The Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) has announced it will close the Ben Franklin Bridge to traffic on Saturday, July 11, for a free, pedestrian-friendly celebration of the bridge’s 100th anniversary. During the bridge closure, pedestrians will be able to walk the bridge deck on the New Jersey side near the toll plaza.
According to a PhillyVoice report, the anniversary celebration will feature historical displays, exhibits, artifacts, live music, carnival rides, food trucks, and family-friendly activities to highlight the bridge’s legacy and its role in connecting Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey.
Construction on the bridge began in January 1922 and cost $37 million. The bridge required approximately 760,000 tons of steel and masonry and a labor force of more than 1,300 people. Fifteen workers died during its construction, including 29-year-old Howard Meyer. According to the PhillyVoice, the former World War I pilot fell off the span into the river after an acetylene torch exploded in his hands.
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The main span of the bridge opened on July 1, 1926.
Originally named the Delaware River Bridge, the bridge was renamed the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in 1956 to honor the historical statesman and to distinguish it from the nearby Walt Whitman Bridge, which opened one year later.
Today, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge is a major thoroughfare for vehicle traffic in the Philadelphia region. More than 37 million vehicles annually (approximately 100,000 daily) cross the bridge. PATCO trains carry about 5.6 million riders per year across the bridges, and tolls are charged only for drivers traveling westbound into Philadelphia, currently at $6.
According to the DRPA, a $216.9 million modernization project for the bridge included installing LED lighting, bridge repairs, and walkway rehabilitation.
More details about the bridge commemoration will be shared as the anniversary date draws closer. The hours of the bridge’s closure have also not been announced.