PHILADELPHIA – This Saturday, July 11, 2026, one of the region’s most iconic landmarks will trade its daily rush of 100,000 vehicles for a sea of pedestrians. In honor of its centennial, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge will officially close to all vehicular traffic, allowing the public to walk the main roadway for the first time in a quarter-century. The last time the bridge was opened to pedestrians in this capacity was for the 75th anniversary in 2001.
Opening originally as the "Delaware River Bridge" in 1926—at the time the world’s longest suspension bridge—the span was a centerpiece of the United States’ Sesquicentennial celebration. A century later, the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) is marking the milestone with a grand public festival. The bridge will be closed to cars and trucks from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, giving visitors a rare opportunity to traverse the main travel lanes on foot and enjoy panoramic views of the Philadelphia and Camden skylines.
The primary celebration takes place on the Camden side of the bridge near the toll plaza, running from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, featuring a variety of family-friendly attractions. Attendees can explore a pop-up museum featuring artifacts from the bridge’s construction, historic photographs, and one of the original 75-foot-tall bronze "Winged Victory" statues that once adorned the bridge’s pylons. Kids and adults alike can get up close to bridge maintenance vehicles, including the famous "Zipper truck" responsible for shifting lane barriers to accommodate daily traffic flow. The event will also feature a DJ, live music, food trucks, and a designated family fun zone. Furthermore, following sunset, the bridge’s LED lighting system will host a special display, cycling through blue and green light shows every 30 minutes until 2:00 a.m.
While the event is free, the DRPA encourages attendees to register in advance at drpa.org/BFB100 to help organizers manage crowd sizes and ensure a safe experience. Getting to the event is designed to be seamless for residents on both sides of the river. PATCO trains will run every 20 minutes throughout the event duration. Additionally, two dedicated shuttle routes will operate continuously, connecting the Franklin Square Station at 7th and Race streets in Philadelphia to the event site, and another between the Camden City Hall Station and the toll plaza. Motorists who usually rely on the Ben Franklin Bridge are advised to use the Walt Whitman Bridge as an alternative route during the closure. Whether you are a history buff, an architecture enthusiast, or simply looking for a unique way to spend a Saturday, this centennial event offers a once-in-a-generation chance to experience the "Grand Old Lady" of the Delaware River from a perspective usually reserved for the steel and stone.
