Benjamin Franklin Suspension Bridge

This is an image set within the Bridgemeister collection.

Bridge:Benjamin Franklin Suspension Bridge
Location:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Camden, New Jersey, USA - Delaware River
Coordinates and Maps:See related inventory record(s).
Image Set Contributor:David Denenberg
Date of Images:July 1, 2007
Related Suspension Bridge Inventory:1926 Benjamin Franklin (Philadelphia-Camden) - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Camden, New Jersey, USA
Related Image Lists:All from David Denenberg
All in Pennsylvania
All in New Jersey
All in USA
All Vehicular Suspension Bridges
Credit:All photos by David Denenberg. Please do not reuse without permission.

I was hoping for a peaceful morning walk across this bridge early Sunday morning. All was fine (and the weather beautiful) until about 7:50AM when I was stopped and questioned by a police officer while photographing near the Philadelphia tower. He didn't exactly tell me to stop taking photos, but he specifically asked that I not take photos of the sections of the cable that have been enclosed in steel grating. Since I had plans to leave the Philadelphia area soon after leaving the bridge, I put the camera away (until I got off the bridge) instead of risking a second discussion debating where exactly I was pointing the lens. Approaching from the Philadelphia side, there are no photography warnings along the pedestrian walkway. It probably didn't help that it was early on a Sunday morning and there was no one else on the bridge except for a few joggers.

The neat, elevated walkway runs along the top of the stiffening truss (and over subway tracks). Looking toward Philadelphia.

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Looking toward Camden.

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Oops. Here comes Officer Spoilsport on his bicycle. After a brief question and answer session, I put the camera away and enjoyed the rest of the bridge.

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The remainder of the photos were all taken from the Philadelphia side (after my encounter with local law enforcement on the bridge).

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There's the midspan section Officer Spoilsport was most concerned about. The main cables have been enclosed by steel grating where they come closest to the top of the stiffening truss (and the walkway).

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Notice top left, where the main cable meets the anchorage. The cable is enclosed in steel mesh like center span.

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The nearby Walt Whitman bridge as seen from the Ben Franklin bridge.

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