8th Street station (Philadelphia)

8th Street station is a subway station complex in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, located at the intersection of 8th Street and Market Street in Center City. It is served by SEPTA's Market–Frankford and Broad–Ridge Spur lines, as well as the PATCO Speedline (signed by SEPTA as the "Lindenwold Line"). The entire complex is owned by SEPTA, while the PATCO areas are leased by the Port Authority Transit Corporation, which operates that line. 8th Street is the only station in Philadelphia where these three subway lines interchange.

8th Street / 8th & Market
PATCO SEPTA/PATCO rapid transit station complex
Left to right (1) Eighth Street Market-Frankford station platform, (2) Broad-Ridge Spur station, (3) PATCO station
Location	8th & Market Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	39.952076°N 75.156612°W / 39.952076; -75.156612
Owned by	Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (lower level leased to Port Authority Transit Corporation)
Platforms	3 side platforms, 1 island platform
Tracks	5
Connections	SEPTA Regional Rail (at Jefferson Station) SEPTA City Bus: 17, 33, 38, 44, 47, 47m, 61, 62 NJ Transit Bus: 400, 401, 402, 404, 406, 408, 409, 410, 412, 414, 417, 555
Construction
Structure type	Underground
Disabled access	Yes
History
Opened	August 3, 1908 (upper level, Market–Frankford)[1][2] December 21, 1932 (lower level, Bridge Line)
Rebuilt	February 15, 1969 (upper level, Broad–Ridge) 2009 (ADA accessiblity)
Electrified	700 volts DC third rail (Market–Frankford) 600 volts DC third rail (Broad Street) 750 volts DC third rail (PATCO)
Previous names	Market Street (Broad–Ridge)
Services
Preceding station SEPTA Following station 11th Street toward 69th Street Market–Frankford Line 5th Street / Independence Hall toward Frankford Terminus Broad–Ridge Spur Chinatown toward Olney or Fern Rock Preceding station Delaware River Port Authority Following station 9–10th & Locust toward 15–16th & Locust PATCO Speedline City Hall toward Lindenwold 12–13th & Locust late night service toward 15–16th & Locust
Location
8th Street / 8th & Market Location within Philadelphia

The complex is comprised of three stations, 8th Street on the Market–Frankford Line, 8th & Market on the Broad–Ridge Spur (also sporadically signed as "8th Street"), and 8th & Market on the PATCO Speedline. The complex is comprised of three underground levels, a mezzanine crossing the Market–Frankford tracks on the upper level, Market–Frankford trains running east–west and Broad–Ridge trains running north on the middle level, and PATCO running north–south on the lower level. Each platform has its own entrances/exits and fare control, but are connected via a mezzanine.

For decades the corner of 8th and Market was a retail hub for the city, with major department stores Strawbridge's, Gimbels and Lit Brothers all located at the intersection and all containing direct access to the subway station. This underground connection now serves the Fashion District Philadelphia shopping mall, which provides indirect access to SEPTA Regional Rail lines at Jefferson Station, as well as the Broad Street Line via the Downtown Link concourse.[3]

History

The station first opened August 3, 1908 as part of the first extension of the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company's Market Street Subway.[1][2] The rest of the line had originally opened a year earlier between 69th Street and City Hall.[1][2]

ADA-accessible access between a MFL platform and the mezzanine

The PATCO platform was originally the Market Street station on the Ridge–8th Street Subway and opened December 21, 1932, operating north under Ridge Avenue to terminate Girard station.[4] Service on this platform also began operating via the Bridge Line over the Delaware River Bridge on June 7, 1936, terminating at Broadway station in Camden, New Jersey, utilizing a tunnel connection built in 1932 to connect to the 1926-built bridge, now known as the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.

On February 10, 1952, the Locust Street Subway opened, extending the lower level tracks and pushing the terminus of the line south and west to 16th and Locust streets. Trains alternated service via the Ridge–8th Street Subway and Bridge Line until August 23, 1968, when Ridge–8th Street service was suspended. On February 15, 1969, service along the line was restored to a new single-track station one level above the existing station, and both were renamed 8th & Market.

