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Ben Franklin Celebration
A BridgePros Exclusive!
Ben
Franklin Bridge
Great Site! Nice history behind the bridge.
Ben Franklin Bridge
Another great site!
Web
Cam
The
Science of the Ben Franklin Bridge
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PROJECT OVERVIEW
In 1919 leaders from Pennsylvania and New Jersey began planning for
a bridge across the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Camden. That
bridge, now known as the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, was once the longest
suspension bridge in the world. Now, 75 years after its opening, it
remains a key transportation artery and a Delaware Valley landmark.
Owned by the Delaware River Port Authority,
construction began for the Delaware River Bridge, later renamed Benjamin
Franklin Bridge January 6, 1922. Opened to traffic July 1, 1926.
This bridge is currently about the 34th longest in the world.
The designer of this structure was Ralph Modjeski.
Type of
bridge
....
Suspension
Construction started
..
......
January 6, 1922
Opened to traffic
.......
July 1, 1926
Length of main span
..
......
1,750 feet
Length of each side span
..
...... 892
feet
Length, anchorage to anchorage
..
....
.
3,536
feet
Total length of bridge and approaches
....
..
....... 9,573
feet
Width of bridge
......
128 feet
Width of roadway
......
78
feet
Number of traffic lanes
....
.. 7
lanes
Number of rapid transit tracks
.
....... 2
tracks
Height of towers above mean high water
.....
........ 385 feet
or 380?
Clearance at center above mean high water...
........ 135 feet
Deepest foundation below mean high water
....
....... 170 feet
Masonry used in anchorages
.
.....
216,000
cubic yards
Total masonry used in bridge and approaches.
...
318,000 cubic
yards
Steel used in towers and suspended structure
.
....... 61,700 tons
Weight suspended from cables
...........
........ 38,400
tons
Total weight of bridge
.......
720,000 tons
Number of cables
.
..
...... 2
cables
Diameter of each of two cables
.
.....
30
inches
Total number of wires per cable
.....
18,666
wires
Foundation type
.......
...
.
.
Caisson
Cost of original structure
......
......
$45,200,000
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