View source for Jefferson Station (SEPTA)

{{Short description|SEPTA Regional Rail station in Philadelphia}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox station
| name               = 
| style              = SEPTA
| style2             = SEPTA Regional Rail
| symbol_location    = SEPTA
| symbol             = SEPTA
| image              = Train emerging from the Center City Commuter Connection at the Market East Station, Philadelphia PA.jpg
| caption            = Jefferson Station platforms as viewed from the concourse level
| address            = Market Street between 10th and 12th Streets
| borough            = [[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania
| coordinates        = {{coord|39.95263|-75.15811|region:US-PA_type:railwaystation|display=inline,title|format=dms}}
| owned              = [[SEPTA]]
| line               = [[SEPTA Main Line]] ([[Center City Commuter Connection]])<!-- the physical "line" is not the same as "services" which are detailed below -->
| platform           = 2 [[island platform]]s
| tracks             = 4
| connections        =  {{Unbulleted list
   | {{ric|SEPTA Metro}} [[SEPTA Metro]]: {{rint|philadelphia|L}} ({{stl|SEPTA Metro|11th Street}})<br/>
{{ric|SEPTA Metro}} [[SEPTA Metro]]: {{rint|philadelphia|L}} {{rint|philadelphia|b3}} ({{stl|SEPTA Metro|8th–Market}})
   | {{rint|subway}} {{rint|philadelphia|patco}} ({{stl|PATCO|8th & Market}})
   | {{Bus icon}} [[SEPTA City Bus]]: {{SEPTA bus link|17|23|33|38|44|47|47m|48|61|62|78}}
   | {{Bus icon}} [[NJ Transit Bus]]: {{NJ bus link|313|315|316|317|400|401|402|404|406|408|409|410|412|414|417|551|555}}
   }}
| parking            = 
| bicycle            = 22 [[Bicycle parking rack|rack]] spaces<ref name="Station Info">{{Cite web |title=Jefferson Station |url=https://www5.septa.org/travel/stops/jefferson-station/ |access-date=July 13, 2023 |website=[[SEPTA]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
| accessible         = Yes<ref name="Station Info" />
| code               = 90006
| zone               = CC<ref name="Fare Zone Map">{{Cite web |title=Fare Zone Map |url=https://www5.septa.org/wp-content/uploads/fares/fare-zone-map.pdf |website=[[SEPTA]] |access-date=July 13, 2023 |archive-date=October 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012083624/https://www5.septa.org/wp-content/uploads/fares/fare-zone-map.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| opened             = {{start date|1984|11|10}}<ref name="readingterminal">{{Cite book |last=Highsmith |first=Carol |title=Reading Terminal and Market: Philadelphia's Historic Gateway and Grand Convention Center |last2=Holton |first2=James |publisher=Chelsea Publishing Company |year=1994 |isbn=0962087718}}</ref>
| electrified        = 
| former             = Market East (1984–2014)<ref name=inq-name/>
| pass_year          = 2017
| passengers         = 12,122 boardings, 12,122 alightings (weekday average)<ref>{{cite web | title=Fiscal Year 2021 Service Plan Update| publisher=[[SEPTA]] | date=June 2020 | url=https://planning.septa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/FY-2021_Service_Plan_Update.docx | page=24 | access-date=March 11, 2022}}</ref>
| pass_rank          = 2 of 146
| services           = {{Adjacent stations|system1=SEPTA
  |line1=Airport|left1=Suburban Station|right1=Temple University
  |line2=Chestnut Hill West|left2=Suburban Station|right2=Temple University
  |line3=Media/Wawa|left3=Suburban Station|right3=Temple University
  |line4=Paoli/Thorndale|left4=Suburban Station|right4=Temple University
  |line5=Trenton|left5=Suburban Station|right5=Temple University|to-left5=Trenton|to-right5=Temple University
  |line6=Wilmington/Newark|left6=Suburban Station|right6=Temple University
  |line7=Chestnut Hill East|left7=Suburban Station|right7=Temple University|to-left7=30th Street|to-right7=Chestnut Hill East
  |line8=Fox Chase|left8=Suburban Station|right8=Temple University
  |line9=Lansdale/Doylestown|left9=Suburban Station|right9=Temple University
  |line10=Manayunk/Norristown|left10=Suburban Station|right10=Temple University|to-left10=Penn Medicine|to-right10=Elm Street
  |line11=Warminster|left11=Suburban Station|right11=Temple University
  |line12=West Trenton|left12=Suburban Station|right12=Temple University
  }}
  | mapframe = yes
  | mapframe-custom = {{Infobox mapframe |shape=none |line=none |marker=rail |marker-color=#000 |zoom=14 }}
  | map_state = collapsed
  | route_map = {{Routemap
|legend=track
|inline=y
|top=Filbert St. is omitted
|map=
tvSTRq\tvSTRq\tkvSTR2+r\tkvSTRc3\ ~~ ~~ ~~ {{rmri|l}} {{BSsplit|{{rint|Philadelphia|CHE}}{{rint|Philadelphia|FOX}}{{rint|Philadelphia|LAN}}|{{rint|Philadelphia|NOR}}{{rint|Philadelphia|WAR}}{{rint|Philadelphia|WTR}}}}
tvSTRq\tvSTRq\tvSTR+r!~tkvSTR-c1\tkvSTR+4\
RP2q\RP2q\tvSTR!~RP2q\tvSTR!~RP2q\RP2q ~~ 9th St.
tSTRc2\tvSTR3-!~tv-STR\tvSTR
tvSTR+1-\tSTRc4!~tvSHI2+l\tvSHI2r-!~tv-STR
RP2q\tvSTR-!~RP2q\tvSTR!~RP2q\tv-STR!~RP2q\RP2q ~~ 10th St.
tvSTR-PLT\tvSTR\tvPLT-STR
tvSTR-PLT\tvSTR\tvPLT-STR
RP2q\tvSTR-PLT!~RP2q\tvSTR!~RP2q\tvPLT-STR!~RP2q\RP2q ~~ 11th St.
tvSTR-PLT\tvSTR\tvPLT-STR
tvSTR-PLT\tvSTR\tvPLT-STR
RP2q\tvSTR-!~RP2q\tvSTR!~RP2q\tv-STR!~RP2q\RP2q ~~ 12th St.
tvSTR-!~tv-SHI2+l\tvSHI2r!~tSTRc2\tv-STR3
tvSTR\tvSTR-!~tv-STR+1\tSTRc4
RP2q\tvSTR!~RP2q\tvSTR!~RP2q\RP2q\RP2q ~~ 13th St.
tvSTR\tvSTR\ ~~ ~~ ~~ {{rmri|d}} {{BSsplit|{{rint|Philadelphia|AIR}}{{rint|Philadelphia|CHW}}{{rint|Philadelphia|MED}}|{{rint|Philadelphia|PAO}}{{rint|Philadelphia|TRE}}{{rint|Philadelphia|WIL}}}} 
tvSTR!~MFADEf\tvSTR!~MFADEf\
}}
}}

