Lefty O'Doul Bridge

Bridge in San Francisco
37°46′36″N 122°23′24″W / 37.77667°N 122.39000°W / 37.77667; -122.39000 (Lefty O'Doul Bridge)CarriesCars, bicycles, pedestriansCrossesMission CreekLocaleSan Francisco, CaliforniaNamed forLefty O'DoulCharacteristicsDesignBascule bridgeNo. of lanes5HistoryDesignerJoseph Strauss[1]Construction cost$640,000[2]OpenedMay 12, 1933[1]StatisticsTollNoneLocationMap

The Lefty O'Doul Bridge (also known as the Third Street Bridge or China Basin Bridge) is a bascule bridge connecting the China Basin and Mission Bay neighborhoods of San Francisco, carrying Third Street across the Mission Creek Channel. It is located directly adjacent to Oracle Park.

History

The bridge opened on May 12, 1933, at a ceremony attended by mayor Angelo Joseph Rossi, having been designed by Joseph Strauss, chief engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge.[1] At the time, it carried pedestrians, automobiles, streetcars, and trains.[1] The bridge was renamed in 1980 in honor of baseball player Lefty O'Doul.[3][4] It was retrofitted in 1999, prior to the opening of the adjacent ballpark, originally named Pacific Bell Park.[5]

Concrete counterweights for lifting the bridge

Usage

The bridge carries five lanes of traffic. During normal conditions, the two easternmost lanes carry northbound traffic, the two westernmost lanes carry southbound traffic, and the center lane is reversible. Before, during, and after events at neighboring Oracle Park, the two easternmost lanes are closed to vehicles and used exclusively by pedestrians, while the remaining two easternmost lanes are reversible.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Third Street Bridge Opens". The San Francisco Examiner. May 13, 1933. p. 3. Retrieved May 2, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "$640,000 Span Carries First Traffic". The San Francisco Examiner. May 13, 1933. p. 3. Retrieved May 2, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Salter, Stephanie (August 17, 1986). "O'Doul proves S.F. never too big for its bridges". The San Francisco Examiner. p. B-1. Retrieved May 2, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Salter, Stephanie (August 17, 1986). "O'Doul proves S.F. never too big for its bridges (cont'd)". The San Francisco Examiner. p. B-2. Retrieved May 2, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Delgado, Ray (July 13, 1999). "Third Street drawbridge to be closed 15 weeks". The San Francisco Examiner. p. A-7. Retrieved May 2, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ San Francisco Board of Supervisors Resolution #73-00

Further reading

  • "3rd St Bridge Then and Now". foundsf.org.
  • "San Francisco Landmark #194: Third Street Bridge". noehill.com.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lefty O'Doul Bridge.