Ben Franklin Bridge 7/11

[Alps]

Supposedly there is a thing on 7/11. We should organize and all walk around together.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ben-franklin-bridge-100th-anniversary-celebration-tickets-1990899038618

Location is given as Camden so we should plan to meet on the NJ side? What do people think or know?

[Dirt Roads]

The 100th anniversary of the opening of the Ben Franklin Bridge would be on Wednesday (July 1).  I suspect that such an event would distract from the 250th Celebration, but those two events are closely tied together since the Ben Franklin was constructed on a timeline to coincide with nation's Sesquicentennial Expedition.

Old Ben got the "close but no cookie" award during last week's <Auto Trails/US Highway/Interstate> thread in the <<Bridges>> forum.

[Rothman]

Supposedly there is a thing on 7/11. We should organize and all walk around together.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ben-franklin-bridge-100th-anniversary-celebration-tickets-1990899038618

Location is given as Camden so we should plan to meet on the NJ side? What do people think or know?

I can't make it that weekend.

[jpi]

I can't either, Steph and I will be travelling from Nashville, TN to St Louis, MO that day

[jeffandnicole]

I'm in.

[hbelkins]

Only if the itinerary includes a stop at 7-11 for a free Slurpee.

[Alps]

Only if the itinerary includes a stop at 7-11 for a free Slurpee.

Not a small one. Back when the size wasn't limited, sure.

[74/171FAN]

My big question on attending this is parking.

[Laura]

We're in. We won't be able to arrive until near the end (around 1:30), though, due to Rainey having a girl scout activity in the morning. We are open to spending time with everyone after the festivities as well.

I know Dan M. will be there as well.

[74/171FAN]

I'm in.

I'd be open to meeting with you somewhere and carpooling in, but the weather looks iffy enough Saturday to wonder if it is worth planning to come.

[Alps]

We're in. We won't be able to arrive until near the end (around 1:30), though, due to Rainey having a girl scout activity in the morning. We are open to spending time with everyone after the festivities as well.

I know Dan M. will be there as well.

Throw me a line off the forum and we'll coordinate during/after.

[74/171FAN]

We're in. We won't be able to arrive until near the end (around 1:30), though, due to Rainey having a girl scout activity in the morning. We are open to spending time with everyone after the festivities as well.

I know Dan M. will be there as well.

Throw me a line off the forum and we'll coordinate during/after.

I'm in to coming Saturday.  The weather does not seem to be an issue.  I doubt I see myself staying until 1:30 PM for you @Laura, but we'll see.

I think my current plan is to park around the Cramer Hill Waterfront Park and walk over unless there are better options for parking I am unaware of.

[signalman]

We're in. We won't be able to arrive until near the end (around 1:30), though, due to Rainey having a girl scout activity in the morning. We are open to spending time with everyone after the festivities as well.

I know Dan M. will be there as well.

Throw me a line off the forum and we'll coordinate during/after.

I'm in to coming Saturday.  The weather does not seem to be an issue.  I doubt I see myself staying until 1:30 PM for you @Laura, but we'll see.

I think my current plan is to park around the Cramer Hill Waterfront Park and walk over unless there are better options for parking I am unaware of.

That's probably the least sketchy area to leave your car. Park near the college and you'll be fine. There's a lot of police presence.

[Roadgeek Adam]

Just a note, if it interests people. Park at a Jersey PATCO station or near it. Take it to City Hall/Walter Rand TC station. It might be understandably crowded, but it will help.

[Alps]

We're in. We won't be able to arrive until near the end (around 1:30), though, due to Rainey having a girl scout activity in the morning. We are open to spending time with everyone after the festivities as well.

I know Dan M. will be there as well.

Throw me a line off the forum and we'll coordinate during/after.

I'm in to coming Saturday.  The weather does not seem to be an issue.  I doubt I see myself staying until 1:30 PM for you @Laura, but we'll see.

I think my current plan is to park around the Cramer Hill Waterfront Park and walk over unless there are better options for parking I am unaware of.

That's probably the least sketchy area to leave your car. Park near the college and you'll be fine. There's a lot of police presence.

Yeah, we were going to park in a student lot but I vetoed it since the sign said residents only. The faculty lot was only restricted 8-6 weekdays, so I felt a lot more comfortable there. Even if it's summer and you don't think anyone's gonna enforce it, you never know.

[Mr. Matté]

Crowd control at the event was a little bit of a clusterfuck. We got to the Camden side at around the start of the walk, the crush of pedestrians were really limited to only three lanes- three EB lanes to NJ were for emergency vehicles, the right WB lane to Philly was "reserved for races" but still lots of people wandering in.

Made it across to Philly and back to Jersey where the vendor/food truck area was just completely packed and not moving. Many of us just started hopping the zipper barrier where the cops were yelling, but I think eventually they just gave up. Apparently there was a tent giving away shirts and foam hats (some walkers had their 75th anniversary hats on) but I didn't get a chance to see it. Seems like at least the local Redditors are in agreement about the crowds.


Stars of the show for the day for sure were the ducks.

[74/171FAN]

My Flickr album specifically for the bridge walk is uploaded.