
The Tacony–Palmyra Bridge is a combination steel
tied-arch
A tied-arch bridge is an arch bridge in which the outward horizontal forces of the arch(es) caused by tension at the arch ends to a foundation are countered by equal tension of its own gravity plus any element of the total deck structure such gre ...
and double-leaf
bascule bridge
A bascule bridge (also referred to as a drawbridge or a lifting bridge) is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or leaf, throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- or ...
across the
Delaware River that connects
New Jersey Route 73
Route 73 is a state highway in the southern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It runs as an outer bypass of the Camden area from an intersection with U.S. Route 322 (US 322) in Folsom, Atlantic County, north to the Tacony–Palmyra ...
in
Palmyra, New Jersey
Palmyra is a borough in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 7,438, an increase of 40 (+0.5%) from the 2010 census count of 7,398, which in turn reflected an inc ...
with
Pennsylvania Route 73
Pennsylvania Route 73 (PA 73) is a long east–west state highway in southeastern Pennsylvania. It runs from PA 61 near Leesport southeast to the New Jersey state line on the Tacony–Palmyra Bridge over the Delaware River in ...
in the
Tacony section of
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
. The bridge, designed by
Polish-born architect
Ralph Modjeski
Ralph Modjeski (born Rudolf Modrzejewski; January 27, 1861 – June 26, 1940) was a Polish Americans, Polish-American civil engineer who achieved prominence as "America's greatest bridge builder."
Life
He was born in Bochnia, called Galicia (Cen ...
, has a total length of and spans . After one and a half years of construction, it opened on August 14, 1929, replacing
ferry service that had operated between Tacony and Palmyra since May 6, 1922.

Owned and maintained by the
Burlington County Bridge Commission of
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the ea ...
, the bridge has a $4 cash toll and $3
E-ZPass
E-ZPass is an electronic toll collection system used on toll roads, toll bridges, and toll tunnels in the Eastern United States, Midwestern United States, and Southern United States. The E-ZPass Interagency Group (IAG) consists of member agenci ...
toll for northbound (Pennsylvania-bound) traffic.
Despite interruptions due to occasional openings for passing shipping traffic (the upper
Delaware River is navigable as far north as
Van Sciver Lake near
Bristol, Pennsylvania
Bristol is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located northeast of Center City Philadelphia, opposite Burlington, New Jersey on the Delaware River. It antedates Philadelphia, being settled in 1681 and first incorpor ...
), it serves as a lower-cost alternative to the more southerly, six-lane, high-span
Betsy Ross Bridge
The Betsy Ross Bridge, also known as the Ross Memorial Bridge, is a continuous steel truss bridge spanning the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Pennsauken, New Jersey. It was built from 1969 to 1974, and opened in April 1976, d ...
, which charges $5 for the westbound crossing.
Built with four lanes, the bridge was modified in 1997 to have three wider lanestwo northbound towards Philadelphia and one southbound towards
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the ea ...
.
A walkway provides access for pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
The bascule draw span is located immediately east of the main, arched span. On October 10, 2013, the bascule span jammed and became stuck in the open position when a roller under the maintenance walkway seized, closing the bridge for approximately eleven hours.
In 2016, work began on rehabilitation and improved traffic controls systems, including barriers and traffic lights.
See also
*
List of crossings of the Delaware River
This is a list of bridges and other crossings of the Delaware River from the Atlantic Ocean upstream to its source(s).
Crossings
See also
* George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River
*
*
*
*
*
References
External links
...
*
Tacony, Philadelphia
Tacony ( del, tèkhane) is a historic neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia, about from downtown ("Center City") Philadelphia. It is bounded by the east side of Frankford Avenue on the northwest, the south side of Cottman Avenue on the northeas ...
*
Palmyra, New Jersey
Palmyra is a borough in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 7,438, an increase of 40 (+0.5%) from the 2010 census count of 7,398, which in turn reflected an inc ...
References
External links
*
Tacony-Palmyra Bridge Burlington County Bridge Commission,
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the ea ...
*
*Ehrhart, W.D.
"Drawbridges on the Delaware" ''"
Virginia Quarterly Review
The ''Virginia Quarterly Review'' is a quarterly literary magazine that was established in 1925 by James Southall Wilson, at the request of University of Virginia president E. A. Alderman. This ''"National Journal of Literature and Discussion"' ...
"'', Autumn 2002.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tacony-Palmyra Bridge
Bascule bridges in the United States
Toll bridges in New Jersey
Toll bridges in Pennsylvania
Bridges completed in 1929
Bridges over the Delaware River
Bridges in Burlington County, New Jersey
Bridges in Philadelphia
Road bridges in New Jersey
Road bridges in Pennsylvania
Tied arch bridges in the United States
Northeast Philadelphia
Palmyra, New Jersey
Steel bridges in the United States
Interstate vehicle bridges in the United States
1929 establishments in New Jersey
1929 establishments in Pennsylvania