Schuylkill Crossing Swing Bridge to Open November 13
The 1,000-foot pedestrian and trail bridge connecting Bartram's Garden and Grays Ferry is set to open at 2 p.m. next month.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Hiking
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Philadelphia's Schuylkill Crossing Swing Bridge is scheduled to open November 13, 2026, at 2 p.m. The 1,000-foot crossing just south of Grays Ferry Avenue links Bartram's Garden and Grays Ferry.
Why it matters
The bridge connects 1.4 miles of trail to the south with seven miles of trail to the north through Center City, giving hikers and trail users a continuous route along the river. It completes the final link in a 70-mile trail from Riverfront Park in Reading to the city.
The bridge spans 1,000 feet and its central steel truss weighs about 60,000 pounds, with the swing taking roughly three minutes to open or close. Gates and warning bells halt pedestrians during movement, and the source does not detail how often the bridge will swing for river traffic.
The players
Bartram's Garden
A historic Philadelphia garden and public park on the Schuylkill River that is one of the two neighborhoods the bridge connects.
The details
The bridge swings on a central pivot, operated from a control panel, with gates stopping pedestrians and warning bells and an air horn alerting trail users during movement. It replaces a railroad swing bridge that stood at the site for more than 100 years before being demolished in 2018.
Timeline
2018: Previous railroad swing bridge demolished to make way for the crossing.
November 13, 2026, 2 p.m.: Schuylkill Crossing Swing Bridge scheduled to open.
Trail Network
The Schuylkill Crossing Swing Bridge completes the final link in a 70-mile trail from Riverfront Park in Reading to Philadelphia, succeeding the railroad swing bridge demolished at the site in 2018. It is expected to become an attraction of its own along the city's riverfront.
Trail users heading between Grays Ferry and Bartram's Garden can plan routes once the bridge opens, linking up to seven miles of trail to the north through Center City. Expect gates and warning bells whenever the bridge swings, which takes about three minutes each time.
The takeaway
The new crossing turns a long-standing gap in Philadelphia's riverfront trail network into a continuous route, so plan around the brief swing pauses when heading between the south and north trail sections.
What happens next
The bridge is scheduled to open to the public on November 13, 2026, at 2 p.m.
Further reading
For more trail routes in the region, explore the Hiking section.
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