The station complex was made ADA accessible in 2009. One of the escalators was replaced from spring 2015 to spring 2016 as part of SEPTA's Center City Concourse Improvement Program.[5]

Market–Frankford platforms

Broad–Ridge Spur platform

The Market–Frankford Line's 8th Street station is located on the upper platform level. There are two single platforms on the north and south sides of the tracks. Passengers may transfer between platforms via an upper mezzanine both inside and outside the paid area of the station. This mezzanine area also connects to the lower level of the Fashion District Philadelphia shopping mall. As a Market–Frankford Line station, columns and accent work throughout the two platforms are painted blue.

Broad–Ridge Spur platform

The Broad–Ridge Spur's 8th & Market station is the southern terminus of the line. There is a single track and platform located perpendicular and adjacent to the Market–Frankford westbound platform. There is no free connection to the Market–Frankford Line, as the MFL has a free connection to the main Broad Street Line at City Hall station.

A PATCO train on the lower platform level

Trains on this platform level formerly used a now-abandoned track to connect to the Locust Street subway (now the PATCO Speedline). The station was originally named Market Street, as evidenced by the tile work on the station, and the line was originally named the "Ridge–8th subway" due to its southern terminus at this station. As a Broad Street Line station, columns and accent work on the platform are painted orange.

PATCO platform

The lower level of the complex houses PATCO's 8th & Market station. PATCO Speedline trains stop at an island platform perpendicular to the Market–Frankford platforms. There are two fare control barriers located directly underneath each Market–Frankford Line platform. Each fare control area contains a staircase, an elevator, and "up" escalator. Each PATCO platform has a distinct accent color: the 8th & Market accent color is teal.

Station layout

A street entrance showing all three lines

The Broad–Ridge Spur and Market–Frankford Line platforms, while on the same level, are perpendicular to each other.

G	Street level	Entrances/exits, buses
B1	Mezzanine	Crossover between MFL platforms, PATCO fare control, Fashion District mall
B2	Side platform with fare control
	Westbound	←      Market–Frankford Line toward 69th Street (11th Street)
	Eastbound	→      Market–Frankford Line toward Frankford (5th Street/Independence Hall) →
	Side platform with fare control
	Northbound	←      Broad–Ridge Spur termination track →      Broad–Ridge Spur toward Olney or Fern Rock (Chinatown) →
	Side platform with fare control
B3	Westbound	←      PATCO Speedline toward 15–16th & Locust (9–10th & Locust) ←      PATCO Speedline late nights toward 15–16th & Locust (12–13th & Locust)
	Island platform
	Eastbound	←      PATCO Speedline toward Lindenwold (City Hall) → ← (No service: Franklin Square)

Image gallery

• 
  MFL platform signage
• 
  Mezzanine crossover between MFL platforms
• 
  Market Street tile work, showing the former name of the Broad–Ridge Spur station
• 
  Broad Ridge Spur platform
• 
  Station tracks and platform
• 
  PATCO station
• 
  PATCO station
• 
  8th & Market station

References

1. Cox, Harold E. (1967). May, Jack (ed.). The Road from Upper Darby. The Story of the Market Street Subway-Elevated. New York, NY: Electric Railroaders' Association. p. 16. OCLC 54770701.
2. Hepp, John (2013). "Subways and Elevated Lines". The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia.
3. "Downtown Link Center City Concourse". SEPTA. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
4. ISEPTAPHILLY Blog. "Route of the Week - Broad-Ridge Spur". SEPTA. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
5. "Center City Concourse Improvement Program | Phase 1 Fact Sheet". SEPTA. Retrieved June 1, 2020.

External links

• SEPTA – 8th Street Station (Market–Frankford Line)
• SEPTA – 8th & Market Street (Broad–Ridge Spur)
• PATCO – 8th & Market Street Station
• 8th Street entrance from Google Maps Street View