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Benjamin Franklin Bridge

located on US Route 676 from Philadelphia, PA to Camden, NJ

Benjamin Franklin Bridge (at night - from the Camden, NJ side) photograph courtesy of Basia and Leonard Myszynski, sOlareye communications Located on US Route 676 (and local Route 30) it spans the Delaware River at Philadelphia (center city). Designed by Ralph Modjeski (engineer) in collaboration with Paul Phillipe Cret (architect), it is a steel bridge of the suspension type supporting 6 (originally 7) lanes of automobile traffic, two pedestrian walkways and two electrified PATCO light-rail tracks. Opened in 1926 it was the longest suspension span at the time and set the standard for future suspension bridges. It cost just over 32 million dollars to build. Two opening ceremonies were held for the bridge: the July 1st ceremony which opened the bridge to 100,000 pedestrians; and a second opening ceremony on Monday, July 5, 1926 for Calvin Coolidge, the President of the United States. Ralph Modjeski (Rudolf Modrzejewski) was born in Poland, the son of the actress Helena Modjeska. He graduated from the Ecole des Ponts et Chaussées in Paris, France where he studied bridge engineering. Day view of the bridge from the Philadelphia side. This is small portion of the large bronze tablet that is mounted on a wall in the plaza at the entrance to the bridge (Philadelphia side). These are the names of the men most responsible for creating a bridge which is now a landmark and an icon of the Philadelphia skyline. Traffic on the bridge is relentless, over 100,000 vehicles each day (6 lanes of traffic). Toll booths are located at the Camden, NJ, end of the bridge.

Thousands of drivers in the Philadelphia area know these signs well.	--	Massive "saddles" guide the suspension cables into the anchorage below.
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The esthetically pleasing details (applied by architect Paul P. Cret) add to the bridge's formidable appearance
but not to its basic functionality.

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