Projects

PROJECT DETAILS

Project cost: $10.5 million
Completion date: June 2019

WALKWAY BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN RAMP

Project Description

This 18-month project improved accessibility to the south walkway of the Ben Franklin Bridge in New Jersey by replacing the existing stairway with a ramp.

"The bridge's 1.5-mile walkway is a fantastic transportation and recreational opportunity with picturesque views of the Philadelphia and Camden waterfront," said John T. Hanson, DRPA CEO. "The new ramp makes walkway access significantly easier for bicyclists and those on foot or with strollers."

Previously, the south side walkway in Camden was only accessible via a 25-foot-high stairway, making it challenging to individuals who are physically disabled or impaired. Bicyclists had no choice but to carry or push their bicycles up or down using steel plates on the edge of the stairway.

The $7.9 million project was funded in part by a $3.8 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration's Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and a $400 thousand grant from the William Penn Foundation.

A ribbon cutting was held on Tuesday, June 4, 2019 to officially open the ramp to the public. The event featured approximately 150 bicyclists, as well as walkers, who were excited to cross the new ramp for the first time.

"We carry out our mission of connecting people ... and this walkway is part of it," Hanson said during the ceremony.


MULTIMEDIA

View the project under construction in April of 2019:


Photo Gallery


ADDITIONAL PROJECTS

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