City Hall station (PATCO)

City Hall
City Hall station platform in April 2015
General information
Location	5th and Market streets Camden, New Jersey
Coordinates	39°56′45″N75°07′16″W / 39.9459°N 75.1211°W / 39.9459; -75.1211
Owned by	Delaware River Port Authority
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Connections	NJ Transit Bus: 452, 453
Construction
Bicycle facilities	Racks
Accessible	Yes
History
Opened	June 7, 1936
Rebuilt	December 28, 1968–January 4, 1969
Services
Preceding station DRPA Following station Franklin Square toward 15–16th & Locust PATCO Speedline Broadway toward Lindenwold
Location

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.

This is one of the few PATCO stations that does not have 24-hour service; the station is closed daily between midnight and 5 am. ^[1]

History

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 Bridge Line rapid transit service. The Bridge Line closed on December 28, 1968, for conversion into the PATCO Speedline. ^[2] 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. ^{[3] [4]}

City Hall is one of the least utilized stations on the PATCO line. Originally constructed with long corridors under 5th Street leading to both Arch Street and Cooper Street, the station featured separate entrances at the north and south corners of Cooper Street and 5th Street. However, due to consistently low ridership, these corridors have been closed. ^[5] There are three stairways at the northeast, southwest and southeast corners of Market Street and 5th Street. The northeast stairway is designated for emergency use only. The stairway at the southeast corner (inside Roosevelt Park) opened in 2023 as part of a PATCO project to improve accessiblity at the station. An elevator was also added at southeast corner along with an elevator connecting the platform and mezzanine. ^{[6] [7]}

In August 2022, PATCO discontinued 24-hour service at City Hall station, citing low ridership, safety concerns, and the proximity of Broadway station as factors in the decision. ^[8]

References

1. "Schedules". PATCO. April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
2. DeGraw, Ronald (January 26, 1969). "Full High-Speed Line Cannot Open Because Of Signal Troubles". The Philadelphia Inquirer . p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
3. DeGraw, Ronald (February 14, 1969). "High-Speed Transit Opens Saturday From Lindenwold to Phila". The Philadelphia Inquirer . p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Service Begins Today on Lindenwold Line". The Philadelphia Inquirer . January 4, 1969. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
5. Trethan, Phaedra (January 28, 2016). "Forgotten tunnels hold Camden's lost history". Courier-Post . Retrieved June 28, 2016.
6. "Plans Move Forward For PATCO Station Elevators". CBS Philadelphia (KYW-TV) . July 15, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
7. "Elevator Installations". PATCO. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
8. "New Weekday Schedule Starts Monday, August 15". PATCO. August 11, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022.

External links

Media related to City Hall station (PATCO) at Wikimedia Commons

• City Hall (PATCO)