Site Navigation Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont     Interstate 95 Northbound Philadelphia County Exit 12 leaves Interstate 95 northbound for the terminal of Philadelphia International Airport. New ramps opened for the airport on June 28, 2002 as part of a $86.5 million project to built the new roadway and resurface Interstate 95 near the airport.3 Passing overhead are ramps to the airport from Interstate 95 southbound. Photo taken 03/23/04. The right-hand lane becomes exit only for Exit 13, Pennsylvania 291 (Pennrose Avenue) west, the George Platte Bridge, and Interstate 76 west. There is no direct access between Interstate 95 north and Interstate 76 west at Exit 19. Therefore all interests for the Schuylkill Expressway westbound for University City, Mannyunk, Roxborough, Conshohocken (pop. 7,589), and Valley Forge are directed northward via the Platte Bridge and Pennsylvania 291 to Exit 347 interchange at Passyunk Avenue. Photo taken 03/23/04. A lengthy collector/distributor roadway departs Interstate 95 northbound for Pennsylvania 291 (Pennrose Avenue) westbound as Exit 13. The two-lane carriageway features ramps from Philadelphia International Airport and too Island Avenue and Pennsylvania 291 (Pennrose Avenue) east. Photo taken 04/10/04. The resigning project that coincided with the 2002 opening of the Exit 12 ramp to Philadelphia International Airport saw the removal of this sign bridge for Exit 13 (old Exit 11). Depicted here are the previously used button copy signs indicating Pennsylvania 291 west to Interstate 76 west as the route to Central Philadelphia and Interstate 95 with the control city of just Philadelphia. Also of note here is that the concrete surface laid in 1985 was overlaid with asphalt between 2002 and 2004. Photo taken 07/05/00 Now on the Exit 13 collector/distributor roadway, northbound travelers pass under one of two sign bridges situated within the flight path of the airport. Notice the downward facing light fixtures and short light posts for the freeway. These adjustments to the lighting system of Interstate 95 were made to reduce the glare for landing planes above. The left-hand panel is the same panel from the removed sign bridge pictured in the above photobox. The right-hand panel is the first to indicate the connection to Island Avenue for Exit 13. Photo taken 04/10/04. Drawing close to the collector/distributor roadway split between Interstate 95 north and Pennsylvania 291 (Pennrose Avenue) west. Island Avenue travels north from Hog Island Road and Fort Mifflin to Woodland Avenue and Cobbs Creek Parkway near the borough of Darby (pop. 10,299) underneath Interstate 95 here. Photo taken 04/10/04. Peering at the Exit 13 sign bridge on the c/d roadway pictured above from the Interstate 95 northbound mainline. The George Platte Bridge of Pennsylvania 291 (Pennrose Avenue) draws into view in the background. Photo taken 03/23/04. A third view of the sign bridge at the Island Avenue underpass on Interstate 95 north. Note the replaced guide sign for then Exit 11 (Pennsylvania 291 west & Interstate 76 west) and original concrete. Of additional historical note, the bend of Interstate 95 near Island Avenue represents the location where the never built Interstate 695 (Crosstown Expressway) would have began. The loop of Interstate 95 was to provide a direct link to Interstate 76 (Schuylkill Expressway) west of Central Philadelphia. Photo taken 07/05/00. Traffic on the northbound c/d roadway splits between Interstate 95 north and Pennsylvania 291. The eastbound loop ramp onto Pennsylvania 291 (Pennrose Avenue) for adjacent Island Avenue departs the Exit 13 off-ramp beyond the c/d roadway partition. Photo taken 04/10/04. The partition of traffic between Pennsylvania 291 (George Platte Bridge) west and Pennsylvania 291 (Pennrose Avenue) east to Island Avenue. Two overall lanes merge with Pennrose Avenue to cross the Platte Bridge over the Schuylkill River. From the north end of the Pennsylvania 291 turns westward from Pennrose Avenue onto S. 26th Street to Passyunk Avenue, Oregon Avenue, and Interstate 76 (Schuylkill Expressway). Photo taken 04/10/04. Interstate 95 meanwhile ascends on the Girard Point Bridge over the Schuylkill River two miles south of the Exit 17 off-ramp onto Pennsylvania 611 (Broad Street) northbound. A partial "Y" interchange