Benjamin Franklin Bridge will close to car traffic in July for 100th anniversary celebration

One week after the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge will close to car traffic to commemorate its 100th anniversary. 

On Saturday, July 11, the Delaware River Port Authority will host a celebration for the Ben Franklin Bridge — which connects Philadelphia and Camden — on the New Jersey side of the bridge near the toll plaza. A rain date is scheduled for Sunday, July 12. More details, including event hours, will be announced soon, according to the DRPA. 

"For a century, the Ben Franklin Bridge has connected Philadelphia and Camden, linking communities, supporting commerce, and moving millions of people across the Delaware River," The DRPA wrote about the celebration on its website. "Join us as we celebrate this historic milestone and look ahead to the next 100 years."  

The celebration will be a family-friendly event and include live music, performances, food trucks and carnival rides. Attendees will also have the chance to engage with historical content about the Ben Franklin Bridge, including a pop-up museum highlighting its legacy. 

The Ben Franklin Bridge will be closed to all traffic during the event, and drivers are encouraged to use the Walt Whitman Bridge as an alternative route. 

When it opened in 1926, the Ben Franklin Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world. It was also originally called the "Delaware River Bridge." Construction to build the bridge took 4-and-a-half years, from 1922 to 1926. 

According to the DRPA, the bridge was designed for cars, trains, trolleys and pedestrians all in one structure.