PHILADEPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — PATCO is preparing a plan to shut down part of its overnight service on weeknights for cleaning and maintenance.
John Hanson, CEO of the Delaware River Port Authority, said the plan - still being finalized - would suspend PATCO service and close all stations between midnight and 4:30 a.m.
"To deep clean and perform repairs and maintenance on the PATCO line in response to many complaints that we've received from PATCO riders,” he said.
Riders have long complained about the trash-filled encampments of people living in the concourses at 12th/13th and 15th/16th and Locust streets. Hanson said PATCO is negotiating an agreement with the city of Philadelphia, which owns the concourses where unhoused people have set up camp.
"Some of the areas are outside of our control in the Philadelphia concourses that need to be a part of this. We're working to pull that all together," he said.
Hanson said he hopes an agreement can be reached by early April, with the overnight shutdowns beginning shortly after. He noted that about 125 people use PATCO’s weekday overnight service.