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The Philadelphia Public Works Department
completed construction on the South Street Bridge in 1923. The design of the
bridge--which crosses the Schuylkill River to connect southwest Center City to
the University of Pennsylvania's campus--was technologically clever for the
time.
The drawbridge could be raised for passing ships (this function ceased in the
'50s), and electric cables powered a trolley that carried commuters and shoppers
across the river. Stone piers at the base of the bridge supported a lovely
promenade that jutted over the water, allowing pedestrians to soak in the
waterfront view.
But more than 80 years later, the South Street Bridge has lost its
charm....
Old Photo:
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