The Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA), which runs the PATCO rail system and four major bridges in the Greater Philadelphia/South Jersey region, has been mired in scandal for years and is under investigation for ethics violations mostly related to spending on non-transportation projects in the region. The agency is in the process of choosing a permanent replacement for former CEO John Matheussen, who was recently appointed to the New Jersey Superior Court. Former DRPA CFO John Hanson has been named interim CEO, and it has been reported that he is being considered for the permanent post.
The next permanent CEO should be chosen not only based upon his or her ability to see a number of crucial regional projects through, but also should be someone who will prioritize maintenance of DRPA’s existing infrastructure and improving the agency’s transparency. Here are some important issues the Board should consider when choosing its next CEO:
Completing the Ben Franklin Bridge Pedestrian and Bicyclist Ramp
After pressure from Tri-State, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and numerous elected officials, businesses and local organizations, the DRPA committed in 2012 to build a pedestrian and bicyclist ramp on the Camden side of the Ben Franklin Bridge that will connect to the Circuit regional trails network. The DRPA received a $400,000 grant from the William Penn Foundation through the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission in 2013 to build the ramp, and design work on the ramp is currently underway. Although the DRPA CEO does not vote on Board actions, the new CEO must make certain the project the continues to progress as well as support allocating additional resources to ensure the project is built in a timely manner.
Maintaining growth in PATCO ridership
The past decade has seen substantial ridership growth on the PATCO system. Coupled with a steady decline in automobile traffic across the Ben Franklin Bridge since 2007 and plans for transit-oriented development projects around PATCO stations, it’s clear that transportation priorities in South Jersey and Philadelphia are changing. It’s essential that DRPA, which owns and operates PATCO, maintains high-quality service on the line to ensure that these trends continue. The new CEO will come into the job during a $103 million project to replace rail ties on the Ben Franklin Bridge and refurbish PATCO’s rail cars, resulting in reduced service for up to two years. While the investment in maintaining transit infrastructure is wise, the new DRPA CEO will need to guide the agency — and ensure proper funding — to maximize rider convenience and ensure that schedule changes are managed and communicated effectively so that ridership is not significantly reduced during this period.
Management of the Glassboro-Camden Line project
The DRPA is also acting as project manager on a project to build a passenger rail service between Camden and Glassboro in southern New Jersey. While NJ Transit would ultimately run the service, DRPA has been managing the consultants working on the project and conducting public outreach during the environmental impact and feasibility stages. The Glassboro-Camden line will not only connect transit-starved Gloucester and Camden County residents to the cities of Camden and Philadelphia, but could also be built with a pedestrian and bicyclist trail alongside the route and provide transit oriented development opportunities around stations. The DRPA CEO will need to ensure that input from local residents and organizations, who have called for improved biking and walking connections to proposed stations, is taken into account.
Transparency
Reform is needed if the DRPA’s image is going to improve. While the DRPA has ramped-down its so-called economic development spending, the new CEO must make the case to the public that bridge tolls and transit fares are being spent on transportation-related projects. It’s the agency’s job to show that the public’s money is being spent wisely and for its intended use: improving mobility in the region.
Thanks for the insightful article on the latest goings on at DRPA. As a regular PATCO rider, I’m very interested in seeing the organization focus on making PATCO as rider-friendly as possible. The trains are workhorses, there’s no doubt about that. PATCO trains have far outperformed SEPTA and NJTransit trains in the past two snowstorms, for which I and every rider is very grateful.
That said, there are definitely some improvements I’d like to see with the train line. They could do such a better job marketing the line to current and potential riders. For instance, there is basically no messaging in or around the stations speaking to how you can use the line to get to cultural institutions or sporting events. For example, I’ve overheard people on the train saying you can’t take it to the stadiums in South Philadelphia, and that’s just not true. You can make a very easy connection at PATCO’s 12-13th & Locust stop to SEPTA’s Walnut-Locust Station for the Broad Street Subway to the stadiums. Other things I’ve love to see are signs on local highways encouraging drivers to take mass transit if possible (in the style of NJTransit’s lone “In traffic? Take the RiverLINE!” sign on I-295 north).
In terms of system usability, PATCO is just one part of our regional transportation system. It take you into Philadelphia and connects you to another, vast transportation system run by SEPTA, but there is hardly any mention of it on PATCO station maps. It vaguely mentions a connection at 8th & Market, but overall, those map are very outdated. Transit users today rightfully expect maps that show how the line they’re using connects to other services, and PATCO falls completely flat on this. I would like to see a true region-wide collaboration between PATCO, SEPTA, and NJTransit to show how users can get around the region.
These are just a few ideas for how we can support PATCO in the future. They’re not new or innovative, but simple and easy to implement ideas for moving the line forward. It already has an amazing benefit over driving: it gets you into the heart of Center City Philadelphia for the same cost as a bridge toll and it runs extremely frequently. It just needs a few nudges into the 21st century.
If PATCO where to operate the line from Camden to Glassboro they would have to change their think as they would have to follow FRA regs. The people at the top in the electrical (signal) end have no experience working with railroad crossing. And the first accident you see all hell brake loose.
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