The University Avenue Bridge is a historically-listed double-leaf drawbridge in Philadelphia designed by renowned French-born Philadelphia architect Paul Philippe Cret. Dating to 1930, the bridge crosses the Schuylkill River, connecting University Avenue near Penn and CHOP to 34th Street in the Grays Ferry neighborhood of South Philly. It serves as a vital link to the newly expanded Schuylkill River Trail and to an important access point for I-76. 

The University Avenue Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was documented in the Historic American Engineering Record. It is only five years younger than Cret’s other famous local masterpiece, the Ben Franklin Bridge, which is celebrating its 100-year anniversary this year.

Yet, while one bridge is celebrated, the other is neglected. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) owns and is responsible for the University Avenue Bridge, but the structure has been so severely overlooked that nearly century-old bronze doors and round windows were recently stolen from its unsecured pilot houses.

The bridge must be made secure IMMEDIATELY to prevent further damage. 

The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia recently noted, “…the bridge faces significant threats. Its architectural features are neglected, with broken windows, missing mortar, graffiti and debris accumulating. The operators’ houses are derelict, and the ornate cast bronze doors were recently stolen. Despite its historic importance, no restoration work is currently planned by PennDOT. Without intervention, these unique design elements risk permanent loss.” 

Journalist Peter Dobrin also reported on this severe neglect in The Philadelphia Inquirer in May 2026 (https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/university-avenue-bridge-philadelphia-upenn-20260606.html) For further context and historical imagery, the publication Hidden City featured the bridge's detailed artistry in a 2017 piece with paintings by Ben Leech (https://hiddencityphila.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/University-2-up.jpg as well as a 2012 photo essay (https://hiddencityphila.org/2012/06/nearing-80-deco-university-avenue-bridge-ready-for-new-appreciation/) documenting its condition.

Our Demand: Stop Neglecting the University Avenue Bridge

Our communities deserve safe, respected, and structurally sound infrastructure. We demand that PennDOT and the City of Philadelphia treat this historic structure with the same respect shown to the Ben Franklin Bridge. Officials must act now to secure the site from further destruction so that this beautiful bridge survives to celebrate its own 100-year anniversary in 2030.

TAKE ACTION NOW: DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY

First, sign this petition to add your voice to our collective demand.

Second, file a report with (Note, bridge location address: University Avenue Bridge, 3401 Grays Ferry Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19146)

311 for the City of Philadelphia: https://iframe.publicstuff.com/#?client_id=242

PennDOT: https://customercare.penndot.pa.gov/eCCC/eCCC.nsf

Third, contact leadership directly via phone, email, or mail to demand immediate security measures for the bridge. Write or call:

Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation Mike Carroll
Email: mbcarroll@pa.gov
Phone: (717) 787-5574 (Office of the Secretary)
Mailing Address:
Office of the Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
400 North Street, 8th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17120-3543

Philadelphia Council President Kenyatta Johnson 
Email: kenyatta.johnson@phila.gov
Phone: (215) 686-3412 or (215) 686-3413
Mailing Address: City Hall, Room 494, Philadelphia, PA 19107