brings traffic onto the bridge from Enterprise Avenue (Exit 13 southbound). The upcoming interchange represents the southern terminus of Pennsylvania 611. Photo taken 03/23/04. The Girard Point Bridge becomes a double decked affair over the Schuylkill River and navigational channel itself. Northbound motorists utilize the lower deck of the span. Pictured here is the 1.50-mile sign bridge for Pennsylvania 611 (Broad Street) and Exit 19. Photo taken 03/23/04. The Girard Point Bridge carries six overall lanes with full right-hand shoulders in each direction. Below is the former Philadelphia Navy Yard, now the Philadelphia Naval Business Center, and Roosevelt Park. The Philadelphia Navy Yard ceased to exist as a military entity on September 30, 1995. Photos taken 03/23/04. Interstate 95 northbound reemerges from the superstructure of the southbound deck one quarter mile ahead of the Exit 17 off-ramp of the Pennsylvania 611 (Broad Street) northbound beginning. Pennsylvania 611 flows northward from here through South Philadelphia to Center City. The arterial of Broad Street was once apart of U.S. 611 and Pennsylvania 291 from here to City Hall (Pennsylvania 3). Photo taken 03/23/04. Pennsylvania 611 northbound begins as Interstate 95 passes by the Wachovia Center, home of the Philadelphia Flyers and Philadelphia 76ers, and Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles. Exit 17 is also signed for Pattison Avenue, an east-west street between Broad Street and Columbus Boulevard. Pattison Avenue provides the main access road to Lincoln Financial Field and nearby Citizens Bank Ballpark, home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Photo taken 03/23/04. Interstate 95 is known as the Delaware Expressway from the Girard Point Bridge northward throughout the city of Philadelphia. The six to eight lane freeway varies between an elevated highway and depressed freeway as it cuts through the various neighborhoods and industrial areas along the Delaware River. Pictured here is the one-mile overhead for Exit 19 (Interstate 76 east & Packer Avenue) as Interstate 95 passes by Lincoln Financial Field. Photo taken 03/23/04. The Walt Whitman Bridge comes into view as Interstate 95 northbound travels to within one half mile of the Exit 19 off-ramp. The Walt Whitman Bridge carries Interstate 76 across the Delaware River into Camden, New Jersey. The span originally was apart of Pennsylvania 43 and then Interstate 676. Tolls for the eastbound direction were removed by 1992 and the bridge is thus free into the Garden State. Photo taken 03/23/04. Exit 19 departs Interstate 95 northbound for Interstate 76 (Walt Whitman Bridge) east and Packer Avenue west. The loop ramp rises above Interstate 95 and turns west parallel to Packer Avenue. There a slip ramp links the ramp to Packer Avenue westbound before the overall roadway loops back east for Camden, New Jersey. Packer Avenue provides a second route to the Philadelphia sports complexes of Citizens Bank Ballpark and the Wachovia Center (via Broad Street). Photo taken 03/23/04. The Delaware Expressway ascends onto a viaduct north of the Walt Whitman Bridge at Oregon Avenue. The eight-lane freeway aligns parallel to the Delaware River, Swanson Street, and Columbus Boulevard in a north-south fashion. The first of two center city area interchanges departs in one mile for Washington Avenue and Columbus Boulevard via Exit 20. Photo taken 03/23/04. Portions of the downtown Philadelphia skyline come into view as the freeway nears Oregon Avenue. A set of auxiliary signs are posted for the Philadelphia Convention Center and the Penns Landing area along the Delaware River waterfront. The Penns Landing district is home to a river walk, outdoor concert amphitheatre, and several restaurants and adult entertainment venues. Photo taken 03/23/04. Ramps from Front Street and Interstate 76 westbound coalesce and merge onto Interstate 95 northbound above Oregon Avenue. North of there is a state-name Interstate 95 reassurance shield for the Delaware Expressway northbound. Most of the sign bridges used on Interstate 95 in Central Philadelphia are painted brown with screen backgrounds behind the signs. These types of assemblies were used in the Charleston, West Virginia area until recently as well. Photo taken 08/04/04. Drawing to within one half mile of the Exit 20 off-ramp onto