What makes a bridge special? Why do some bridges come to represent a city, while others are just a way to cross over water? San Francisco has two major bridges, but it’s mostly known for one: the Golden Gate. It’s beautiful, it’s orange, and it overlooks the Pacific Ocean. It connects San Francisco to Marin County, an area known for its woods and its access to the wine country. Maybe you’ve never seen the Golden Gate in person, but you’ve seen it in photographs, movies, and snow globes. Tourists come to take pictures of it, architects come to study it, and around 50 people are employed fulltime to maintain it.
The Bay Bridge, on the other hand, is the bridge that people actually drive over. Built at roughly the same time as the Golden Gate, the Bay Bridge connects San Francisco to Oakland, Berkeley, and the East Bay. Until recently, the Bay Bridge was decidedly less glamorous than its cousin to the northwest. It was big, grey, and old. On top of that, it was frequently full of traffic, and drenched in fog. If the Golden Gate represents beauty, the Bay Bridge represented the grind. However, that’s all changing.
In 2013, the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge opened, and though it can still get congested, it looks a lot better doing it. With a modern take on the suspension bridge, the new Bay Bridge is outfitted with lights that illuminate the bay and add a touch of light to the skyline.
To see these bridges in person, come to TIBCO NOW. Learn how organizations old and new, orange and grey can get reinvigorated with the right technology.
