SEPTA reopens long-shuttered South Broad Concourse in Center City Philadelphia
The underground corridor linking SEPTA's 15th Street/City Hall and Walnut-Locust stations in Center City Philadelphia reopened Tuesday after being closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The South Broad Concourse will be open to pedestrians 15 minutes after the first train leaves Fern Rock Transit Center and will close 30 minutes after the last train, SEPTA says.
The concourse closed at the onset of the pandemic and had been gated off for six years. The gates were removed Tuesday morning.
SEPTA says the pedestrian tunnel will reduce street-level traffic in time for the city's expected influx of tourists this summer.
While the concourse reopened in time for the summer's festivities, the pedestrian passageway will remain open for good, SEPTA says.
Philadelphia is hosting a slew of major events, including 2026 FIFA World Cup matches, MLB All-Star Game and Home Run Derby and America's 250th birthday celebrations.
The city will host its first World Cup match in 12 days on June 14, when Côte d'Ivoire and Ecuador square off at "Philadelphia Stadium" (Lincoln Financial Field). SEPTA will provide additional service — including the B and El lines operating overnight — for the matches and FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill in Fairmount Park.
The South Broad Concourse features new cameras, signage and bi-directional rotogates, according to SEPTA.
