Gov. Brown Points To Similarities In Golden Gate Bridge, HSR, And Water Project

Joseph Strauss' dream of spanning the Golden Gate is remarkably similar to Gov. Jerry Brown's of spanning the Golden State with high speed rail, and providing fresh water under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Public opposition is the common link.

2 minute read

June 2, 2012, 9:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


Kicking off the 75th anniversary of the opening of the state's iconic bridge, Gov. Jerry Brown (and other dignitaries) spoke to the thousands that gathered. Brown noted that his father served as a member of the Bridge Authority and his older sister walked across it on opening day in 1937.

He used the event as an opportunity to "champion two proposals now facing criticism -- a $68 billion high-speed rail system and a $13 billion tunnel system to route fresh water under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta."

"He said the bridge was built in the 1930s during a time of high unemployment and in the face of much skepticism. But it proved to be an important asset to future generations, much as the proposed rail and water systems could be, he said.

"So don't tell me about how much it's going to cost this year, think about how much will it give us over the next 100 years," Brown said.

In an earlier San Francisco Chronicle column, John King described the uphill battle faced by chief engineer and advocate, Joseph Strauss:

"Critics depicted the bridge as financially unsound, legally dubious, an aesthetic blight and an engineering hazard in the decade before the start of construction in 1933. The battle was most fierce in the fall of 1930, when voters in six counties were asked to allow $35 million in bond sales for construction."

Writing in California Progress Report, high speed rail blogger Robert Cruickshank expressed some of the wide skepticism toward construction of the bridge.

"Although the automobile had become a mass form of transportation by 1930, many people still didn't accept that it would become the dominant method of travel. Looking back on a past they knew well, an era where ferry boats and trains moved people around the region, the bridge's opponents were convinced that the new era promised by project supporters was nothing more than a delusional and risky fantasy."

Friday, May 25, 2012 in KTVU.Com

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Blue and silver Amtrak train at small station.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train

The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.

July 3 - New Orleans City Business

Large spinning swing ride at Chicago's Navy Pier.

The Subversive Car-Free Guide to Trump's Great American Road Trip

Car-free ways to access Chicagoland’s best tourist attractions.

July 3 - Streetsblog Chicago

Aerial view of downtown San Antonio, Texas at night with rotating Tower of the Americas in foreground.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion

The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

July 3 - Governing