The Commodore Barry Bridge in Chester and the Walt Whitman Bridge in Philadelphia will close briefly Friday, Nov. 15, as the historic SS United Sates leaves its South Philadelphia dock for its final voyage to the Gulf of Mexico in Florida, writes Juan Carlos Castillo for the Asbury Park Press.
Traffic on the two bridges will only be disrupted briefly as the ship passes through, though the Commodore Barry Bridge in Chester may have more backups because it has already been closing at 15-minute intervals 9:30 PM to 1:30 PM this week to install an overhead work platform.
Both bridges cross the Delaware River.
The 1,000-foot-long SS United States, the largest ocean liner built entirely in the US, was first launched in 1951 and holds the transatlantic speed record. It has transported tourists, military, presidents, celebrities, and immigrants.
It was decommissioned in 1969. Okaloosa County in Florida acquired it to convert it into an artificial reef.
“Converting the world’s fastest ship into the world’s largest artificial reef will write a new chapter for the SS United States as a world-class destination,” said SS United States Conservancy President Susan Gibbs.
Read more about the SS United States and its final journey in the Asbury Park Press.