adjacent Columbus Avenue. Columbus Avenue is a six-lane divided surface arterial through the Penns Landing and Society Hill sections of Philadelphia. The boulevard composes a busy commercial strip between the waterfront and the central business district attractions along South and Market Streets. Photo taken 08/04/04. Traffic to Columbus Boulevard and Washington Avenue depart Interstate 95 northbound. Washington Avenue itself begins at Columbus Boulevard just a short distance north of the Exit 20 off-ramp. The east-west street bisects Philadelphia between the Bella Vista and Queens Village neighborhoods and South Philadelphia between the Delaware River and Grays Ferry Road. Photo taken 08/04/04. The end of the Exit 20 off-ramp at Columbus Boulevard. A sign bridge directs motorists southward to Snyder and Oregon Avenues and northward to Penns Landing. Columbus Boulevard becomes an industrial roadway south of Oregon Avenue to Pattison Avenue. The nearest return ramp to Interstate 95 southbound exists four blocks to the south at Morris Street. Photo taken 08/04/04. Diagrammatical overhead for Exit 22, Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 (Vine Street Expressway & Ben Franklin Bridge) posted on Interstate 95 northbound beyond the Exit 20 gore point. Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 overlap between the Schuylkill Expressway eastward into Camden, New Jersey. The two split just east of the Ben Franklin Bridge at Admiral Wilson Boulevard. Photo taken 03/23/04. The Delaware Expressway drops below the city street grid north of Queen Street. At Spruce Street a cut and cover structure was built to conceal Interstate 95 completely from the city above as the freeway nears the Exit 22 stack interchange with the Vine Street Expressway. Above is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park and also Dock Street. Ramps to/from Columbus Boulevard and Market Street coincide with the Interstate 95 mainline through the tunnel. Day photo taken 09/19/04; night photos taken from the South Street pedestrian overpass on 03/28/04. Looking down upon the Delaware Expressway from the Chestnut Street overpass. Visible is the northbound on-ramp from Columbus Boulevard, Ben Franklin Bridge, and ramps to/from the Vine Street Expressway (Interstate 676 & U.S. 30). At the far left is the Market Street southbound on-ramp to Interstate 95. Photo taken 07/98. Ground level view of the Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 off-ramp from Interstate 95 northbound. Exit 22 includes an off-ramp to Callowhill Street westbound to provide access to the Ben Franklin Bridge eastbound. There is no direct access between the Vine Street Expressway and Ben Franklin Bridge. Instead motorists must cross 6th and 7th Streets to make the connection. Photo taken 08/04/04. Interstate 676 westbound traffic leaves Interstate 95 northbound at Exit 22. Visible in the background is a large concrete pier of the Ben Franklin Bridge. The suspension bridge anchor lies on the bedrock between the Delaware River banks and Interstate 95. The upper third of the support is composed of granite. Photo taken 09/19/04. Ramps to Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 ascend high above the Delaware Expressway mainline below. The flyovers pass underneath the western approach to the Ben Franklin Bridge before splitting between Callowhill Street westbound and the Vine Street Expressway westbound. All guide signs for Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 east (via Callowhill Street) were replaced after 2000. Photo taken 09/19/04. Peering east at the Benjamin Franklin Bridge from the Exit 22 ramps of Interstate 95 northbound. Photo taken 09/19/04. Getting closer to the split of Exit 22 between Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 east and west. The Vine Street Expressway itself ends at Interstate 95. Ramps from the freeway are visible ahead. For the Ben Franklin Bridge however traffic must use Callowhill Street west three blocks to 6th Street south. From there three blocks separate Callowhill Street from the Ben Franklin Bridge eastbound ramps to Camden, New Jersey. Photo taken 08/04/04. A look at the same sign bridge as depicted above with the previous Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 eastbound sign panel. Traffic destined to the downtown Philadelphia