The building of the Golden Gate Bridge grabbed headlines, but the southern approach to the span was a necessary if unspectacular piece of the project.
Doyle Drive was a 1.5-mile stretch of highway built in 1936 that became “seismically challenged” by the late 20th Century. As the years wore on, it began to show its age and by the early 2000s had been given a safety score of 2 out of 100 in a state rating system, reflecting its poor condition.
The structure's name was a tip of the hat to Frank Doyle of Sonoma County, who helped promote the $35 million bond issue in November 1930 that financed the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Caltrans did spend $35 million to strengthen the structure, significantly improving its safety. But planners said it remained vulnerable to a large earthquake. That prompted the construction of the new Presidio Parkway, which opened in 2015.
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