New PATCO schedule to begin Friday

PATCO commuters will face another reduction in service sooner than expected so that construction workers have more time to replace tracks and ties on the Ben Franklin Bridge.

The new schedule, with fewer inconveniences for riders than the one that lasted from Memorial Day until Aug. 1, will start Friday. It is slated to last until Oct. 21.

Previously, PATCO had said the new round of construction would require a 50-day reduced schedule, starting on Labor Day weekend.

The new reductions in service will be caused by the closure of the track on the north side of the bridge for replacement of tracks, ties, signals, and other equipment. The equipment on the south side was replaced during a 60-day closure that ended Aug. 1.

The track work is part of a $103 million overhaul that is scheduled to last until early 2016.

The latest schedule will provide more trains and fewer and shorter gaps in service, PATCO said.

During morning rush hours from New Jersey to Center City, the number of gaps in service will be reduced to three from the previous four, and the total waiting time during those gaps will be 66 minutes, rather than 106 minutes.

New schedules will be available at PATCO stations and online at www.ridepatco.org.