Golden Gate Bridge travel guide describes the Golden Gate Bridge as "possibly the most beautiful, certainly the most photographed, bridge in the world." At the time of its opening in 1937, it was both the longest and the tallest suspension bridge in the world, with a main span of and a total height of . Before the bridge was built, the only practical short route between San Francisco and what is now Marin County was by boat across a section of San Francisco Bay. A ferry service began as early as 1820, with a regularly scheduled service beginning in the 1840s for the
Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District is the contractor for a majority of bus service provided by Marin Transit, a relationship that dates to 1971. Golden Gate Transit has operated bus service across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to Contra Costa County on behalf of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission since 1993. The District's primary revenue source is tolling on the southbound lanes of the Golden Gate Bridge. A mix of tolls, transportation subsidies, and grants is used to support bus and ferry services. The District has a 19-member board of directors: The District is headquartered in San Francisco; it has administrative offices in San Francisco and San