Scary New Jersey bridge ... but it's free

There aren't many free river crossings to leave New Jersey. At least not in the more populated parts of the state.

From the Delaware Memorial in the very southern end of the state to the Commodore Barry, Walt Whitman, Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, Tacony Palmyra, Burlington Bristol and then the NJ Turnpike Bridge, they all cost you money to get out of New Jersey.

One of the free ones is right in downtown Trenton.

The Calhoun Street Bridge is right off Route 29 and Calhoun Street. If your GPS tells you to take that bridge and you're not prepared for it, it can be daunting. It's not as ridiculously narrow as the Washington Crossing Bridge, but it's close.

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Dennis Malloy / Townsquare Media

The Calhoun Street Bridge was rebuilt in 1884! Yep, that structure replaced the older bridge that was built in 1861.

This 140-year-old structure is made of stone and steel and was closed for renovations in the summer of 2010. But every hour of every day, people make this slow, careful crossing into and out of New Jersey.

The bridge is free and supported by tolls paid on other bridges operated by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. The speed limit is 15 mph, and most people take it seriously ... as they should.

New Jersey's scariest bridge

Gallery Credit: Dennis Malloy

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

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The 10 free bridges from New Jersey to Pennsylvania (and vice versa!)

The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission oversees many of these free crossings, and their method is one that is a foreign concept to those in charge in the Garden State. The group, which is a bi-state agency appointed by officials in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, uses revenue generated from larger, more heavily trafficked crossings to maintain the free ones.

Gallery Credit: Joe Votruba