'''Jefferson Station''' (formerly named '''Market East Station''') is an underground [[SEPTA Regional Rail]] station located on [[Market Street (Philadelphia)|Market Street]] in [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]]. It is the easternmost of the three [[Center City, Philadelphia|Center City]] stations of the SEPTA Regional Rail system and is part of the [[Center City Commuter Connection]], which connects the former [[Penn Central]] commuter lines with the former [[Reading Company]] commuter lines. In 2014, the station saw approximately 26,000 passengers every weekday.<ref name=jefferson-press/>

[[Jefferson Health]], whose [[Thomas Jefferson University Hospital]] is a few blocks away, purchased the naming rights to the station in September 2014. The health system's logo, a silhouette of the former president, appears alongside the station's name in most locations.

==History==
[[File:SEPTA Jefferson Station.jpg|thumb|left|12th and Market streets entrance in the [[Reading Terminal]] building]]
Market East Station was built as part of the $300-million [[Center City Commuter Connection]] project, which constructed a tunnel between the former [[Suburban Station]] and an existing viaduct near [[Temple University station]] and unified commuter rail service in Philadelphia.<ref name=goldentyer/> The tunnel included provisions for an "11th Street Station."<ref name=filbert>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XKY4AQAAMAAJ |title=Draft Environmental Statement, Center City Commuter Rail Connection, City of Philadelphia |date=September 1973 |author=Urban Mass Transportation Administration |author-link=Urban Mass Transportation Administration |page=94 |access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref> During planning stages, the station was named Market East, a name sometimes used to refer to the retail corridor on Market Street east of [[Philadelphia City Hall|City Hall]]. During construction in May 1984, the tunnel suffered minor damage due to an above-ground fire in an abandoned building on 10th Street.<ref name=goldentyer>{{cite news |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/obituaries/20120106_B__Goldentyer__81__engineer_on_city_rail_tunnel.html |title=B. Goldentyer, 81, engineer on city rail tunnel |last=Naedele |first=Walter F. |work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |date=January 6, 2012 |access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref>

The station opened on November 10, 1984, replacing the 1893-built [[Reading Terminal]] which had closed four days earlier.<ref name=readingterminal/><ref name=inq-name/> Part of the station actually sits below the Reading Terminal building, which still houses [[Reading Terminal Market]] and also now includes part of the [[Pennsylvania Convention Center]]. When the convention center first opened in 1993,<ref name=convention>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/convention-centers |title=Convention Center |author=Stephen Nepa |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia |date=2015 |access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref> a new entrance to the station was built into the Reading Terminal headhouse at the northeast corner of 12th and Market streets.

