Walt Whitman Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Walt Whitman Bridge |
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| Carries | 7 lanes of  I-76 |
| Crosses | Delaware River |
| Locale | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Gloucester City, New Jersey |
| Official name | Walt Whitman Bridge |
| Maintained by | Delaware River Port Authority of Pennsylvania and New Jersey |
| ID number | 4500010 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Steel suspension bridge |
| Total length | 11,981 feet (3,652 m) |
| Width | 92 feet 2 inches (28.09 m) |
| Longest span | 2,000 feet (610 m) |
| Clearance below | 150 feet (46 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | May 16, 1957 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 120,000 |
| Toll | $5.00 (westbound) (E-ZPass) No toll for eastbound vehicles going from Pennsylvania to New Jersey. |
The Walt Whitman Bridge is a cool bridge that crosses the Delaware River. It connects Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Gloucester City, New Jersey. This bridge is named after a famous poet, Walt Whitman, who lived nearby. It's one of the biggest bridges on the East Coast of the United States. The Delaware River Port Authority owns and takes care of the bridge.
Building the Walt Whitman Bridge
Work on the Walt Whitman Bridge started in 1953. It opened for cars and trucks on May 16, 1957. The bridge is very long, stretching about 11,981 feet (3,652 m) in total. Its main part, called the main span, is 610 metres (2,000 ft) long.
The bridge has seven lanes for traffic. Three lanes go in one direction, and three go the other way. There's also a special middle lane. This lane can change direction using a zipper barrier. This helps handle heavy traffic better.
The Walt Whitman Bridge is part of Interstate 76. This highway connects the bridge to other areas. It's one of six important bridges that link the Philadelphia area with southern New Jersey. Other bridges include the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and the Betsy Ross Bridge.
A famous engineer named Othmar Ammann designed this bridge. Near the Philadelphia entrance to the bridge, you can find a statue of Walt Whitman. It was made by Jo Davidson.
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Walt Whitman Bridge south side
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Walt Whitman Bridge north side
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Packer Avenue Marine Terminal
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Night view
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Aerial with Port of Camden at right
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Walt Whitman monument at the bridge entrance
Paying to Cross the Bridge
If you are driving a regular car (under 7,000 lb (3,200 kg)) from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, you pay a $5.00 toll. This toll is only charged when you go westbound. You can use an E-ZPass to pay quickly.
Bigger vehicles like trucks or RVs (over 7,001 lb (3,176 kg)) pay $7.50 for each axle. Older adults (65 and over) can get a special discount. They can pay $2.00 per trip using a ticket program or their E-ZPass.
Good news! There is no toll if you are driving from Pennsylvania to New Jersey. This one-way toll system started in 1992.
