ran for a distance of approximately 250 meters (270 yards) and provided protection from inclement weather. Only about 100 meters (110 yards) of this wall exists today, but brick debris and grooves on

4234-412: The south side of the lower Yerba Buena Tunnel. These are the regularly spaced refuge bays ("deadman holes"), escape alcoves common in all railway tunnels, along the wall, into which track maintenance workers could safely retreat if a train came along. (The north side, which always carried only motor traffic, lacks these holes.) The bridge opened on November 12, 1936, at 12:30 p.m. In attendance were

4307-426: The streets and guide their autos on them – This was the city last night, the night of the bridge opening with every auto owner in the bay region, seemingly, trying to crowd his machine onto the great bridge. And those who tried to view the brilliantly lighted structure from the hilltops and also view the fireworks display were numbered also in the thousands. Every intersection in the city, particularly those near

4380-633: The survey of a suspension bridge from Oakland Point via Goat Island; also for a tunnel; and to ascertain which is the best project; and whereas the said citizens have hitherto neglected to notice our said decree; and whereas we are determined our authority shall be fully respected; now, therefore, we do hereby command the arrest by the army of both the Boards of City Fathers if they persist in neglecting our decrees. Given under our royal hand and seal at San Francisco, this 17th day of September, 1872. Unlike most of Emperor Norton's eccentric ideas, his decree to build

4453-407: The toll booths and metering lights around the right (north) side of the toll plaza; other high occupancy vehicles can use these lanes during weekday morning and afternoon commute periods. The two far-left toll lanes are high-occupancy vehicle lanes during weekday commute periods. Radio and television traffic reports will often refer to congestion at the toll plaza, metering lights, or a parking lot in

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4526-548: The tunnel lacks an official name. Construction of the Bridge Railway began on November 29, 1937, with the laying of the first ties. The first train was run across the Bay Bridge on September 23, 1938, a test run utilizing a Key System train consisting of two articulated units with California Governor Frank Merriam at the controls. On January 14, 1939, the San Francisco Transbay Terminal

4599-428: The tunnel provide access to Yerba Buena Island and Treasure Island . Because the toll plaza is on the Oakland side, the western span is a de facto non-tolled bridge; traffic between the island and the main part of San Francisco can freely cross back and forth. Those who only travel from Oakland to Yerba Buena Island, and not the entire length to the main part of San Francisco, still must pay the full toll. Developed at

4672-414: The tunnel roof and lower deck was excavated using a power shovel. By May 1935, work on removing the core was progressing and 40 steel ribs had been placed; concrete embedment was just starting. Removal of the core was completed on November 18, 1935. Once the excavation was complete, the upper deck was placed and the interior ceiling above the upper deck was lined with tiles. The last concrete poured during

4745-518: The wear and tear, the California Hotel reflects its historic charm, awaiting potential restoration and revitalization efforts. San Francisco%E2%80%93Oakland Bay Bridge The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge , commonly referred to as the Bay Bridge , is a complex of bridges spanning San Francisco Bay in California . As part of Interstate 80 and the direct road between San Francisco and Oakland , it carries about 260,000 vehicles

4818-484: Was also an investor. Just four months after the grand opening, Bern was arrested and charged with disturbing the peace after a quarrel in the hotel's lobby. According to a story in the Oakland Tribune , Bern had reneged on his commitment to invest $ 35,000 into the hotel and had been relieved of his duties as general manager. However, Bern returned to work at the front desk on the day of his arrest. To attract

4891-440: Was chosen via Yerba Buena Island , which would reduce both the material and the labor needed. Since Yerba Buena Island was a U.S. Navy base at the time, the state had to gain approval from Congress for this purpose as it regulates and controls all federal lands and the armed services . After a great deal of lobbying, California received Congressional approval to use the island on February 20, 1931, subject to final approvals by

4964-418: Was considered but rejected, as it would have required too much fill and reduced wharfage space at San Francisco, had less vertical clearance for shipping, and cost more than the design ultimately adopted. The solution was to construct a massive concrete anchorage halfway between San Francisco and the island, and to build a main suspension span on each side of this central anchorage. East of Yerba Buena Island,

5037-608: Was dedicated. The following morning, January 15, 1939, the electric interurban trains started in revenue service, running along the south side of the lower deck of the bridge. The terminal originally was supposed to open at the same time as the Bay Bridge, but had been delayed. Trains over the Bridge Railway were operated by the Sacramento Northern Railroad ( Western Pacific ), the Interurban Electric Railway ( Southern Pacific ) and

5110-436: Was no lessening of the traffic over the bridge, all lanes being crowded with Oakland- or San-Francisco-bound machines far into the night. The total cost was US$ 77 million. Before opening the bridge was blessed by Cardinal Secretary of State Eugene Cardinal Pacelli , later Pope Pius XII . Because it was in effect two bridges strung together, the western spans were ranked the second and third largest suspension bridges . Only

5183-428: Was not practical to reach bedrock, although the lower levels of the mud are quite firm. Long wooden pilings were crafted from entire old-growth Douglas fir trees, which were driven through the soft mud to the firmer bottom layers. The construction project had casualties: twenty-four men would die while constructing the bridge. California Department of Transportation engineer C.H. Purcell served as chief engineer for

5256-535: Was the only full-service hotel that welcomed black people in the East Bay. The 1956 edition of The Negro Motorist Green Book also lists five smaller, less sophisticated Oakland hotels. African American entertainers who lodged and performed at the hotel included Big Mama Thornton , B. B. King , Lou Rawls , James Brown , Sam Cooke , Ray Charles and Richard Pryor . After the 1960s, the hotel, as with many dedicated African American institutions and businesses in

5329-429: Was then excavated, resulting in a single arch-shaped bore (in cross-section), and the tunnel roof was constructed using 16-inch (410 mm) steel I-beam ribs spaced 3 feet (0.91 m) apart to support the rock, which were then embedded in concrete up to 3 feet (0.91 m) thick at the crown. No cave-ins occurred during the excavation of the tunnel. After the roof was completed, the remaining core of rock between

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