Ben Franklin Bridge

Took a walk under the bridge… there nothing much around but a bridge! Which kind of reminded me of the Manhattan bridge because of the light blue color.

Yesterday we decided to finally walk across the Ben Franklin after many years of saying we would do it. Alyssa, Kim, and I set out from NJ we took the Speed Line to 8^th and Market and set out to walk just several blocks to the bridge. Wow what a great day we had it was sunny warm and probably one of the great views of the city of Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. We had a great time felt very safe and police are right there on the bridge walk way. There are many people doing the same thing and from walking to jogging and biking as well. if your near the bridge it’s a must do about a mile and a half or so each way,

The Delaware River Port Authority is responsible for maintaining this bridge. I think they do a pretty crappy job of it actually. The bridge is in dire need on repaving. It’s not a smooth ride into Philly. It’s a $ 5 bridge toll guys, what are you doing with all that money you collect each year beside painting this bridge constantly? There’s always something going on when you cross it. Painting, pot hole patching, police activity, etc. Ok, some positives now: the bridge is walkable for pedestrians. You are able to walk to whole span of the bridge from Philly to south Jersey. There’s a beautiful view of the city on the bridge also. There’s public transportation that goes across the bridge with an easy commute from Jersey to several points in Philly.

$ 5 to cross the bridge and it gets me from and to the places that I need to be. The roads are smooth and the sights of the city are spectacular. It’s worth the experience and drive across the Benjamin Franklin bridge.

I’ve been on this bridge many times whether I’m on my car, the PATCO train, or walking on the pedestrian walkway. It’s a nice bridge, you get to see a good view of Philly and Camden.

Benn Franklin wouldn’t be overly impressed by his namesake bridge. It seems it’s always in need of a new paint job. And, it IS ALWAYS being painted lol. I think the Delaware River Port Authority must be biding out the job to friends and/​or relatives because this bridge is forever being painted and needing it again the following year. Anywho, it’s a good bridge other than that. It connects Camden, New Jersey and Philly. It’s a pedestrian friendly bridge also. I’ve never actually crossed it myself, but I frequently see others during the warmer months making their way over. The road surface is decent. Should be a bit better since they charge $ 5 to cross it, but hey, whatcha gonna do? They have the NJ EZ Pass lanes set up on this bridge as well as the Walt Whitman Bridge. So, if you have EZ Pass, it’s a breeze. There’s an EZ Pass walk-​in customer service building at the base of the bridge on the Camden side also in case you needed to speak to them regarding your account. It’s a lot easier than getting an actual human on the phone these days and the people that work there are pretty friendly and helpful. I like that they change the lights that extend over the length of the bridge to festive colors during the winter holidays. It’s makes the city look even more inviting.

I come here a lot. I’ve driven in here, walked on the walkway. You get a nice view of the city, you see Camden.

I LOVE THIS BRIDGE! Maybe because i’m ALWAYS on it! it’s the closest to where I live, and also the most convenient.
Toll is 5 bucks, if you don’t wanna pay that, you can always walk across. LOL.
I will not lie, sometimes at night on the weekends they could use more staffing. The lines get crazy for cash.
Maybe it’s a problem they will fix.
If you are drinking and driving (don’t do it!), this is the bridge to AVOID! I see people getting field sobritiy tests ALL the time right off of the bridge. They prey on drivers because they know they are coming from the city, hence, going out.

Got to say I always have loved the Ben franklin bridge even when I did live by it and had to travel yo Philly. First and foremost it is a beautiful constructed bridge with a view like you wouldnt believe going across. Noe if you are a runner you will get something special out of this as running the bridge gibes you an even better view plus you have the luxury of taking pictures. The bridge is 5 $ to get over which isn’t great compared to the other bridges into Philly are actually cheaper but it still isn’t as bad as the gwb in NY which is like 15 $ so keep that in mind. Plus this bridge doesn’t open up for boats so you don’t have to worry about that either. Lastly they have been doing construction lately so there are sometimes delays especially in the early morning and at night. The commuting hours to factor that in.

