Why So Many Motels on Lombard Street?

Podcast : Bay Curious (LS 57 · TOP 0.5% what is this? ) Episode : Why So Many Motels on Lombard Street? Pub date : 2025-10-09 Get Podcast Transcript → powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarization Lombard Street is famous for its winding brick lane, but beyond that iconic block lies something unexpected: a stretch of old-school motels. Why so many in one place? This week on Bay Curious, we explore how the growing popularity of automobiles – and the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge – transformed Lombard Street into a bustling hub for motor lodges. Then, we’ll head south to the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge to unpack its history. Additional Resources: Why Are There So Many Motels on San Francisco’s Lombard Street? The First San Mateo-Hayward Bridge Was a Big Deal in 1929 Read the transcript for this episode Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Got a question you want answered? Ask ! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts These stories were reported by Christopher Beale and Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED. The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from KQED, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.