8th Street station is a subway station complex in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, located at the intersection of 8th Street and Market Street in Center City. It is served by SEPTA's Market–Frankford and Broad–Ridge Spur lines, as well as the PATCO Speedline. The entire complex is owned by SEPTA, while the PATCO areas are leased by the Port Authority Transit Corporation, which operates that line. 8th Street is the only station in Philadelphia where these three subway lines interchange. The complex is comprised of three stations, 8th Street on the Market–Frankford Line, 8th & Market on the Broad–Ridge Spur, and 8th & Market on the PATCO Speedline. The complex is comprised of three underground levels, a mezzanine crossing the Market–Frankford tracks on the upper level, Market–Frankford trains running east–west and Broad–Ridge trains running north on the middle level, and PATCO running north–south on the lower level. Each platform has its own entrances/exits and fare control, but are connected via a mezzanine. For decades the corner of 8th and Market was a retail hub for the city, with major department stores Strawbridge's, Gimbels and Lit Brothers all located at the intersection and all containing direct access to the subway station. This underground connection now serves the Fashion District Philadelphiashopping mall, which provides indirect access to SEPTA Regional Rail lines at Jefferson Station, as well as the Broad Street Line via the Downtown Link concourse.
History
The station first opened August 3, 1908 as part of the first extension of the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company's Market Street Subway. The rest of the line had originally opened a year earlier between 69th Street and City Hall. The PATCO platform was originally the Market Street station on the Ridge–8th Street Subway and opened December 21, 1932, operating north under Ridge Avenue to terminate Girard station. Service on this platform also began operating via the Bridge Line over the Delaware River Bridge on June 7, 1936, terminating at Broadway station in Camden, New Jersey, utilizing a tunnel connection built in 1932 to connect to the 1926-built bridge, now known as the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. On February 10, 1952, the Locust Street Subway opened, extending the lower level tracks and pushing the terminus of the line south and west to 16th and Locust streets. Trains alternated service via the Ridge–8th Street Subway and Bridge Line until August 23, 1968, when Ridge–8th Street service was suspended. On February 15, 1969, service along the line was restored to a new single-track station one level above the existing station, and both were renamed 8th & Market. The station complex was made ADA accessible in 2009. One of the escalators was replaced from spring 2015 to spring 2016 as part of SEPTA's Center City Concourse Improvement Program.
Market–Frankford platforms
The Market–Frankford Line's 8th Street station is located on the upper platform level. There are two single platforms on the north and south sides of the tracks. Passengers may transfer between platforms via an upper mezzanine both inside and outside the paid area of the station. This mezzanine area also connects to the lower level of the Fashion District Philadelphia shopping mall. As a Market–Frankford Line station, columns and accent work throughout the two platforms are painted blue.
Broad–Ridge Spur platform
The Broad–Ridge Spur's 8th & Market station is the southern terminus of the line. There is a single track and platform located perpendicular and adjacent to the Market–Frankford westbound platform. There is no free connection to the Market–Frankford Line, as the MFL has a free connection to the main Broad Street Line at City Hall station. Trains on this platform level formerly used a now-abandoned track to connect to the Locust Street subway. The station was originally named Market Street, as evidenced by the tile work on the station, and the line was originally named the "Ridge–8th subway" due to its southern terminus at this station. As a Broad Street Line station, columns and accent work on the platform are painted orange.
PATCO platform
The lower level of the complex houses PATCO's 8th & Market station. PATCO Speedline trains stop at an island platform perpendicular to the Market–Frankford platforms. There are two fare control barriers located directly underneath each Market–Frankford Line platform. Each fare control area contains a staircase, an elevator, and "up" escalator. Each PATCO platform has a distinct accent color: the 8th & Market accent color is teal.
Station layout
The Broad–Ridge Spur and Market–Frankford Line platforms, while on the same level, are perpendicular to each other.