I ride my bike over the bridge often and the walkway is excellent. It is wide and patrolled and there are beautiful views of both Philadelphia and Camden. Sometimes I see boot camps and other activities on the walkway. Everyone is usually pretty friendly up there. The architecture is very cool and I would love to go inside some of the buildings along the walkway. They were opened for the 50^th anniversary. I have heard they are planning a ramp for for the walkway on the Camden side to eliminate the steps and make it more accessible.
Driving across is pretty painless and it is the best way to get to CC from NJ. Seems like they are always painting part of the bridge though.
There are also some nice views from the Camden river front and Penn’s Landing.

The moment I saw the bridge I knew I wanted to run on it. I went around 9:30 in the morning and since the sun was scorching, there were barely any runners — around 7 – 10 others the entire hour I was there. But the shade by the bridge will keep you cool and since it’s by the Delaware River, the breeze was wonderful.
My distance clocked in at around 4 km. It was a peaceful run and officers patrolled the bridge to make sure everyone is safe.

Be careful! There are definitely Port Authority CRAWLING all over this bridge, but of all the bridges into the city, this is my favorite, and most convenient. Traffic into the city always looks horrific during rush hours (work commutes to and from). There are usually enough people on staff at the tool booths, and none of the staff has ever been anything but nice to me.

I appreciated how well traffic moved across this bridge both during morning and evening rush hour traffic. I expected it to be more of a snarl, yet the good folks in Pennsylvania + New Jersey have certainly made this bridge a good travel option.
One thing that I noticed is that there is a $ 5 charge to use this bridge upon entering Philadelphia, yet no charge when you are entering New Jersey. While I somewhat appreciated not being charged for entering New Jersey, I’ll be better prepared to have more cash on hand for the bridge toll (spent my morning Starbucks money instead). If there is an EZ Pass option for the non-​local to the area, I’ll certainly look into it.
Nonetheless, taking this bridge into the heart of Center City is actually pretty cool. Made me enjoy one of the country’s most iconic cities just a bit more.

So I couldn’t even start to count the number of times I’ve gone over the Ben Franklin Bridge in my life. By car, by train, and now I can add by foot.
If you are planning to head into Center City or out to the PA burbs via 76, this bridge probably makes the most sense. If you are leaving the city and want to head to the Jersey burbs such as the Cherry Hill shopping areas, the BFB would make the most sense as well. As with most (all?) local bridges, you pay on your way out of NJ.
You get gorgeous views of the skyline coming into Center City. If you catch a sunset or storm, you get a scenic bonus. The view isn’t so hot coming into Jersey with the approach shot of Camden in the horizon, but I guess you can’t win them all.
Yesterday I had a totally new bridge experience and it inspired me to (finally!) write this review. I ran from Franklin Square to Camden and back to Philly. I know people having been using the bridge for runs for years but I had NO idea how steep that was or what a great workout you can get. The pedestrian path is much steeper than the vehicle lanes. The pedestrian path is located on the east side of the bridge and is wide enough for runners, walkers and bikers to get a workout in. The same goes for the views when on the pedestrian path, except you get even more time to soak in the Philly skyline.
By nature of any bridge, traffic will suck. Unless you jump or push your car over, you’re stuck. All and all, it’s a pretty cool bridge to have connecting Philly and Jersey.

Something about the Ben Franklin Bridge reminds me of my childhood visiting my grandparents in Philly. Or maybe it has something to do with my roots… being born in New Jersey, even if I only lived there for a year, sticks with a girl. Whatever the case may be, it’s nostalgic and larger than life to me.
So on Saturday night, my BFF Ed C and I enjoyed a sunset walk across the bridge. This was after an afternoon walk all over South Philly, and after a morning walk to the flea market. It was a big day for walking.
It was a great walk. And I won’t blame the bridge for when I fell down in front of the Mint. Or for when I fell down again on the stairs in front of my apartment. Sometimes I fall. It happens. So go take a walk, across the bridge or not, and if you fall down, do what I did – laugh at yourself.

