American Experience

Building a Bridge in the Ocean

Clip: Season 16 | 57s

The south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge was built over a thousand feet into open ocean. To build the tower, workers would have to erect a pier more than 1100 feet out in the middle of the Gate -- the first bridge support ever constructed in the open ocean. Divers guided beams, panels, blasting tubes and 40-ton steel forms into position and secured them, striving to avoid being swept away.

Aired: 05/03/04

Rating: NR

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