Interstate 676

Interstate 676 (I-676) is an Interstate Highway that serves as a major thoroughfare through Center City Philadelphia, where it is known as the Vine Street Expressway, and Camden, New Jersey, where it is known as the northern segment of the North–South Freeway, as well as the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Highway in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Its western terminus is at I-76 in Philadelphia near the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Fairmount Park.

After World War II, freeway approaches were planned for both sides of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, which was completed in 1926 and serves as a part of US 30.

In Pennsylvania, the Vine Street Expressway was planned to run along the northern edge of Center City to the Schuylkill River, while, in New Jersey, the North–South Freeway was to head south along the Route 42 corridor.

There are grade-level intersections with traffic signals in the connections between the Vine Street Expressway and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.

This intersection does not follow typical rules and regulations of the Interstate Highway System, and is also notorious for having high crash rates and pedestrian fatalities.

[5] From this point, I-676/US 30 crosses over I-95, Christopher Columbus Boulevard, and then the Delaware River on the seven-lane Benjamin Franklin Bridge, which also carries pedestrians and the PATCO Speedline.

Immediately after the US 30 split, there is an interchange with County Route 537 (CR 537; Market Street/Federal Street) and Martin Luther King Boulevard that provides access to downtown Camden.

[7][6] From this point, I-676 continues south through urban areas of the city, passing over several streets and running immediately to the west of Conrail Shared Assets Operations (CSAO)'s Vineland Secondary railroad line and the PATCO Speedline.

The highway continues south and passes over CSAO's Beesleys Point Secondary railroad line before it comes to the exit for Morgan Boulevard.

[10] After World War II, freeway connections were planned on both sides of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.

[15] In 1958, this freeway was initially planned as I-895 and I-380 before the American Association of State Highway Officials designated it as a part of I-80S.

[3] On April 14, 2015, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) began work to rebuild seven existing overpasses on the Vine Street Expressway portion of I-676.

[26] After the remnants of Hurricane Ida passed through the area on September 1, 2021, intense rain and floodwaters from the swollen Schuylkill River flooded the expressway after drainage pumps failed.

[29][30] The city government selected a design in December 2023; at the time, the project was estimated to cost $160 million and be completed in the early 2030s.

I-676/US 30 (Vine Street Expressway) eastbound crossing the Schuylkill River and entering Center City Philadelphia
View north along I-676 just north of I-76 in Camden, New Jersey
I-676/US 30 eastbound on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge leaving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
I-676 northbound at the Atlantic Avenue/Kaighns Avenue interchange in Camden, New Jersey
I-676/US 30 (Vine Street Expressway) westbound in Center City Philadelphia