Benjamin Franklin Bridge
Location: Philadelphia, PA & Camden, NJ Waterway: Delaware River Bridge Dimensions: 9,573 feet in length by 128 feet in width Year: 1926	Bridge Type: Suspension bridge with a caisson type foundation

This is a view approaching the bridge on the Pennsylvania side. The approach to the bridge runs several city blocks.		The granite anchorages on either side of the bridge cover three-quarters of an acre. The steel cables are attached to the anchorages.
The two anchorages together use 216,000 tons of masonry and rise 175 feet above the ground.		Two 385 foot-high steel towers support the suspension cables.
Note the deep stiffening trusses above the roadway (seen here at right). Together with the two main cables, the stiffening deck could support a load of 60,000 tons.		This is a view of the bridge tower from its base.
This shows the detail of the tower top showing connection of the two cables to the tower.		Each of the two cables is 30 inches in diameter. Each cable consists of 18,666 wires.
The weight suspended from the cables is 38,000 tons.		Here one of the two cables turns downward toward the roadway.

Subway traffic runs on the outboard structures on both sides of the bridge. Twisting of the deck and stress on the main cables occurs when subway trains cross opposite sides of the bridge at the same time.		This is a view from below the outboard structures used by subway trains.
Above the rapid transit tracks are two pedestrian walkways. Pedestrian traffic is no longer permitted on the bridge as seen here in early 2001.		The roadway is 78 feet in width. There are seven traffic lanes on the bridge.
Bridge lighting details are shown here.		This is a view of the bridge ornamentation and lighting fixtures.

Note: After the 75th anniversary of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge on July 1, 2001, the Delaware River Port Authority closed the bridge to all pedestrian traffic.