You know I don't like these. I don't need more comment than that.
I-676 is a special case. The freeway through Camden deserves its Interstate number, but then it hooks into the existing US 30 freeway at the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. Before I proceed any further, I should explain that PA's I-676 runs between I-76 and I-95 just north of the bridge. Signage takes it down an exit ramp to a traffic light, then around a demi-circle and up onto the bridge, but the actual Interstate has no traffic lights on it. Thus, when you're heading WB across the bridge and come to a series of onerous signals before you can merge into the freeway, you're really only on US 30. Given this, I feel that I-676 on the NJ side should be renumbered to maybe I-776 (to avoid conflicts with PA 3di's) and should terminate at US 30. Then, everything would make sense.
Cooper St. EB only leads to US 30 EB. The first photo with a failed shield is on Cooper St. at Broadway (CR 551) and the nice 2di-width shield is on 7th St. SB before it becomes CR 561. What signs don't tell you is that you can loop onto I-676 from 7th St. by making a few rights rather than requiring a left.
More failed Camden shields, Market St. EB at Delaware Ave. The ones atop the page are on Delaware Ave. SB at Pearl St. CR 537 WB ends from straight ahead in this photo (an opposing one-way street).
Never seen one of these before. I really like it, but I'm sure it should be cut out. 10th St. NB at Penn St.
Cool old shields with your choice of flash, Collings Rd. (Camden CR 630) WB at the Exit 1B entrance to I-676 SB right before it merges into I-76.Southbound
I-676 SB/US 30 EB on the Ben Franklin Bridge.
Isn't that just a beautiful New Jersey scene? That's what the state's all about... to some people...
Finishing up the SB run. Note the 2dsr NJ 168 shield; Exit 1A is NJ 76C, the connector between the mentioned routes and the Walt Whitman Bridge.
There are two types of exit signs on I-676: old and really old. All signs have button copy, but the really old ones (Exit 3 and Exit 4, both directions) are nonreflective. "Really old" is probably from the mid-`70's. What you just witnessed was the NB run of signage, starting with the first shield just as I-676 diverges from I-76.
The green/red lit arch, button-copy number of lanes, and light-up speed limit are repeated on both sides across the entire Ben Franklin Bridge. The lights are now somewhat unnecessary - there's a movable Jersey barrier there. Both the BFB and I-76's Walt Whitman Bridge, structural sisters, lacked any form of center barrier until 2002, relying only on those lane lights in a highly non-Interstate-quality arrangement. Click to reveal three lanes at another day and time.
One photo and one video to drive into Philadelphia.Ben Franklin Bridge
As seen from the Camden waterfront by the aquarium.
Ornamental east abutment dating to the opening of the bridge.
Driving up to the bridge from the north, crossing over to the south, continuing along Pearl St. right next to it and straight down to the river.Exit 5A to US 30 alone
