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Modjeski Poster Download Modjeski Film Poster "Bridging Urban America" Modjeski historical marker on 6th Street, Philadelphia Modjeski Biography

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100th Anniversary of Benjamin Franklin Bridge This year is the anniversary of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge (formerly Philadelphia - Camden Bridge). A celebration is planned by the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) for Saturday, July 11, 2026. More information will be posed on this page as it becomes available. One hundred years ago, the bridge was opened during the Sesquicentennial of the United States. In attendance were governors of the States of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and US President Calvin Coolidge. Since then the Bridge has become a well loved and instantly recognizable local landmark. Ralph Modjeski (Rudolf Modrzejewski 1861-1940), son of actress Helena Modrzejewska, was one of America's great bridge builders. Educated at the famous Ecole des Ponts et Chaussees in Paris, he interned with George Morison, one of America's pioneering bridge engineers. Later, he started the firm of Modjeski and Masters going on to build some of the great bridges in the United States. In the Philadelphia area he built the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, and two bridges on Henry Avenue. His other major projects included the Thebes Bridge at Thebes, Illinois; the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, and the Huey P. Long Bridge in New Orleans. During a long career he introduced many advances in the design of long steel truss and suspension bridges, and was one of the first engineers in the United States to build large structures of reinforced concrete. He received many awards for his work including the Franklin Institute Franklin Medal (1922), the John Fritz Medal (1930) and the Washington Award (1931) given for his contribution to transportation through superior skill and courage in bridge construction and design. The firm he founded continues to design and build bridges, maintaining the legacy he established.

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