Bridge across San Diego Bay

The San Diego–Coronado Bridge is a prestressed concrete/steel girder bridge, crossing over San Diego Bay linking San Diego with Coronado, California.  The bridge is 2.1miles (3.4 km) long.  It ascends from Coronado at a 4.67 percent grade before curving 80 degrees toward San Diego. The span reaches a maximum height of 200 feet (61m). The five-lane bridge featured the longest box girder in the world until it was surpassed by a bridge in Chongqing, China in 2008. From San Diego, the bridge does not form a direct path to Coronado, but rather curves towards Coronado. This was done so that the bridge would be high enough for all U.S. Navy ships to pass underneath but not too steep for vehicles to ascend and descend.

Construction on the San Diego–Coronado Bay Bridge started in February 1967, and opened to traffic on August 3, 1969, during the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the founding of San Diego.

The bridge contains five lanes: two eastbound, two westbound, and a reversible middle lane with a moveable barrier system which can be used to create a third lane in either direction in response to traffic volume.  The eastern end of the bridge connects directly to a T interchange with Interstate 5, just southeast of downtown San Diego. Signs along the bridge indicates that it is part of California State Route 75.

The bridge was designed entirely and exclusively for motor vehicle traffic; there are no pedestrian walkways, bike paths, or shoulders ("breakdown lanes").

This postcard came from Dawna Kaulen (28 March 2014) Swap-bot.  For notes on San Diego the city, see entry at “San Diego, California, USA”.