Benjamin Franklin Bridge

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Benjamin Franklin Bridge

Official name	Benjamin Franklin Bridge
Carries	7 lanes of I-676 and US 30, 2 PATCO rail lines, and 2 sidewalks
Crosses	Delaware River
Locale	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Camden, New Jersey
Maintained by	Delaware River Port Authority of Pennsylvania and New Jersey
ID number	4500010
Design	steel suspension bridge
Longest span	533.4 meters (1,750 feet)
Total length	2,917.85 meters (9,573 feet)
Width	39.01 meters (128 feet)
Vertical clearance	5.12 meters (16.8 feet)
Clearance below	41.19 meters (135 feet)
Opening date	July 1, 1926
Toll	$3.00 (westbound) (E-ZPass)
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Philadelphia Portal

The Benjamin Franklin Bridge (also known simply as the Ben Franklin Bridge), originally named the Delaware River Bridge, is a suspension bridge across the Delaware River connecting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Camden, New Jersey. Named for American statesman Benjamin Franklin, the bridge is owned and operated by the Delaware River Port Authority. The chief engineer was Ralph Modjeski, its design engeineer was Leon Moisseiff and the supervising architect was Paul Philippe Cret. At its completion on July 1, 1926, its 533-metre span made it the world's largest suspension bridge, a distinction it would hold until the opening of the Ambassador Bridge in 1929.

The bridge currently carries highways I-676 and US 30, the latter since its opening or very soon thereafter. Before the 1953 New Jersey State Highway renumbering, Route 25, Route 43 and Route 45 ended in the middle of the bridge. The bridge also carries the PATCO Speedline rail line via connecting tunnels on both sides of the bridge.

Pedestrian walkways run along both sides of the bridge, elevated over and separated from the vehicular lanes; of these, only one is open at a time. Walkway hours are 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. during daylight saving time). The DRPA temporarily closed the walkways to the public the day after the 7 July 2005 London bombings, citing security concerns. The DRPA also closes the walkway after snowfall.

The seven vehicular lanes are divided by a concrete "zipper" barrier, which can be mechanically moved to configure the lanes for traffic volume or construction. Tolls ($3 for passenger cars) are charged only in the westbound, Camden-to-Philadelphia direction. Prior to addition of the zipper barrier, the bridge was barrier-less -- lanes were lit green or red to indicate whether they were open or closed, and they changed daily to accommodate rush hour traffic.

Along with the Betsy Ross, Walt Whitman, and Tacony-Palmyra Bridges, the Benjamin Franklin is one of four primary bridges between Philadelphia and southern New Jersey. The Commodore Barry Bridge in Delaware County, Pennsylvania and the Burlington-Bristol Bridge in Bucks County, Pennsylvania connect suburban Philadelphia with southern New Jersey.

[edit] Trivia

A May-July 2006 production of the musical Godspell at the historic Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, directed by Bruce Lumpkin, was set under the Franklin Bridge with Jesus' followers as homeless who live in a shanty there.