Great cities have great bridges. New York has the Brooklyn Bridge; think about San Francisco and you think of the Golden Gate. In Philadelphia, its greatest span is named in honor of Benjamin Franklin Driving over the bridge and passing under its two tall towers connected by tapering cables, instills a fearful exhilaration. This bridge does not merely span the Delaware, it soars over the river rising more than 135 feet above the water, the paint scheme seems to merge with the sky in the day then at dusk the magical transformation begins. Few bridges are celebrated to this extent the lighting is dynamic and is only limited by the imagination of its creator. If you’ve ever witnessed this bizarre light show you’ll immediately understand how the love affair by people on both sides of the river began.
Completed in 1926 at a cost $ 37,000,000 and change this was a joint venture between both states to replace the ferry crossings that literally took hours to breach the river because of the line of cars waiting to board in both directions. In the first 24 hours of the bridge’s midnight opening more that 32,000 cars crossed the bridge not only is that a historic fact it’s validation that this mammoth structure of steel and concrete was destine to be a proud symbol of independence by all who depend on her strength and beauty daily.
For three years she stood on top as the worlds longest suspension bridge, today she ranks 57^th but those who know her continue to look at her and marvel, and even though Benjamin Franklin’s name may be branded in her identity she’s still a lady to those that love and appreciate her beauty.

Best run in the city! There are pedestrian walkways on either side of the bridge that make for a great run. It’s about 3 miles round trip with great views in all directions. The view of the Philly skyline is incredible, especially at sunset. On top of that, it’s never very crowded and is a great workout because of the inclines going in both directions.

This is usually the bridge we use when traveling into philly. You only pay toll going into philly and it is $ 5. No toll coming back. Great bridge as it is well maintained now if we could only avoid the aggressive philly drivers. A girl can dream!
More than traveling into philly I really enjoy running the bridge. It is easily a 1.5 run to philly and back to camden. The views are breathtaking when you factor in the fresh air and summer views.

Many a day I’ve sped across this bridge… hold on, do the cops read these reviews? Oh well…
It’s a lovely bridge boasting even lovelier views of the waterfront & Phila skyline. Of all the bridges in/​out of Phila, I like this one the most. I always seem to get thru to NY via NJ quicker by taking this bridge route; probably a psychological thing but I like it.
Rush hour traffic & traffic in general is an issue on any bridge or roadway so stop with the moaning folks. This is an old favourite!

The traffic usually flows well on this bridge and I would sometime leave the Tacony-​Palmyra Bridge alone when there was an opening scheduled and drive all the way south to this bridge.
They always have plenty of lanes open in both directions and the toll is reasonable for what you get. Plus, the PATCO trains use the bridge, so they likely help support the cost.

How to account for the two entries for this wonderful blue bridge on Unilocal?
From the Philadelphia side it is called the, «Benjamin Franklin Bridge.» The Jersey Strong side in Camden has named it the, «Ben Franklin Bridge.» Seems more reviews use Ben.
I guess Jersey has a more casual relationship with this Founding Father. But, we must ask if Benjamin would have anything to say about the 19^th Century propriety of calling this prodigious and glorious old boy, «Ben,» as opposed to his given name?
I’ll stick with Benjamin until he and I are formally introduced and get on a first name basis.

Ben Franklin Bridge, what is there to say about this fine structure that allows you to go to Jersey and back. Beautiful scenery, especially when it is lit up at night, this bridge stands out from the rest. An icon, a historical landmark well known from any place from TV (Always Sunny in Philadelphia) to movies (Shooter; with Mark Wahlberg).
Beautiful blue colored lights gleaming at night that leads you to center city, which is always a great sight to see. This bridge is made for everything and everyone, from trains, and cars to pedestrians taking a stroll. Even while driving on Delaware Ave it’s a marvel to look at with Penn’s Landing near by. You could be on the outside deck at Dave and Busters and just sit back enjoy your beverage of choice while watching a stream of lights go across. Its a great view, somewhat tranquil experience, not a worry in the world.
This is tops among bridges with scenery views along with access points to where ever you are heading.

Let’s be honest… Was the $ 5 Toll put in place just to keep people from New Jersey out of Philly?
I have been over this bridge during the day, but at night it’s even more spectacular. Beautiful functional landmark. Traffic has been hit and miss, but my biggest problem (not being from around here) is getting off on the right exits. They all seem to be on top of each other and kind of confusing to a non-​local.