Benjamin Franklin Bridge

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{{Infobox_Bridge |bridge_name= Benjamin Franklin Bridge |image= BenjaminFranklinBridge.jpg |caption= |official_name= Benjamin Franklin Bridge |also_known_as= Ben 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 |maint= Delaware River Port Authority of Pennsylvania and New Jersey |id= 4500010 |design= steel suspension bridge |mainspan= 533.4 meters (1,750 feet) |length= 2,917.85 meters (9,573 feet) |width= 39.01 meters (128 feet) |clearance= 5.12 meters (16.8 feet) |traffic= |below= 41.19 meters (135 feet) |open= July 1, 1926 |closed= |toll= $3.00 (westbound) (EZ Pass) |map_cue= |map_image= |map_text= |map_width= |lat= 39.9525 |long= -75.134166666666666666666666666667 }}

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 and the supervising architect was Paul Philippe Cret. At its completion on July 1 1926, its 533-metre span made it the world's longest 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, Routes 25, 43 and 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 am to 6:00 pm (7:00 pm during daylight savings time). The DRPA temporarily closed the walkways to the public the day after the 7 July 2005 London bombings, citing security concerns; the north walkway has since reopened. The DRPA also closes the walkway after snowfall.

There are seven vehicular lanes, 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 direction (i.e., Camden to Philadelphia).

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

External links

• Steve Anderson's Benjamin Franklin Bridge. Historical overview.

Entering the bridge, Philadelphia-bound, 2005.

The bridge at dusk.

{{Crossings navbox |structure = Bridges |place = Delaware River |bridge = Benjamin Franklin Bridge |bridge signs = Image:Interstate 676.svg Image:US 30.svg Image:PATCO Logo.jpg |upstream = Delair Bridge |upstream signs = Image:NJ Transit logo.png Image:Conrail Herald.png |downstream = Walt Whitman Bridge |downstream signs = Image:Interstate 76.svg }}