SEPTA runs stress test in Philadelphia as city prepares for July 4 crowds
SEPTA ran an emergency stress test Wednesday morning in Philadelphia.
Agency officials simulated conditions for July 4, when ridership is expected to peak.
The transit agency staged simultaneous emergencies in the Walnut-Locust Street subway station, with staffers responding to a situation that included both a suspicious backpack and a medical emergency. SEPTA is bracing for what it says will be one of its busiest stretches, with tens of thousands of riders to manage.
"They found a suspicious-looking package, and they're trying to work through that, and we have medical emergencies that arise," Chief Charles Lawson said. "You're really stressing what's going on at any one scene."
The agency will review its handling of the incidents and fine-tune and adjust in preparation for the Fourth of July, when Philadelphia is set to be at the center of the country's 250th anniversary celebrations while hosting a FIFA World Cup match at Lincoln Financial Field.
SEPTA expects 30,000 riders for the game alone.