Been There/Done That

Up and Over the Ben Franklin Bridge

by Carolyn Wyman

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Published: Jul 10, 2007

Sat., July 21 (and once monthly through October), 1-3:30 p.m., $25 (includes PATCO ride back), reservations required, Landmarks Walking Tours, 215-925-2251, ext. 4, www.philalandmarks.org

Hurling toward Camden on the Ben Franklin Bridge at 70 mph in a car is scary enough. I couldn't imagine crossing by foot � which is the idea behind Landmarks' guided walking tour of the Ben Franklin Bridge.

Those signing up receive an e-mail warning of possible hazards from strong sun and wind, to kamikaze bicyclists, to the chance that the walkway might even be closed. But not only was the walkway open, it was unexpectedly wide and clean � much more so than Center City streets (even without constantly sweeping Center City District employees). Thanks to the gentle grade and frequent stops to look and learn, the two-mile trek also isn't all that physically demanding.

The Ben Franklin Bridge debuted in 1926 with the "longest span between two towers," rivets instead of nuts and bolts, and two cables instead of the usual four, tour researcher and guide Harry Kyriakodis explained. Other trivia includes stories about the Delaware River's long-gone island resort and the church that got the bridge moved 14 feet so they wouldn't have to (such being the power of God or well-connected St. George's Methodists).

"Now you can cross walking the Ben Franklin Bridge off your list of things to do before you die," Kyriakodis declared after as we navigated our way through the smelly and debris-strewn steps of the Camden City Hall PATCO stop. This return to Earth and its realities also called to mind what Kyriakodis had said was one of the bridge's sadder legacies: "By cutting a direct route from Philly to the turnpikes, the Ben Franklin Bridge killed Camden."

 

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