Officials expect little travel disruption in the region during DNC
It won't be like when the pope came to town. Sure, there are protests planned, cracks in some SEPTA trains, and any number of presidential motorcades whizzing through Philadelphia. But all in all, officials say, getting around the region during this week's Democratic National Convention shouldn't be too difficult.
It won't be like when the pope came to town.
Sure, there are protests planned, cracks in some SEPTA trains, and any number of presidential motorcades whizzing through Philadelphia. But all in all, officials say, getting around the region during this week's Democratic National Convention shouldn't be too difficult.
Shuttle buses, subways, and Ubers will move guests at the convention, and all of it should only mildly inconvenience people who couldn't care less that the donkeys are in town, organizers say.
They plan to close streets only around the stadiums and keep highways open to passenger autos. Unlike last fall's papal visit, which closed a swath of Center City, most of the convention activities will take place miles south at the Wells Fargo Center.
"It's a controlled environment," said Andrew Ballard, director of transportation for the convention.
Along with the 4,765 delegates expected to attend, the convention will bring a horde of media, guests, and elected officials to Philadelphia. They're staying in 95 contracted hotels spread around the city and its suburbs in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and the Democratic National Committee has leased 410 buses to serve as exclusive shuttles for the attendees.
The buses, open only to people with DNC credentials, will be assigned routes and will run regular circuits with stops at hotels and major convention venues, the Wells Fargo Center, and the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Ballard said.
It'll be easier to drink and not drive: With closing times pushed to 4 a.m. at some city bars and restaurants this week, the buses will keep running for an hour past last call.
Ballard said convention attendees would be offered an app to tell them the locations of DNC buses and help figure out where to board one. Organizers said 75 percent of the vehicles being used are wheelchair-accessible.
A recent détente between the Philadelphia Parking Authority and Uber will allow UberX service to operate unmolested, and the company plans a slew of features for the convention. Uber says it is offering drivers incentives to operate in busy areas, which should cut back on surge pricing during peak hours. It is also giving attendees maps of the city with a code that gets them one free ride, setting up a lounge at the Wells Fargo Center where people can wait for rides, and offering VIP service - to conventiongoers selected by the DNC.
SEPTA is providing 125 buses to the convention and also expects heavy ridership on the Broad Street Line, said Ron Hopkins, SEPTA general manager of operations. The transit authority plans to add seven or eight trains to the Broad Street Line, similar to how it handles added capacity during Eagles games.
Though SEPTA's Regional Rail schedule has been in chaos since a third of its cars were pulled from service due to flaws found in a key component, staff members at the authority say they think the convention will be mostly unaffected. People staying at hotels will likely turn to shuttle buses rather than Regional Rail to carry them in and out of the city this week, officials said.
An inconvenience to daily commuters, though, is the loss of parking at AT&T Station. Since SEPTA's rail woes, commuters who don't want to deal with delays have been driving to the station, parking, and taking the subway to work. But that lot was closed for security reasons. Alternative parking is available at the Naval Hospital, SEPTA said.
PATCO, the rail line connecting the city with South Jersey, will maintain its usual schedule most of the week but will add cars. On Thursday, when attention shifts briefly to a Camden waterfront concert for convention attendees featuring Lady Gaga and Lenny Kravitz, PATCO will add trains.
Construction on I-95 will be paused during the convention and vehicles weighing five tons or more will be barred from the interstate between Philadelphia International Airport and the exit for I-676, said Eugene Blaum, a PennDot spokesman. Those trucks will be on I-76 and I-676 instead, which will likely mean heavier traffic.
"What we are telling motorists is that if you're traveling on 76 or 676, just to give yourself additional time," Blaum said.
Highway on- and off-ramps near the stadiums will be blocked or will have only limited access, he said.
An added reason to allow more drive time: Motorcades ferrying current and former White House occupants. A lot of Clintons and Obamas will be here, and the Secret Service expects some brief road closures.
Despite talk of boycotts and protests during the DNC, Uber Black and cabdrivers will be working, said Ali Razak, who represents Uber Black drivers, and Ron Blount, who represents cabdrivers. They said a demonstration - not a disruption - would spotlight the issues of minimum wage for drivers, and improved access for people with disabilities on vehicles summoned through ride-hailing apps.
The chance of disruptive protests was included in the DNC's transportation plans, said Hopkins, of SEPTA, and Ballard. SEPTA is prepared to adjust schedules and stops if protesters occupy a station. And if protests force bus detours, SEPTA expects to post route changes via Twitter.
Ballard noted that in the past, protesters had tried to block shuttle buses.
"Part of it is just vehicle access to the area," he said, "keeping folks away who don't have any business being there."
215-854-4587@jasmlaughlin