Fully accessible station coming to Tasker-Morris Station

On Sept. 28, SEPTA, city and state officials gathered at Tasker-Morris Station in South Philly for a ceremonial groundbreaking event to celebrate the beginning of a $19 million accessibility construction project. (Contributed photo)

Ground was broken on a $19 million project which will make the busy Broad Street Line station at the intersection of Broad and Tasker Streets fully accessible.

City and transportation officials gathered at the worksite on Sept. 28 to celebrate the beginning of a two-year project that will make South Philly’s Tasker-Morris Subway Station fully compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act and will deliver modern amenities for all riders. The station serves approximately 3,000 riders every weekday.

“I am pleased that SEPTA is making these necessary improvements to the Tasker Morris Subway Station so that riders with different abilities can more easily access the Broad Street Line,” said City Councilmember Mark Squilla. “The lighting and safety enhancements are good first steps to ease the fears of the ridership.”

The project will include new elevators, new lighting and other electrical improvements, ADA-compliant communications system upgrades with emergency call boxes and HD security cameras, new safety and wayfinding signage, ADA-compliant guardrails and handrails and modified fare lines for improved flow. The station will remain open during construction.

“I want to thank SEPTA for making this $19 million investment to improve SEPTA’S Tasker-Morris Station on the important Broad Street Line,” said City Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson, chairperson of City Council’s Transportation Committee. “SEPTA will continue to make important improvements and upgrades on all modes of transportation and infrastructure throughout the SEPTA system in the five-county Philadelphia area. I am looking forward to seeing additional SEPTA improvements throughout the Second Council District and the Delaware Valley to enhance the public transit travel experience in the years to come.”

A key amenity will be elevator access from street level to the mezzanine level and a second elevator to the platform below. Officials said by the time the project is completed in early 2024, 13 of the 22 Broad Street Line stations will be fully ADA accessible.

“Thanks to funding from the Commonwealth and the City of Philadelphia, we are making investments that will improve mobility and enhance access, and support the communities we serve,” said SEPTA General Manager and CEO Leslie S. Richards. “This project is helping to revitalize a critical station, and we look forward to delivering more improvements on the line in the near future.”