PATCO to enter final stages of Ben Franklin Bridge rehab

New track on the south side of the Ben Franklin Bridge.

PATCO

Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO) will begin the final stages of its 18-month effort to completely rehabilitate the Ben Franklin Bridge.

The work being performed in this stage of the $103-million project involves finishing the electronic signal and communications system replacements associated with the track on the north side of the bridge. As contractors work on the north side track, all trains will run on the south side track from 10 a.m. Thursday through Friday night, beginning Sept. 5.

The bridge carries PATCO riders between New Jersey and Philadelphia and the agency said earlier in the year, the project is progressing on schedule and on budget.

“As we enter the homestretch of this important project, we want to thank our passengers for their patience and support,” said John Rink, general manager of PATCO. “The repair and upgrade of the public assets entrusted to our stewardship, as well as our unwavering commitment to providing the highest level of safety and service to our customers, are important priorities of PATCO and we are pleased to be making significant progress towards end of the year completion.”

When the project is complete, the entire 30-year-old track system on the bridge, as well as the railroad systems will have been replaced and a structural rehabilitation will have been performed. PATCO is replacing 33 miles of signal, power and communications cable, constructing 80 new signal, communication and electrical enclosures, replacing 8,878 bridge timber ties and six miles of welded rail for the project, as well as using 180 tons of new steel in the rehabilitation and installing 1,300 feet of new rail at Camden Yard.