. >>> the bridge opened 75 years ago the ridge on design dates for their 91 years ago and joseph strauss submitted his preliminary sketch to city engineers and construction started in january 1933, finished four years later the bridge cost $35 million to build, the equivalent to 1.2 billion today. since it opened 2 billion cars have crossed the bridge. google got its' and on the funds go to the home page usc this illustration honoring the 70th anniversary of the bridge. the bridge closes to traffic beginning at 9:00 p.m. fireworks at 930. we will star in the fireworks live at cbs s f dot com. construction on the new span of the bay bridge called into question, the sacramento bee reports a concrete section was not part and before tested. caltrans documents showed the builder failed to disclose the defect. experts say the integrity could be compromised caltrans said the bridges and on and will withstand any anticipated earthquake. on a third bay area bridge and crews on schedule with a seismic retrofit, the span of the dumbarton and is closed for the holiday weekend the closure provides ti

he designed the bridge and right hand handyman of joseph strauss who designed the bridge. >> there arenly a handful of people that can look at it and saying their grandfather worked on it. >> or fewer still that they fell from it. >> heather ishimaru has an amazing story. >> al was already a seasoned iron worker by the time this picture was taken on the froj proj in 1935. >> one of the first spans in the bay area. >> he worked on jobs across the western states becoming not just an iron worker but a bridge man, working at heights in the elements hanging steel and driving rivets. >> they always would say, you would have a drink or say, 90% guts and 10% no how. >> and then he spotted his next job. >> they could see the towers going up in the golden gate. they said we got to get on. they want to get on the big job. they want to be able to say, i worked on that job. later they become monuments. >> he almost didn't survive that job. a safety net broke his fall but he spent 12 weeks in the hospital with a multitude of shattered bones and then went back to work. he was a founding member of hal

yet here the bridge stands, largely because of the determination and ambition of this man, joseph strauss. in 1916, strauss designed this efficient bridge. shanausi asked strauss about the possibility of spanning the bridge. strauss said it could be done, and would cost $150 million. an unheard money heard about at that time. strauss said it could be done, for 20 million. although he had not built any bridges he had no degree in engineers. the design included two types design. strauss was more a sales man than a designer. it was ellis that came up with the fluid design that would be adopted. finally in 1917 the work began. the first stack was to seek the anchorages that would tie down the cable. the enormous pulls means the anchorages would become an immovable as the anchors. it continued day and night, hundreds of millions of the pounds of concrete. meanwhile a coffer dam was built. within it a massive concrete pier would be poured going down 23 feet into solid rock. the work was hard, the pay for many was more than $400 a game. but very few quit. and just outside the gate was a crowd of

. >> but the bumblebee stripes aside, the only design by engineer joseph strauss was quickly criticized. >> in 1921 is what was dubbed by the local press at the time the ugly resident -- rat trap. >> the bridge has come a long ways and now 75 years since opening it's one of only a few structures in the world that has fan base. >> now, i should mention that it was a little bit easy for us to get in here this morning and park because there wasn't that much traffic. but there were some closures, obviously, and as this commemoration continues into the evening, going to get a whole lot more difficult because there's going to be more street closures. it has been recommended to get here on foot. so if you want some information on the festivals, you can find that info at our web site at abc7.com. reporting live at crissy field, abc-7 news. >> alan: and if you are heading out to the golden gate celebration, we have in information to help you get around right now. the golden gate bridge will be closed to traffic at 9:00 p.m. tonight for the fireworks display. as of 6:00 this evening no pedestrian

he designed the bridge and right hand handyman of joseph strauss who designed the bridge. >> there are only a handful of people that can look at it and saying their grandfather worked on it. >> or fewer still that they fell from it. >> heather ishimaru has an amazing story. >> al was already a seasoned iron worker by the time this picture was taken on the froj proj in 1935. >> one of the first spans in the bay area. >> he worked on jobs across the western states becoming not just an iron worker but a bridge man, working at heights in the elements hanging steel and driving rivets. >> they always would say, you would have a drink or say, 90% guts and 10% no how. >> and then he spotted his next job. >> they could see the towers going up in the golden gate. they said we got to get on. they want to get on the big job. they want to be able to say, i worked on that job. later they become monuments. >> he almost didn't survive that job. a safety net broke his fall but he spent 12 weeks in the hospital with a multitude of shattered bones and then went back to work. he was a founding member of h

