Broad Street Subway's City Hall Station

I took Septa to the new ball park last week. Took the train in from Yardley (not the car) and walked over to the BSS at City Hall station. Now, I use NYC's subway system regularly. I like mass transit. I would not try to compare the systems of these two great city's. BUT I HAVE NEVER SMELLED A STENCH LIKE THE ONE AT CITY HALL STATION. This hub station in the heart of the heart of Philadelphia is a civic disgrace. Are there plans for a major renovation in the works? If not, new signage, a good paint job, and better ventalation would be a cost-effective suggestion. Philadelphian's deserve a first class transit system.

Detailed plans to completely renovate the BSS City Hall station and the MFSE station above it (and connect the two) have been in the works for years. I've seen the plans. Just no money to build it.

Welcome to Filth-adelphia! The specific mixture of urine, vomit, garbage, and body odor used to create the aromatic embience of our subway stations is legendary--and a secret recipe.

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But yes, I agree. A general overhaul of both Broad Steeet and 15th & Market would be great. It's on Septa's to-do list. As usual, it comes down to $$$.

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ewonder wrote:I would not try to compare the systems of these two great cities [city's]. BUT I HAVE NEVER SMELLED A STENCH LIKE THE ONE AT CITY HALL STATION. This hub station in the heart of the heart of Philadelphia is a civic disgrace. Are there plans for a major renovation in the works? If not, new signage, a good paint job, and better ventilation [ventalation] would be a cost-effective suggestion. Philadelphians [Philadelphian's] deserve a first class transit system.

That is exactly why so many of us are not only at this forum but also are trying to work through our representatives and through riders' organizations such as DVARP.

Unfortunately, the history of transit, and for that matter, many other civic institutions in Philadelphia is anything but shining. Just look at the latest set of charges in the government's pay-to-play scandal.

There are clear reasons SEPTA is sometimes referred to as SEPTIC, and Lincoln Steffen's observation about Philadelphia ("corrupt and contented") is still true a century later.

None of this justifies or excuses ANY of the problems; it just gives you an idea of the their magnitude and why so many good people become discouraged.

Back in the day that trip was just a warm up for the Vet! But alas, now we have swanky new stadiums, and people expect clean trains. What's the world coming to?

I would love to see the plans to fix that stink hole up. I would also love to figure out the previous layouts of entrances and exits because it has gone through at least 2 changes previous to the current one. But on the bright side (kind of) you get used to the smell when you have to use the station everyday.

Sean@Temple

Just imagine....



From urbanphoto.net Montreal photo essay.

By the way, Philly could have the extra height stations like modern systems do at the City Hall station. The Broad St. pedestrian concourse could be closed (best solution because it removes the homeless latrine syndrom) or alternatively just shrunk (which is planned anyway) and the extra space above the tracks could be demolished for the exta height gallery.

Unforunately, the recent changes at the 30th St. stop on the MFL line make me worry that SEPTA does not have a clear sense of modern transit aesthetics.

That station has been in this condition for as long as anyone can remember. I remember going through that station frequently in the 1960's and you had the same smells, etc. then that have been described here.

adamkrom wrote:By the way, Philly could have the extra height stations like modern systems do at the City Hall station. The Broad St. pedestrian concourse could be closed (best solution because it removes the homeless latrine syndrom) or alternatively just shrunk (which is planned anyway) and the extra space above the tracks could be demolished for the exta height gallery.

Unforunately, the recent changes at the 30th St. stop on the MFL line make me worry that SEPTA does not have a clear sense of modern transit aesthetics.

Don't close the underground concourse... It's a great system, especially when you'd rather not be exposed to the elements on the street.

City Hall renovations are listed in the 15 year SEPTA capital budget with some money apparantly already being appropriated for it. I'm sure once Suburban Station is wrapped up, they will turn their focus to its eastern neighbor... It's long overdue.

I use the concourse when it rains.

But you have to wonder if SEPTA can really maintain it to a standard that won't have tourists badmouthing us.

I suggest narrowing the concourse, and cutting holes in the floor such that it becomes a mezzanine over the platform level, rather than a setting for laser tag.

By the way, I believe the station is listed after 2009 -- a specific year isn't given -- as with the route 23, 56, and other various rail projects.

Thinking outside the box, another idea that will never be funded is a Broad Street Subway loop under City Hall for the local tracks. The existing City Hall platforms could be expanded over the existing local tracks for increased pedestrian access/capacity.

I hate to make specific comparisons - but in New York, the locals are the short route trains, and the express trains travel the entire trackage end to end. Same thing for (Red Line) Howard service (locals to Ravenswood) in Chicago. Can anybody give a good explanation why that doesn't make sense here other than lack of infrastructure?

Have corporations in the area around City Hall (such as Comcast, Aramark, Independence Blue Cross, etc.) ever been approached about "adopting" this station to contribute to upkeep and or upgrade? Maybe this alternative, short of naming rights, would be a way to clean up this CIVIC DISGRACE. It is unacceptable to wait 5 or 10 years for SEPTA to act.

If the new building gets built at 17th and JFK, they will build a new entrance to Suburban Station... But other than that, Center Square has a nicer entrance to the concourse that they seemed to contribute to... I think it would be nice to see Comcast take a role in renovations of the entire complex, though. Aramark and IBC are a bit too far from the City Hall zone to care. Independence could put some money into renovations of 19th Street Subway Surface station considering that it's right in front of their building.