(SEPTA circulated the following news release on August 18.)
PHILADELPHIA — Football fans, we feel your pain.
Sitting in traffic while on your way to the game can be just as excruciating as a bone-crunching tackle since both encounters can easily cause the partaker to miss some serious playing time.
That’s why SEPTA is aiming to make game day a little less painful and more enjoyable for Eagles fans.
SEPTA is once again providing special Broad Street Line Sports Express service to every Philadelphia Eagles home game at Lincoln Financial Field. All season long Broad Street Line Sports Express trains will depart Fern Rock Transportation Center every 10 minutes beginning approximately two-and-a-half hours before kickoff giving fans ample opportunity to get to their seats in comfort and on time.
For Friday’s (Aug. 20) 8 p.m. Eagles-Ravens game, Broad Street Line Sports Express trains will depart Fern Rock Transportation Center at 6:15 p.m., 6:25 p.m., 6:35 p.m., 6:45 p.m., 6:55 p.m., 7:05 p.m., 7:15 p.m. and 7:25 p.m.
Sports Express trains make limited stops and take only eight minutes to travel from City Hall Station to Pattison Station near the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. In addition to the extra service the Sports Express trains afford, SEPTA also operates frequent local Broad Street Line service throughout the day.
Broad Street Line Sports Express service has become a welcome and popular game day addition among area fans over the past several years. Commuters have embraced the advantages the line provides over driving and parking in the area of the Sports Complex.
Last season, SEPTA transported more than 100,000 fans to eight regular season and two postseason games played at Lincoln Financial Field. Ridership surpassed the previous year’s totals (8,500 per game) by 18% as an average of more than 10,000 fans per game used the Broad Street Line, helping to alleviate traffic and parking issues in South Philadelphia.
Commuters still set on driving to the Sports Complex shouldn’t expect any real relief soon. According to a recent report, construction of a new parking facility at the former location of Veterans Stadium is currently behind schedule and not expected to be finished until November, potentially leaving many Birds fans in a bind.
Compounding the problem is the start of the hockey and basketball seasons, both of which are scheduled to be in progress by November. With service readily available to the Sports Complex on the Broad Street Line, is choosing another option a risk worth taking?
Area football fans have already waited patiently for the start of the football season. Now that the wait is officially over, fans needn’t also wait in traffic and miss the start of games.