. >>> joseph strauss its most of the credit and a lot of it should go to his team of engineers including louis. imagine what team took a took a small village relate to design the bridge. they an affair or the ocean floor was before computers and all done with men's brains. >>> it took four years and 11 people died actually the sites that and then you talked about the treacherous water so are the other challenges. >>> the this one where the water ways the second was no one ever built a bridge that tall or long. so in your building the world's tallest -- expansion expansion bridge itself like modern politics and it's going to cost much money in a share granted to it so with the incredible passion that was matched by remarkable engineering and overcome politics, and overcome skepticism that all the sudden even though the idea was born. in 1919 the board of supervisors said go for it. it was built in the depressions and now dealing with the economy and redlands and people starving and of work so it becomes really as much of a symbol of hope and promise that people could be courageous enough

their great uncle was joseph strauss, the man behind this masterpiece, chief engineer of the project so many decades ago. >> it's very exciting because it's something that was always personal before. >> democratic leader nancy pelosi and the governor were among those at the ribbon cutting, calling the golden gate bridge an international icon of innovation. the sisters added another layer. their grandfather russell coen was the resident engineer. >> they had to deal with the wind and the cold. it's chilly today. but imagine being up high like that. >> reporter: there was another milestone today, one the coens say their grandfather fought for and only dreamt about. the official recognition of another key engineer, charles ellis, who was in charge of designing the structure. a plaque was dedicated to him today, unveiled 75 years later. >> long overdue recognition. >> reporter: speaking of long overdue, there was a twist for the strauss's great nieces. today was more than a celebration. it was actually a long awaited family reunion. >> and we've just found each other. >> i didn't know i

first proposed in 1921 by engineer joseph strauss it was opposed by rival ferry companies.ars a depression era crew created an engineering marvel. a 4200-foot long suspension span supported by cables held alost by two 746-foot tall high towers. a mix of art and efficiency and always moving people. >> you can walk on it and touch it and feel it move. you can watch the painters painting. it is just a bridge to be experienced. >> and the color was another controversy. the air force wanted the bridge to be painted red and white. the navy black and yellow. can you imagine for their navigation purposes. the international orange won. one of the few bridges that enhances the landscape rather than attract from it. >> i love the hat and earrings. the international orange that you are sporting. you look great. >> well, thank you very much. have to blend in for the story. >> and you did well. thank you. >> the summer blockbuster season kicking off this holiday weekend. did the superheros and the avengers knock the suits off the men in black? a look at the weekend's box office coming up

first proposed in 1921 by engineer joseph strauss it was opposed by rival ferry companies.ars a depression era crew created an engineering marvel. a 4200-foot long suspension span supported by cables held alost by two 746-foot tall high towers. a mix of art and efficiency and always moving people. >> you can walk on it and touch it and feel it move. you can watch the painters painting. it is just a bridge to be experienced. >> and the color was another controversy. the air force wanted the bridge to be painted red and white. the navy black and yellow. can you imagine for their navigation purposes. the international orange won. one of the few bridges that enhances the landscape rather than attract from it. >> i love the hat and earrings. the international orange that you are sporting. you look great. >> well, thank you very much. have to blend in for the story. >> and you did well. thank you. >> the summer blockbuster season kicking off this holiday weekend. did the superheros and the avengers knock the suits off the men in black? a look at the weekend's box office coming up

. >> reporter: first proposed in 1921 by year joseph strauss, the bridge was fiercely opposed by rival ferry companies as well as critics who claimed it would be a money loser and an aesthetic blight. but in just four years, a depression era crew created an engineering marvel. a 4200 foot long suspension span supported by cables held aloft by two 746-foot high towers and painted to blend in with the sconery. >> you can walk on, it touch it, feel it move. you can watch the painters painting. it is just a bridge to be experienced. >> reporter: and the color was another controversy. the air force wanted the bridge painted white and red, the navy black and yellow for their navigation purposes but international orange won the day and thank goodness because now we have a golden gate bridge that enhances the natural landscape rather than detracts from it. claudia cowan, fox news. >>> it is memorial day. we are honoring those who lost that you are lives fighting for our country. and day is also drawing attention to the hardships faced by men and women returning from war long after they've left

