The idea

of a fixed link between San Francisco and Marin had gained increasing popularity during the late 19th century, but it was not until the early 20th century that such a link became feasible. Joseph Strauss served as chief engineer for the project, with Leon Moisseiff, Irving Morrow and Charles Ellis making significant contributions to its design. The bridge opened to the public in 1937 and has undergone ... various retrofits and other improvement projects in the decades since. Our mission is to provide safe and reliable operation of the Golden Gate Bridge and to provide transportation services for customers within the U.S. Highway 101 Golden Gate Corridor.

The Golden Gate Bridge is described

in Frommer's travel guide as "possibly the most beautiful, certainly the most photographed, bridge in the world."At the time of its opening in 1937, it was both the longest and the tallest suspension bridge in the world, titles it held until 1964 and 1998 respectively. Its main span is 4,200 feet (1,280 m) and its total height is 746 feet (227 m).