MLK Drive Bridge

Bridge in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

39°57′52″N 75°11′02″W / 39.96449°N 75.18389°W / 39.96449; -75.18389CarriesMartin Luther King, Jr. DriveCrossesSchuylkill River, Schuylkill River TrailLocalePhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaOfficial nameMartin Luther King, Jr. Drive BridgeOther name(s)West River Drive BridgeOwnerPennsylvania Department of TransportationMaintained byPennDOTID number677301025000120CharacteristicsDesigngirderMaterialSteel, concreteTotal length701.1 feetWidth36.1 feetNo. of spans3Piers in water2HistoryOpened1966Location Map

The MLK Drive Bridge is a steel girder bridge built in 1966 over the Schuylkill River on Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive (formerly known as West River Drive) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation owns and maintains the bridge.^[1] The western end of this bridge is upstream from the western end of the Spring Garden Street Bridge, but the eastern end of this bridge is downstream from the eastern end of the Spring Garden Street Bridge.

The bridge is currently closed to all traffic as it undergoes a reconstruction project which is expected to be completed in 2025.^[2] The bridge's rehabilitation includes expanding the width at street level, providing space for a dedicated bicycle and pedestrian lane which will connect to the MLK Drive trail; the $20.1 million project was funded by the Bridge Formula Program grant included in the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law by President Joe Biden.^[3]

Gallery

MLK Drive Bridge, looking west.
As viewed from a kayak on the Schuylkill River. The MLK Drive Bridge is the lower of the two.

References

^ "West River Drive Bridge". Historic Bridges of the United States. James Baughn. 2010-07-26. Archived from the original on 9 Nov 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
^ Fitzgerald, Thomas (13 Jan 2023). "Beginning in February, MLK Drive bridge will be closed to the public until summer 2025". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 9 Feb 2024.
^ Cassidy, Matthew (April 4, 2024). "Infrastructure Roundup: City Receives $158M Grant for Chinatown Stitch, Secretary Buttigieg Tours MLK Drive Bridge Project, and More". City of Philadelphia. Retrieved May 9, 2024.