destinations such as Independence National Historical Park (Independence Mall), Old City, and Chinatown should use the Callowhill Street off-ramp to 6th, 8th, or 10th Streets. Photo taken 03/15/00. Shifting back to Interstate 95 northbound, the Delaware Expressway passes adjacent to the granite blocks of the Ben Franklin Bridge pier support. The Vine Street Expressway connection ahead to Interstate 95 was only open to traffic in 1991. For many years the freeway just petered out near the Ben Franklin Bridge west end. The opening of the freeway completed the third leg of the envisioned inner belt freeway system of Philadelphia. The South Street Expressway was to represent the fourth leg of the belt but was never constructed. Photo taken 03/23/04. 1.25-mile overhead for Girard and Lehigh Avenues (Exit 23) on Interstate 95 north. Shadows from the Ben Franklin Bridge fall onto the Delaware Expressway as the Race Street on-ramp to Interstate 95 northbound passes underneath. Photo taken 03/23/04. The Race Street on-ramp joins a second ramp from Water Street to form the exit-only lane for Exit 23. Additionally the ramp from the Vine Street Expressway joins the fold just north of the Callowhill Street overcrossing. The Girard and Lehigh Avenue off-ramp features a ramp onto Delaware Avenue 0.4 miles west of its intersection with Girard Avenue. Photo taken 03/23/04. Interstate 95 northbound one half mile south of the Exit 23 off-ramp for Delaware Avenue, Girard Avenue, and Lehigh Avenue. The Delaware Expressway enters the Northern Liberties neighborhood of the city and crosses over Frankford Avenue ahead. Photo taken 03/23/04. Delaware Avenue splits into Aramingo Avenue and Richmond Street as it passes under Interstate 95 at Girard Avenue. To reach Lehigh Avenue, traffic continues approximately one mile via either Girard Avenue/Aramingo Avenue or Richmond Street. Photo taken 03/23/04. Northbound at the Exit 23 off-ramp onto N. Delaware Avenue for Aramingo, Girard, and LeHigh Avenues. The surface arterials serve the Fishtown, Kensington, and Northern Liberties sections of the city. Photo taken 03/23/04. The Delaware Expressway remains elevated en route to Exit 25, Allegheny and Castor Avenues. Both Caston and Allegheny Avenue travel northwest from Delaware Avenue to Aramingo Avenue and Frankford Avenue to serve the Richmond section of the city. Photo taken 03/23/04. New sign bridge and upcoming exits sign for Exits 25, 26, and 27. The Allegheny and Caster Avenue off-ramp departs in one half mile onto E. Westmoreland Street. Photo taken 03/23/04. A three-quarter-diamond interchange composes Exit 25 of the Delaware Expressway with Allegheny Avenue, Bath Street, and Westmoreland Street. Richmond Street links Westmoreland Street to Castor Avenue 0.6 miles to the northeast. A loop ramp returns traffic onto Interstate 95 northbound from Castor Avenue. Photo taken 03/23/04. Four lanes of Interstate 95 pass over Allegheny Avenue and Westmoreland Street on the approach to Exit 26. The upcoming stack interchange links the Delaware Expressway with the Betsy Ross Bridge. Until 2001, the interchange only served the bridge and New Jersey 90. However then new ramps opened to utilize ghost flyovers for the never built Pulaski Expressway4 to nearby Aramingo Avenue. There is no direct access however between the Betsy Ross Bridge and Aramingo Avenue as ghost ramps remain unused between the two roads. Photo taken 03/23/04. Interstate 95 northbound maintains four overall lanes through the Betsy Ross Bridge interchange (Exit 26) as two lanes ascend for New Jersey 90 east and Aramingo Avenue. The Exit 26 off-ramp departs well ahead of the actual Betsy Ross Bridge approach providing for a high speed connection between Interstate 95 and New Jersey 90. All guide signs for Exit 26 feature backplated shields for New Jersey 90. Photo taken 03/23/04. PennDOT replaced three separate Interstate 95 pull through panels with one single panel between 2001 and 2004. This picture shows two of the three panels for Interstate 95 as Exit 26 leaves the Delaware Expressway. Button copy versions of these signs were in place before this in both directions of Interstate 95. Photo taken 12/23/01. A view of the ascending ramp of Exit 26 as it passes over Castor Avenue and Richmond Street. The ramps to Aramingo Avenue travel over the surface street