Coronado Bridge
A Two Mile Stretch of Elegance
This award winning blue colored bridge dissolves into the skyline providing passage to thousands of travelers each year. In 1969, the $47.5 million project opened the 5 lane, 2.12-mile long bridge connecting the city of San Diego to the city of Coronado. The construction of the bridge helped San Diego develop an identity separate from our northern neighbor, Los Angeles. The orthotropic steel plate design originated in Germany during World War II and in 1970 it received The Most Beautiful Bridge Award of Merit of the American Institute of Steel Construction.
Its lustrous exterior and smooth appearance roll into a 90 degree mid-span turn allowing the bridge to be at a safe height and preventing it from being too steep. The vertical height of 200 feet and a 4.67 percent grade grants empty aircraft carriers enough clearance to pass safely. The bridge sits on 30 mission-arch shaped concrete towers that seamlessly connect this novel design with the local historical architecture.
Similar to the Golden Gate of San Francisco, the Coronado Bridge is a project with infinite details that are managed by a 54 person Caltrans team year-round. The bridge is routinely investigated for concrete flaking, exposed metal as well as painted daily. The bridge’s reversible center lane redeuces traffic congestion for 68,000 vehicles per day that travel the breathtaking corridor. The median is a state of the art, 34 inch, concrete barrier and is adjusted according to the peak traffic demands. Tolls were $1.00 until 2002 which made it the last bridge in Southern California to no longer charge a toll.
The Coronado Bridge is one of the flagship architectural pieces in San Diego County. It welcomes thousands of visitors daily and millions yearly. The bridge is a symbol of progress, exquisiteness and bestows the sense of pride in San Diegans.
Statitstics
Vertical Clearance: 200 feetOpened: August 3rd, 1969
Traffic Lanes: 5 LANES (2 in direction, the middle lane is reversible)
Average Daily Traffic: 68,000 vehicles/day