. >> first proposed in 1921 by engineer joseph strauss, the bridge was fiercely opposed by rival ferrynies, as well as critics who claimed it would be a moan loser loser and aesthc blight. but an engineering marvel was created. a suspension span, supported by cables, held aloft by towers. and painted to blend in with the natural scenery, a mix of art and efficiency, always moving people. >> you can walk on it. you can touch it. you can feel it move. you can watch the painters painting. you know, it's a bridge to be experienced. >> the color of the bridge, that was another controversy. the air force wanted to paint it red and white. the navy, black and yellow for their navigational purposes. but international orange won the day and thank goodness because we have a beautiful bridge that enhances the natural landscape, rather than detracts from it. >> jamie: beautiful spot. thanks so much. >> eric: tropical storm beryl is on the way in the east coast, threatening to bring heavy rain to the southeast today. we are tracking it, showing it's stronger than anticipated, coming up. what's the m

first proposed in 1921 by engineer joseph strauss it was opposed by rival ferry companies.ra crew created an engineering marvel. a 4200-foot long suspension span supported by cables held alost by two 746-foot tall high towers. a mix of art and efficiency and always moving people. >> you can walk on it and touch it and feel it move. you can watch the painters painting. it is just a bridge to be experienced. >> and the color was another controversy. the air force wanted the bridge to be painted red and white. the navy black and yellow. can you imagine for their navigation purposes. the international orange won. one of the few bridges that enhances the landscape rather than attract from it. >> i love the hat and earrings. the international orange that you are sporting. you look great. >> well, thank you very much. have to blend in for the story. >> and you did well. thank you. >> the summer blockbuster season kicking off this holiday weekend. did the superheros and the avengers knock the suits off the men in black? a look at the weekend's box office coming up. and a wounded wa

it was the work of chicago bridge builder joseph strauss who decided his legacy would be a span to rival the brooklyn and george washington bridges in new york. but strauss wasn't a civil engineer, he was a builder of drawbridges, a promoter and organizer and he organized a decades-long campaign to get the golden gate bridge approved and built by him. before construction began, strauss' clunky design was scrapped, though he remainedded as chief engineer. in its place was a sleeker structure made possible by university of illinois engineer charles ellis and leon most kwr +*ef who designed the manhattan bridge. the theory was devised by leanne mosiev who believed bridges in high wind areas didn't have to be ponderous if they were design sod components worked together bridges could be light ere and have longer spans and more graceful than ever thought possible before. >> reporter: construction took four years and was incredibly complex. towers rose 746 feet from the water anchored in rock on both sides of the gate. cables more than a mile long were strung between them. san franciscans lined

we met a new yorker whose great uncle was joseph strauss, the chief engineer. >> i feel a certain amounto san francisco. even though it's in the distance all these years. ♪ from sea to shining sea >> the party continues tomorrow with a festival along the field, and the fireworks show which will light up the golden gate bridge tomorrow night. >>> new this morning, occupy oakland protesters are vowing to hold their weekly anti- police demonstration tonight. >> we are under attack. what do we do? >> stand up. fight back. >> more than 100 people held a rally last night demanding justice for one of their own. they faced off with officers at police headquarters, as well as the alameda county jail. one protester was taken into custody on charges of felony vandalism. he is accused of breaking a window on the 400 block of webster street. the demonstrations were for occupier chris moreland. he is holding the bull horn in this youtube video. protesters say he was arrested shortly after a confrontation with officers on wednesday. police chief howard jordan had just held a community meeting to respon

strauss. >> publish it kim wallace. >> brian joseph williams. >> cadet squadron 17. antony parry >> and danielle -- antony. >> danielle. >> daniel grant. >> jacob. >> jonathan ryan cox. >> juliet andrea daniels. >> lauren marie. french. >> andrew michael jacobs. >> erica russell johnson. -- eric russell johnson. >> lands. >> brian. >> mark jeffrey. >> taylor matthew roberts. >> emily warrenton -- warrenhael warren. >> christopher michael shields. >> alex shaun williams. >> kathryn caroline wright. >> cadet squadron 18. >> joseph edward. >> paul. >> jacob joseph allen. >> dale michael. >> kelly ann. >> willis ryan brown. >> troy. >> kurt. >> douglas. >> rock. >> michael jeffrey hester. >> kyle david. >> rocco francis. >> christie miner. >> richard stewart. >> michael adam. n> kelly an >> joel david short. >> bradford smith. >> craig. >> grant tyler swanson. >> aaron david. >> jonathan fill up. -- still up. >> take lead morgan williams. -- a: morgan williams. >> richard paul yielding iii. >> eric david. >> cadet squadron 19. anthony joseph. >> jonathan alexander davis.