New swing bridge in Philly
 

Anyone know when it's supposed to open? I saw a video showing it opening for the first time after balancing it but no date for the public to use it.

Last I heard was mid-August. The operating mechanism needs to be fully functional before it’s left in the closed position. It’s a Coast Guard thing. That part of the river is a navigable waterway.

Thanks for the info,guess we'll wait till then to ride the Schukill trail to experience it.

While I haven't riden this route yet I have hiked/backpacked it twice. My advice would be to postpone this route until you can do it a little more leisurely. There are some great things to see and do along the way, why miss them? Quaint towns, American history, and great people are all along the route and shouldn't be missed. Just my 2 cents.

The only video I could find was on Facebook.

He’s talking about a specific draw bridge in Philadelphia. I don’t know what you’re talking about, especially since the OP mentioned no pace.

A little history: The railroad bridge that was there was part of the Pennsylvania Railroad’s Washington Avenue Branch that came off the Northeast Corridor and ran down the middle of Washington Avenue. Right in the east side of the bridge was a large slaughterhouse. On old railroad maps it’s shown as an “abattoir”. The last business to occupy the building was the Penn Packing Company, which ceased operations sometime in the 1970s. IIRC, it processed chickens.

I’m old enough to remember seeing trains on Washington Avenue. My mom used to talk about having to wait for trains to pass so she could cross the street.