Continuing westbound from the state of New Jersey on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. Tolls are set at $3 per passenger vehicle and are collected on the Camden side of the Delaware River. This suite of photographs displays the westbound lanes of Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 and an advance guide sign for the 5th & 6th Street connections ahead. A Interstate 95 Pennsylvania shield affixed to the overhead is an afterthought. Photo taken 10/13/01.
The west end of the Ben Franklin Bridge. An off-ramp turns north from Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 for both 5th Street and Wood Street. All traffic continuing westward loops northwest to intersect 6th Street ahead. A final sign bridge with lane control signals resides at the spans end. Photo taken 10/13/01.
A traffic light resides, yes a traffic light, on Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 westbound at 7th Street between the Ben Franklin Bridge and ramps onto the Vine Street Expressway. A sign bridge separates motorists between ramps to Interstate 95 via the Vine Street Expressway east, the Vine Street Expressway west, and Vine Street westbound itself to Pennsylvania 611 (Broad Street). Photo taken 10/13/01.
Traffic that does not turn eastward to Interstate 95 (Delaware Expressway) enters the signalized intersection with 7th Street. The left-hand lane defaults onto 8th Street southbound for Chinatown, the center two lanes join the Vine Street Expressway westbound, the third lane merges with Vine Street westbound above, and the right-hand lane loops back toward Sixth Street southbound for Independence Mall, Old City, and Society Hill. Photo taken 10/13/01.
Just beyond the gore point of the Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 westbound ramps onto the Vine Street Expressway and Vine Street itself. The freeway mainline crosses over the ramps from the Ben Franklin Bridge at 7th Street above. Photo taken 10/13/01.
The next series of photographs profiles the Vine Street Expressway as it departs Interstate 95 on its westward trek toward downtown Philadelphia. The ramps from both directions of Interstate 95 include exits for Callowhill Street west. After those ramps depart traffic is displayed an upcoming exits sign including all three westbound off-ramps. Photo taken 04/25/04.
Delaware Expressway ramps join together above 4th Street and prepare to descend below the city street grid of downtown Philadelphia. Visible below the viaduct to the right is the partition of the Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 westbound ramps from the Benjamin Franklin Bridge as mentioned above. Photos taken 04/25/04.
The Vine Street Expressway can officially be classified part of Interstate 676 now that the ramp from Camden, New Jersey has joined. The freeway cuts below the frontage streets of Vine Street between 10th Street and 22nd Street through the heart of downtown Philadelphia. Traffic merge on from 7th Street and the Ben Franklin Bridge default onto the exit only lane for the upcoming off-ramp to Pennsylvania 611 (Broad Street). Photo taken 04/25/04.
Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 westbound at the 9th Street over pass. An auxiliary guide sign indicates that Central Philadelphia bound traffic should utilize the Pennsylvania 611 (Broad Street) exit. The actual off-ramp for Broad Street entails a loop ramp onto 15th Street southbound two blocks north of Vine Street and the expressway below. Broad Street parallels 15th Street one block to the east. Photo taken 04/25/04.
Two lanes of Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 progress past the Pennsylvania 611 (Broad Street) and 15th Street exit toward Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Fairmount Park, and Interstate 76 (Schuylkill Expressway). Photo taken 04/25/04.
The 15th Street loop ramp departs Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 westbound underneath 15th Street itself. Pennsylvania 611 follows all of Broad Street between South Philadelphia and Old York Road. The state route was once designated U.S. 611. Photo taken 04/25/04.
Upcoming exit sign attached to the 17th Street overpass for the last two exits of Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 west. Exit numbers are not used along the Vine Street Expressway. Interstate 676 and Interstate 579 in Pittsburgh represent the only Interstates within Pennsylvania to not use them. Photo taken 04/25/04.
Continuing below the downtown area street grid at 18th Street on the Vine Street Expressway westbound. The final mainline exit for Ben Franklin Parkway serves the Philadelphia Art Museum and Franklin Institute among other attractions. Photo taken 04/25/04.
A cut and cover tunnel was built for the Vine Street Expressway between the block of 20th and 21st Streets. Pictured here is the westbound entrance to the short tunnel. The Benjamin Franklin Parkway and an extension of Fairmount Park reside above. Photo taken 04/25/04.
Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 westbound emerge from the tunnel at the 21st Street overpass and Ben Franklin Parkway off-ramp. Benjamin Franklin Parkway represents a wide boulevard between Logan Circle and Spring Garden Street. The parkway culminates at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Auxiliary overheads are posted over the freeway mainline for the upcoming ramps to Interstate 76 (Schuylkill Expressway). Photo taken 04/25/04.
Ascending toward Interstate 76 (Schuylkill Expressway) on Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 westbound at 22nd Street. The Ben Franklin Parkway off-ramp ends at 22nd Street above. An on-ramp joins the Schuylkill River crossing of Interstate 676 & U.S. 30 west ahead. Photo taken 04/25/04.
U.S. 30 leaves the Vine Street Expressway for Interstate 76 (Schuylkill Expressway) westbound. The mainline of Interstate 676 defaults onto the Expressway north for Fairmount Park, Roxborough, and Manyunk. U.S. 30 leaves the Schuylkill Expressway 1.5 miles to the north via Girard Avenue. Photo taken 04/25/04.
The compact interchange between Interstate 76 & U.S. 30 and the west end of Interstate 676 resides along the west banks of the Schuylkill River. Congestion occurs frequently here due to the limited capacity of the Schuylkill Expressway and ramps to/from Vine Street Expressway. The eastbound ramp loops underneath Interstate 76 and joins the Exit 345 off-ramp to 30th Street station before joining the Expressway south. Photo taken 04/25/04.
