north of the Schuylkill River and I-295/former I-95

Northbound at the Walt Whitman Bridge, I-76. The last photo is the ramp curving around to join the bridge, which really should be depicted with the mainline coming in from the left (and a proper arrow).


Now up to the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, US 30. (It's signed as if it connects I-676 between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but in reality, Pennsylvania's legislated Interstate ends just ahead at I-95, since the Ben Franklin connectors involve surface streets and traffic signals. New Jersey's I-676 begins at the state line on this bridge.)


Between the two bridges, a bunch of one-piece assemblies on Washington Ave. EB at Columbus Blvd. As in the second photo, the directions and arrows should not be outlined in blue, but then again, the first photo has the right fonts and shields. But then again, again, both of them should be "TO" East I-76. At least there's also an old sign for the Drivers License Center. In the third photo, through the blur you can see a bubble shield (stretched 2-digit) for I-676.


While we're along Columbus Blvd., these wide errors are SB at Morris St. and the ramp to I-95 SB.


SB under the western approach to the Ben Franklin.


At the base of the SB Exit 22 ramp, which splits for I-676 and (here) Callowhill St. It's possibly the last home of a state-name I-676 shield, which is odd because traffic should have used the left split on the ramp - but that's maybe why this never got replaced. If the ramp is closed or backed up, or if the driver is stupid, this could become a valid detour.


Philly-style trailblazers, 16th St. NB at Spring Garden St. and Race St. EB at 8th St.


I made sure not to miss these. Bridge St. EB and WB and Aramingo Ave. SB at Exit 27.


Down Aramingo Ave. with a one-piece misshapen mini-shield pointing to Castor Ave. Second photo is Thompson St. NB at Castor Ave. - click for shield/button copy closeup. After another shield with a hyper-pointy middle, there's one more old sign on Castor Ave. itself EB.


Round the corner onto Delaware Ave., which butts ends with Allegheny Ave., and Allegheny has the last green sign EB.


I-95 SB has some great views of the skyline (and Ben Franklin Bridge), enhanced at dusk.


NB, second photo courtesy Doug Kerr, last two photos on the ramp. NJ 90 is signed on the PA side because the Betsy Ross doesn't have an external number - it's probably a 4dsr, though (those sometimes appear on little white signs). Still, PA didn't have to go the extra mile and stick the black square on the back of the circle shield. A nice touch.


Old well-in-advance SB sign for the Bridge St. (and Aramingo Ave.) exit just north of the Betsy Ross Bridge, then more NJ-style black background shields.


Views of the Tacony-Palmyra PA-NJ 73 bridge.


Like RIDOT, sometimes PennDOT doesn't always take down the things it replaces. In this case, the second BGS (NB) is definitely button-copy, while the first one (SB) probably isn't but still spells out the name of the route. Both lack exit numbers, and are clearly smaller than needed. These are both courtesy Doug Kerr.


The last NB button-copy sign for Exit 32, which waited patiently for me to finally get the whole thing in the photo.


SB under Ford Rd. in 2013 just north of Exit 40. The overpass is being rebuilt to accommodate the south side of the future interchange featuring an I-95 direct connection to/from I-276, up from 4 lanes of freeway to 9 lanes on 3 roadways.


On the Exit 40 ramp, which was intended to extend toward the US 13 freeway in Levittown. It makes a beeline toward that connection and right by Exit 42 on I-95 (PA Turnpike), which would have been modified to connect to it. Follow this proposed freeway to 13 to US 1 and on into Trenton, and you have the originally proposed route (early 1950s) for I-95 before NJ decided there was no way in hell it could upgrade the Trenton Freeway for a major cross-country route. (Right they were.) Exit 40 also has stubs for the proposed beginning of I-895, leading to a new crossing instead of the Burlington-Bristol Bridge (PA 413) into NJ. Instead of all of those things, it's now just an overpowered trumpet interchange ending at a T intersection with these signs, and PA went through great expense and delay to construct a new interchange at I-95 and the PA Turnpike (long overdue) to finally connect the two pieces of I-95. Black/white PA Turnpike shields end up on overheads, but the ground-mounted variety are supposed to be white on green.

SB Exit 51B, the first ramp in from Jersey. It's now Exit 10B on I-295.

Continue south on I-95
I-276 and I-95/former I-276
More I-95 photos on Girard Ave.
Back to I-95 main page

Into New Jersey on I-95
Into New Jersey on I-295/former I-95
Up onto I-76
Up onto US 30
To I-676
Into Philadelphia
Exit 26 to NJ 90
Exit 26 to unbuilt PA 90
Onto PA 73
Onto PA 413
Onto PA 532
Back to Pennsylvania Roads
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