South Jersey Towns Brace For Parking Problems Papal Weekend
By David Madden
CHERRY HILL, N.J. (CBS) - Several South Jersey towns are bracing themselves for an onslaught of cars when Pope Francis comes to Philadelphia next month.
The issue: where to put them all. It really depends on how many people are going to hop on the PATCO line to get into Philadelphia.
Special Papal ticket sales haven't been all that hot. A quick check with the Delaware River Port Authority shows that under 11,000 of those tickets have been sold so far, but that's expected to pick up after Labor Day.
Riders also have the option of using a Freedom Card issued by PATCO. There will not be any cash sales of tickets during the weekend.
Regardless, towns along the line that'll have service that weekend are gearing up.
Take Stratford, home to the Lindenwold station, where Ronald Morello is the police chief. The Lindenwold lot can hold some 3,000 cars. A vacant strip mall nearby can accommodate another 400 or so. Once those spaces are gone, Morello knows drivers will turn to nearby residential streets:
"We intend to restrict parking on one side of the street and close those streets down once the open side of the street to parking is filled," he tells KYW Newsradio.
A similar plan is being developed in Cherry Hill, where the Woodcrest station lot has a capacity of about 2,700 cars.
"We'll have electronic message boards and the police department has identified and is in the process of securing overflow lots that are in close proximity to the train station," says Cherry Hill Township spokeswoman Bridget Palmer.
Residential parking rules in Cherry Hill will be similar to those in Stratford. Both towns plan to ticket, and perhaps tow, those who park illegally or block a resident's driveway.
Both towns expect 10,000 cars or more each day to be looking for parking and are stressing the option of carpooling. Cherry Hill is also suggesting there may be traffic restrictions along busy routes, like 38 and 70, which could prompt those highways to be shut down for a time.
The Ferry Avenue and Broadway stops in Camden will also be open during the Papal visit. Parking at both stations will be limited and city officials have urged drivers not to consider parking in Camden that weekend.
