City Hall station (PATCO)

City Hall
City Hall station platform in April 2015
General information
Location5th Street and Market Streets
Camden, New Jersey
Coordinates39°56′45″N 75°07′16″W / 39.9459°N 75.1211°W / 39.9459; -75.1211
Owned byDelaware River Port Authority
Platforms1 island platform
Tracks2
ConnectionsBus transport NJ Transit Bus: 452, 453
Construction
Bicycle facilitiesRacks
AccessibleUnder construction
History
OpenedJune 7, 1936
RebuiltDecember 28, 1968–January 4, 1969
Services
Preceding station DRPA Following station
8th & Market PATCO Speedline Broadway
toward Lindenwold
Future services
Preceding station DRPA Following station
Franklin Square PATCO Speedline
(2024)
Broadway
toward Lindenwold
Location
Map

City Hall station is an underground rapid transit station on the PATCO Speedline, operated by the Delaware River Port Authority. It is located in Camden, New Jersey, one block from Camden City Hall, after which the station is named, at North 5th and Market Streets. Opened on June 7, 1936, the station is the first eastbound and final westbound station in New Jersey, located just east of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge which carries trains over the Delaware River.

History

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A train at the station in 1969

The station was opened on June 7, 1936, along with 8th & Market and Franklin Square in Philadelphia and Broadway in Camden, as part of Philadelphia Rapid Transit's Bridge Line service. The Bridge Line was temporarily closed on December 28, 1968, for conversion into the PATCO Speedline.[1] The section between Lindenwold and City Hall opened on January 4, 1969, followed a few weeks later by the section between City Hall and Philadelphia on February 14.[2][3]

City Hall station is among PATCO's least utilized stops. The station was built with corridors to both Arch Street and Cooper Street, with separate entrances on the north and south corners of Cooper and 5th Street. Due to the low passenger levels at this station, both corridors are closed.[4] Two stairways are visible at the northeast and southwest corners of Market and 5th Street. Only the southwest is in use for passenger access, as the northeast stairway is marked for emergency use only.

PATCO plans to make the station accessible to people with disabilities, adding an elevator between the platform and the mezzanine, and a new entrance with an elevator at Roosevelt Park, across 5th Street from the current entrance.[5] The project is expected to be completed in Fall 2022.[6]

In August 2022, PATCO eliminated 24-hour service at the station, with the station closing daily between midnight and 5 am. PATCO cited low ridership, safety concerns, and the nearby Broadway station as reasons for the closure.[7]

Notable places nearby

[edit]

The station is within walking distance of the following notable places:

References

[edit]
  1. ^ DeGraw, Ronald (January 26, 1969). "Full High-Speed Line Cannot Open Because Of Signal Troubles". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ DeGraw, Ronald (February 14, 1969). "High-Speed Transit Opens Saturday From Lindenwold to Phila". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Service Begins Today on Lindenwold Line". The Philadelphia Inquirer. January 4, 1969. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Trethan, Phaedra (January 28, 2016). "Forgotten tunnels hold Camden's lost history". Courier-Post. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  5. ^ "Plans Move Forward For PATCO Station Elevators". CBS Philadelphia (KYW-TV). July 15, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
  6. ^ "Elevator Installations". PATCO. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
  7. ^ "New Weekday Schedule Starts Monday, August 15". PATCO. August 11, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
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Media related to City Hall station (PATCO) at Wikimedia Commons