Betsy Ross Bridge - History

History

Construction began in 1969, and was completed in 1974. However, the bridge did not open to traffic until April 1976 due to numerous problems with the communities where the bridge's ramps to and from Richmond Street were located. The problems (concerns over traffic, especially heavy trucks) were also related to the route's planned extension across Northeast Philadelphia to the Roosevelt Expressway. The cancellation of this extension, the planned PA 90 (Pulaski Expressway) resulted in so-called "Evel Knievel" ghost ramps – unfinished bridges and fly-over ramps, some of which were later constructed to serve Aramingo Avenue in the city's Bridesburg section. Currently, the route serves as a high-level multi-lane (six lanes, separated by a concrete median barrier) bypass of the three-lane Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, which has a drawbridge on the span.

Construction in 1988 connected the bridge to New Jersey Route 90, allowing drivers to use NJ 90 to access Route 73, rather than via U.S. Route 130.

The bridge has a total length of 8,485 feet (2,586 m), and a main span of 729 feet (222 m). Though originally constructed with eight lanes, the bridge was reduced to six lanes with two shoulders in 2000. The bridge is owned and operated by the Delaware River Port Authority.

When approaching the exits from I-95 in Philadelphia for this bridge, drivers see signs referring to NJ Route 90. Beyond the toll plaza, which is on the New Jersey side, NJ 90 continues as an expressway with maximum speed limit of 50 mph (80 km/h), and in a few miles ends with a merge onto southbound NJ 73. The toll plaza (westbound tolls only) is 12 lanes wide, and since 2000 has been a participating E-ZPass facility.