SEPTA moves cleanup blitz to Allegheny El stop in Kensington

Neighbors and officials say Allegheny Station on the Market-Frankford Line has sustained damage from the same issues that closed Somerset Station in March for repairs.

People watch from the platform of the SEPTA Allegheny Station on the Market-Frankford El, as a group of demonstrators gather underneath after a march to protest of SEPTA’s decision to close the Somerset Station last month.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer

by Thomas Fitzgerald

Published April 15, 2021, 2:28 p.m. ET

Fresh off a makeover of the troubled Somerset elevated train stop in Kensington and increased security along the entire Market-Frankford Line, SEPTA crews are moving to nearby Allegheny Station for deep cleaning, maintenance, and repairs.

Allegheny, a larger station than Somerset, will remain open for the work, except for early closures next weekend.

The transit authority shut down Somerset Station on short notice last month to fix elevators damaged by urine and discarded needles and other trash, and to repaint, install brighter lighting, and reinforce stairwells and passenger crossovers.

It was a response to disorder caused by large numbers of people who are homeless or in addiction huddling in the station, raising safety concerns among riders and SEPTA workers. Kensington is the epicenter of Philadelphia’s opioid crisis.

Residents protested the loss of one of their key connections to the rest of the city, and Somerset was reopened April 5, earlier than anticipated.

SEPTA general manager Leslie S. Richards said the agency is committed to addressing the “significant challenges” posed to stations during the pandemic, as shelters and service centers have fewer spots for people dealing with addiction due to health and social distancing restrictions.

“This has been particularly acute at Market-Frankford Line stations along the Kensington Avenue corridor, and that is where we are initially concentrating our resources,” she said in a statement.

Allegheny Station will close at 8 p.m. each day from April 23 through April 25, and reopen for service at 5 a.m. the next day, to give workers time and room to complete some of the fixes there.

Elevators at the station will be unavailable during the closures. The lifts will remain open at nearby Somerset and Tioga Stations, and SEPTA will provide free transfers to the Route 3 bus so customers who use Allegheny will be able to access the El, the agency said. The bus service is ADA-accessible, officials said.

SEPTA police officers have been stationed at the stops during operating hours, and the agency has increased the presence of outreach specialists who can connect people with treatment for substance use and behavioral health issues and offer other assistance. It also has hired security guards to augment police patrols.