before looping onto it south of Church Street. Photo taken 10/03/04. Upcoming exits sign bridge posted as Interstate 95 leaves the Betsy Ross Bridge stack interchange. Exit 27 departs the Delaware Expressway ahead for Aramingo Avenue (which becomes Harbeson Avenue) and Bridge Street. Photo taken 03/23/04. Exit 27 departs underneath the Betsy Ross Bridge flyover ramps for Bridge Street and Harbison Avenue into the Bridesburg section of Philadelphia. Photo taken 10/03/04. The previously abandoned ramp for the Pulaski Expressway northbound was recommissioned to serve Aramingo Avenue in 2001. Two lanes split from the Aramingo Avenue ramp for New Jersey 90 and the Betsy Ross Bridge. Completed by April 30, 1976, the Betsy Ross Bridge is owned by the Delaware River Port Authority. The eight-lane span travels 8,485 feet from abuttment to abuttment.1 Photo taken 10/03/04. A collector distributor roadway system links Interstate 95 with Exit 27 between the Betsy Ross Bridge and Aramingo Avenue. The off-ramp itself scoots underneath the Delaware Expressway onto Aramingo Avenue just south of Tacony Street. Two blocks north of there Aramingo becomes Harbeson Avenue. Photo taken 10/03/04. Traffic from Aramingo Avenue and the Betsy Ross Bridge join the c/d roadway as it parallels Interstate 95 northbound. The Harbison Avenue and Bridge Street off-ramp departs the lanes in this scene. Photo taken 03/23/04. In addition to serving Harbeson Avenue, Exit 27 links Interstate 95 with Bridge Street. The north-south street links Richmond Street with Torresdale Avenue and the Wissinoming neighborhood of the city. Photo taken 10/03/04. 1.75-mile overhead for Exit 30 (Pennsylvania 73) on Interstate 95 northbound. Pennsylvania 73 travels northward from New Jersey 73 and the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. The span derives its name from its endpoints at Palmyra, New Jersey and the Tacony section of Philadelphia. Photo taken 03/23/04. One mile south of the Exit 30 off-ramp onto Cottman Avenue. Pennsylvania 73 parallels Interstate 95 between Levick Street and the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge along New State Road and Cottman Avenue. The state route turns northward onto Cottman Avenue at the Exit 30 off-ramp into the Mayfair section of the city. Photo taken 03/23/04. New signs for Exit 30 on Interstate 95 now include Rhawn Street. The northwest-southeast street travels north from State Road to Holmesburg, Pennypack Park, and Rhawnhurst in Philadelphia. Cottman Avenue also travels northwest to junction U.S. 1 (Roosevelt Boulevard) at the Roosevelt Mall. Photo taken 03/23/04. Traffic to Pennsylvania 73 (Cottman Avenue) and Rhawn Street depart Interstate 95 northbound at Exit 30. Multi state route 73 begins north of Reading in Berks County, Pennsylvania and ends at junction U.S. 322 near Hammonton, New Jersey. Photo taken 03/23/04. Construction underway to improve Interstate 95 through the Holmesburg section of the city results in the temporary shift of the mainline into the media of the Delaware Expressway. The original one-mile button copy sign sits temporarily on the side for the upcoming Academy Road (Exit 32) trumpet interchange. Photo taken 03/23/04. The same scene of Interstate 95 northbound near the Ashburner Road overpass. Amid a day of heavy rainfall on May 20, 2000, this 11 alarm blaze at a truck depot in northeast Philadelphia burned for well over 36 hours. Traffic was backed up for three miles in each direction on the Saturday morning. Roadwise the same one-mile guide sign pictured above was still on its original sign bridge here. Original button copy guide sign placed temoporarily to the side on Interstate 95 northbound ahead of the Exit 32 off-ramp. Photo taken 10/03/04. New guide signs for Exit 32 include exit tabs and Linden Avenue. Construction began in 2002 on an $80 million project rebuild 1.2 miles of Interstate 95 between Pennypack Creek and Academy Road and to repair six bridges on the same stretch.2 Academy Road begins here and stems northeastward to Northeast Philadelphia Airport and Longmead Farms. Photo taken 10/03/04. Sources: 1 - Betsy Ross Bridge (Delaware River Port Authority). 2 - Pennsylvania Highways: Interstate 95. 3 - 95Revive - Interstate 95 in Southeastern Pennsylvania (PennDOT). 4 - Delaware Expressway (I-95). Page Updated February 26, 2005.