Registered buses can access closed highways during pope visit

Registered buses will be able to access some otherwise closed highways while Pope Francis is in Philadelphia next month.

Authorities said buses registered through a transportation-management portal called GO GROUND -- which all private and commercial buses traveling to Philadelphia to participate in papal weekend events must do -- will be permitted to drive on some restricted roads and off ramps.

The buses will be able to access the Schuylkill Expressway and its ramps, but not the Vine Street Expressway or the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.

The registered vehicles, which can include motor coaches, school buses, mini buses, RVs and large passenger vans, will receive placards for traveling in and out of Philadelphia for Sept. 26 and 27, the World Meeting of Families and PennDOT said.

The placarded buses, however, will not have access to the Ben Franklin Bridge, according to GO GROUND chief executive Bill Maulsby. The bridge will be open only to pedestrians and emergency vehicles, and Vine Street will only be accessible to emergency vehicles.

Bus operators must register by Aug. 31 at http://wmof.goground.com.

Buses that will only be in the city for the World Meeting of Families conference from Sept. 22 to 25 don't need to register.

Registered buses are expected to receive parking-location assignments in late August or early September.

The stadium area in South Philadelphia is expected to be the primary parking area, according to Maulsby. Riders can take the Broad Street Line from the AT&T Station there to the Walnut-Locust Station in Center City.

Additional parking locations will depend on how many buses register.