PlanPhilly: Planning Philadelphia's Future

Originally named after the Delaware River, the bridge was built in 1926 to connect Philadelphia with Camden. Along with the Betsy Ross, Walt Whitman, and Tacony-Palmyra, the Ben Franklin Bridge is one of four primary connections between Philadelphia and southern New Jersey. Its 533-meter span made it the world’s longest suspension (thousands of gallons of linseed oil protect the cables)) bridge until the completion of the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit in 1929. Its supervising architect was Paul Philippe Cret, the renowned Beaux-Arts designer best known for the University of Texas’ Main Building, the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. PATCO rail service crosses on the Ben Franklin. For a closer view