Upgrade work is being carried out on the iconic Benjamin Franklin Bridge connecting Philadelphia in Pennsylvania with neighbouring Camden in New Jersey. The work is being handled by a division of the Swedish contractor Skanska and is expected to cost close to US$210 million. The improvement work is due for completion in late 2024.
The bridge is owned and operated by the Delaware River Port Authority, which awarded the contract for the work to Skanska. A key portion of the work is to install dehumidification equipment and new wrapping material to the main cables for the suspension bridge. This will address issues of corrosion and help to boost the working life of the structure. Other work being carried out includes widening the pedestrian walkways, painting and the addition of new lighting.
The bridge spans the Delaware River, measures 1.1km in length and carries I-676 and US Route 30, featuring seven lanes for vehicle traffic as well as two rail lines. The structure opened to traffic in 1926 and for a time featured the longest central span of any suspension bridge in the world, at 533m. It was then surpassed in this respect when the Ambassador Bridge opened in 1929, connecting Detroit in the US with Ontario in Canada.
