Franklin Square station is an underground

rapid transit Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT) or heavy rail, commonly referred to as metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport that is generally built in urban areas. A grade separation, grade separated rapid transit line below ground su ...

station on the

PATCO Speedline The PATCO Speedline, signed as the Lindenwold Line in Philadelphia and commonly referred to as the PATCO High Speed Line, is a rapid transit route operated by the Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO), connecting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ...

, operated by the

Delaware River Port Authority The Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA), officially the Delaware River Port Authority of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, is a bi-state agency instrumentality created by a congressionally approved interstate compact between the state governments ...

(DRPA). It is located beneath Franklin Square, at 7th and Race streets in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, Pennsylvania, United States. First opened on June 7, 1936, Franklin Square station has had several periods of closure and reopening due to low ridership. The station's most recent reopening occurred on April 3, 2025, marking the first time since 1979 that PATCO trains have stopped at the station. The station is the easternmost stop on the PATCO Speedline in Pennsylvania, situated just west of the

Benjamin Franklin Bridge The Benjamin Franklin Bridge, originally named the Delaware River Bridge and known locally as the Ben Franklin Bridge, is a suspension bridge across the Delaware River connecting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey. Owned and ope ...

, which connects Philadelphia to

Camden, New Jersey Camden is a City (New Jersey), city in Camden County, New Jersey, Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Delaware Valley metropolitan region. The city was incorporated on February 13, 1828.Snyder, John P''The Story of ...

. Its location serves as a key access point for travelers from South Jersey to nearby neighborhoods, businesses, and Old City attractions. This is one of the few PATCO stations that does not have 24-hour service; the station is closed daily between 12:15 am and 4:15 am.

History

Bridge Line station

Franklin Square station was constructed starting in 1934, with houses demolished on the west side of Franklin Square to make way for the Bridge Line rapid transit service to New Jersey, utilizing

cut-and-cover A tunnel is an underground or undersea passageway. It is dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, or laid under water, and is usually completely enclosed except for the two Portal (architecture), portals common at each end, though ther ...

techniques. Beneath the square, the tunnels are split apart, with the tracks closer together on the southwest corner and gradually spreading further apart toward the northeast corner. This shift occurs as the tracks are positioned on the outsides of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge over the Delaware River. During construction, about half of the trees in the park were removed. Afterward, the park was restored with new walkways, trees, and grass. The station opened along with the rest of the Bridge Line on June 7, 1936, alongside three other stations:

City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...

and

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

in Camden, and 8th Street in Philadelphia. However, due to low ridership, with only 1.5% of passengers using the stop, the station was closed on July 10, 1939.

Sporadic reopenings and closures

The station remained closed for over a decade until it briefly reopened in 1952, following the discontinuation of the Philadelphia and Camden Ferry across the Delaware River in April. On January 4, 1969, Franklin Square was ceremonially reopened for one day to mark the launch of the PATCO Speedline, but it did not resume regular service at that time. The station underwent a $1 million renovation before reopening as a fully functional PATCO station on May 14, 1976, to serve the

United States Bicentennial The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic. It was a central event in the memo ...

celebrations in the nearby

Independence National Historical Park Independence National Historical Park is a federally protected historic district in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that preserves several sites associated with the American Revolution and the nation's founding history. Administered by the National ...

area. During the peak of the celebrations, Franklin Square Station saw more than 27,000 riders each week. However, after the celebrations ended, ridership again declined. By 1979, fewer than 400 people a day were boarding at the station, leading to its closure once again on September 7, 1979. At that time, the DRPA, the parent agency of PATCO, committed to maintaining the station for future reopening if demand warranted. The bicentennial-era headhouse was demolished in 1983.

2020s reopening

In 2009, the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) began planning for the renovation and modernization of Franklin Square station. The project was officially announced in 2016, with an initial reopening target of 2021. However, delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the construction start to mid-2021, with the anticipated opening set for Fall 2024. The $29.3 million renovation, which got underway in 2022, involved extensive upgrades to the station's mechanical, electrical, and structural systems. The new headhouse features transparent speckled smoked glass designed to prevent bird collisions, as well as a green roof to manage stormwater runoff. The underground platform and concourses were refurbished with energy-efficient LED lighting and modern communication systems, while preserving the station’s original 1930s green-and-white tiles. The project also made the station more accessible by adding elevators, escalators, and ramps to improve ease of access. The station ultimately reopened on April 3, 2025. The station is expected to serve around 1,500 riders daily.

References

External links

*
"Ghost station: Franklin Square"
Story by Paul Nussbaum & photos by Colin Kerrigan. ''Philadelphia Inquirer''. March 19, 2015. {{PATCO PATCO Speedline stations in Philadelphia Railway stations in Philadelphia Abandoned rapid transit stations Railway stations in the United States opened in 1936 Railway stations in the United States opened in 1952 Railway stations in the United States opened in 1976 Railway stations in the United States opened in 2025 1936 establishments in Pennsylvania 1952 establishments in Pennsylvania 1976 establishments in Pennsylvania 2025 establishments in Pennsylvania 1939 disestablishments in Pennsylvania 1952 disestablishments in Pennsylvania 1979 disestablishments in Pennsylvania Railway stations located underground in Pennsylvania Railway stations in the United States closed in 1939 Railway stations in the United States closed in 1979