PATCO Warns Camden, Old City Residents: Construction Will Be Noisy
By John McDevitt
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - PATCO is preparing for its 2-year, $103 million project to rehabilitate its aging railroad tracks along the Ben Franklin Bridge (see related story). Letters are going out to residents and business owners in Old City and Camden warning them it's going to be noisy.
Workers are currently building a safety platform under the bridge to protect the construction crews once work on the rails begins sometime after Memorial Day. The Delaware River Port Authority has been sending out letters to homes and businesses near the bridge saying loud steel-on-steel construction noise and the sound of blast cleaning will most likely be heard.
DRPA CEO John Hanson says, "We are doing everything we possibly can to minimize the noise and the negative impacts, but the reality of this construction project is there is going to be some noise. We want people to be prepared for it and not frightened and startled for it."
Hanson apologizes for the inconvenience, but says it will all be worth it at the end.
"The tracks are going to be repaired, safe and serviceable for another approximately 30 years. And also at the end of it we are going to have completely refurbished train cars to carry our passengers."