Betsy Ross Bridge

crossings: the Betsy Ross Bridge crossing from Bridesburg to Pennsauken Township, New Jersey (right), the Tacony–Palmyra Bridge (lower left), and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge (upper right) Construction began in 1969, and was completed in 1974. However, the bridge did not open to traffic until April 30, 1976 In 1997, work to construct new ramps to the Pennsylvania side began. It was completed in 1999. The bridge has a total length of , and a main span of . Though originally constructed with eight lanes, the bridge was reduced to six lanes with two shoulders in 2000, a median barrier was also placed on the deck. The bridge is owned and operated by the Delaware River Port Authority. When approaching the exits from I-95 in Philadelphia for the bridge, drivers see signs referring to NJ Route 90. Beyond the toll plaza, which is on the New Jersey side, Route 90 continues as an expressway with maximum speed limit of , and in a few miles ends with a merge onto southbound Route 73. The toll plaza (westbound tolls only) is 12 lanes wide, and since 2000 has been a participating E-ZPass facility. ==Tolls==

A $6.00 one-way toll is charged entering Pennsylvania for passenger vehicles ( or less gross vehicle weight). An $18 credit is given on a per tag basis for New Jersey-issued E-ZPass tags that crossed one of the four DRPA bridges 18 times in a calendar month. This discount had been suspended in 2010 but was since reinstated. Trucks, commercial vehicles, mobile homes, and recreational vehicles (weighing at least gross vehicle weight) pay $9 cash per axle. Seniors aged 65 and over can use a discount program to pay $3.00 per trip with New Jersey E-ZPass. On July 17, 2024, the DRPA approved an increase in the toll for passenger vehicles from $5.00 to $6.00, which went into effect on September 1, 2024. == Plans ==

In 2011, the DRPA initiated the process of awarding an engineering contract to plan out the redecking of the bridge, as the concrete deck, its asphalt overlay, and the joints between the concrete have deteriorated after 35 years of service. Upon approval of the contract by the DRPA Board, the study is expected to take 30 months. No cost estimates or time frame for the actual redecking project have been announced. With related improvements to Interstate 95 through Northeastern Philadelphia county, the Betsy Ross Bridge Interchange Project (Exit 26) was initiated in March 2015 to replace the decking on the ramps on the Pennsylvania side of the bridge and complete the access ramps to Aramingo Avenue. ==Gallery==

File:Betsy Ross Bridge eastbound.jpg|Eastbound across the Betsy Ross Bridge, from Philadelphia to Pennsauken, New Jersey across the Delaware River File:Betsy Ross Bridge, from Delair Bridge, July 2024.jpg|The Betsy Ross Bridge as seen from the Delair Bridge, July 2024 File:NorthPhiladelphiaAerial-BetsyRossBridge-Aug2013 (26252086568).jpg|An aerial view of the Betsy Ross Bridge and Delair Bridge ==See also==