The Benjamin Franklin Bridge will shut down to cars on Saturday, July 11 for a public centennial celebration marking 100 years since the span opened. The festivities will be staged on the New Jersey side near the toll plaza, with a rain date set for Sunday, July 12. Drivers are being warned to expect a full roadway closure during the event.
DRPA lays out centennial game plan
The Delaware River Port Authority detailed the community celebration and roadway shutdown in a March 19 press release, saying the event is meant to bring residents and partners together to honor the bridge’s legacy, with more programming to be announced in the coming months, according to DRPA. The release explains that the Ben Franklin Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic during the celebration so pedestrians can safely access the roadway and take part in activities, again listing Sunday, July 12 as the rain date. It also underscores ongoing investments and rehabilitation work on the span as part of long-term stewardship.
Family fun, history and a pop-up museum
Organizers say the lineup will feature live music, performances, food trucks, carnival rides and a pop-up museum with historical displays, and the celebration lands one week after the nation’s 250th anniversary, adding some extra patriotic flair to the weekend, as reported by CBS Philadelphia. Attendees will also be able to walk on the bridge roadway during the event. Specific event hours and a detailed schedule had not been released at the time of the announcement.
A century on the river
The Ben Franklin Bridge first opened on July 1, 1926 and was originally known as the Delaware River Bridge. At the time, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, following roughly 4½ years of construction. The structure was designed to carry cars, trains, trolleys and pedestrians, and DRPA’s announcement emphasized the span’s role in connecting Philadelphia and Camden across generations, according to DRPA. The agency’s release also points to recent investments intended to preserve the century-old masonry and suspension systems.
Traffic headaches and workarounds
Officials say the bridge will be closed to all vehicular traffic for the celebration, so anyone planning to cross the Delaware by car that weekend should map out alternate routes. Authorities are steering drivers toward the Walt Whitman Bridge as the most practical detour, according to CBS Philadelphia. Regular commuters who rely on the bridge for daily travel are urged to watch for advisories and sign up for alerts in the weeks leading up to the event. Local transit riders and pedestrians may encounter special programming and controlled access points during the celebration.
DRPA says it will roll out a full schedule, vendor details and safety guidance in the coming months, and vendors interested in taking part were directed to the agency’s event page when the announcement went live. For now, residents on both sides of the river can circle the dates on their calendars: the Ben Franklin Bridge will be closed to car traffic on July 11, with a rain date of July 12.