In July 2012, [[Amtrak]] identified Market East as its preferred Philadelphia station for a future [[high-speed rail in the United States|high-speed rail]] line along the [[Northeast Corridor]] between [[South Station|Boston South Station]] and [[Washington Union Station]].<ref name=amtrak-report>{{cite web |url=https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/453/325/Amtrak-Vision-for-the-Northeast-Corridor.pdf |title=The Amtrak Vision for the Northeast Corridor, 2012 Update Report |page=21 |date=July 2012 |publisher=[[Amtrak]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150606224115/https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/453/325/Amtrak-Vision-for-the-Northeast-Corridor.pdf |archive-date=June 6, 2015 |access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first = Eric | last = Jaffe | title = How Amtrak Might Redefine Downtown Philadelphia | work = [[CityLab]] | date = September 7, 2012 | url = http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2012/09/how-amtrak-might-redefine-downtown-philadelphia/3195/ | access-date = October 24, 2012}}</ref> The new corridor would be built with fewer curves, allowing for trains to achieve much higher speeds and eventually reach the goal of a 37-minute trip between Philadelphia and [[Pennsylvania Station (New York City)|New York Penn Station]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/amtrak-chooses-center-of-philly-high-speed-rail |title=Amtrak Chooses Center for Philly High-Speed Rail |last=Lindsay |first=Milton |work=[[Next City]] |date=August 15, 2012 |access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref>

Rumors first circulated in August 2014 that the station would be renamed.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://technical.ly/philly/2014/08/26/septa-market-east-becoming-jefferson-station/ |title=Is SEPTA's Market East becoming 'Jefferson Station'? |date=August 26, 2014 |last=Seward |first=Zack |work=[[Technical.ly]] |access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref> On September 4, 2014, SEPTA announced the station's renaming from Market East to Jefferson, after [[Jefferson Health]] – whose [[Thomas Jefferson University Hospital]] is a few blocks from the station – purchased the naming rights.<ref name=jefferson-press>{{cite press release |title=Next Stop, Jefferson Station! |url=http://www.septa.org/media/releases/2014/9-4-14.html |publisher=[[SEPTA]] |date=September 4, 2014}}</ref> The length of the $4 million contract for the Jefferson Station name is five years, with the option to keep it for an additional four years for $3.4 million.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jefferson to pay $4M for SEPTA station naming rights |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/business/transportation/20140905_Jefferson_pays__4m_for_SEPTA_station_naming_rights.html |last=Nussbaum |first=Paul |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer  |access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref> This was SEPTA's second naming rights sale; Pattison station was renamed AT&T station in 2010, and is now named [[NRG station]].<ref name=inq-name>{{cite news |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/business/transportation/20140903_Market_East_Station_to_be_renamed_Jefferson_Station.html |title=Market East Station to be renamed Jefferson Station |last=Nussbaum |first=Paul |date=September 2, 2014 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/septa-renaming-market-east-hub-to-jefferson-station/61184/ |title=SEPTA Renames Market East Transit Hub to Jefferson Station |work=[[WCAU|NBC10 Philadelphia]] |date=September 4, 2014 |last=Lattanzino |first=Vince |access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref>

The station is connected to the concourse level of [[Fashion District Philadelphia]], a shopping mall that replaced the [[Gallery at Market East]] mall in September 2019. The station was connected to the Gallery II (the mall's 1984 expansion) section of the mall,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/gallery-at-market-east/ |title=Gallery at Market East |author=Sean McComas |date=2014 |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia |access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref> and the design of the new mall preserved the connection to Jefferson Station.

==Services==
[[File:Jefferson Station waiting area.JPG|thumb|left|Waiting area on the concourse level in 2018, showing newly-installed [[SEPTA Key]] turnstiles.]]
Jefferson Station is served by all Regional Rail lines except the limited-service [[Cynwyd Line]], which terminates at [[Suburban Station]]. In [[Fiscal year|FY]] 2005, the average total weekday boardings at this station was 11,848, making it the second busiest station in the Regional Rail system.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.septa.org/inside/reports/ASP2007.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070105143617/http://septa.org/inside/reports/ASP2007.pdf |url-status=dead |title=SEPTA (May 2006). ''Annual Service Plan 2007.'' |page=83 |archive-date=January 5, 2007}}</ref>

Through the Fashion District mall, Jefferson Station is connected to SEPTA's [[Market–Frankford Line]] and [[Broad–Ridge Spur]] subway lines, as well as the [[PATCO Speedline]]. The Market–Frankford Line has two adjacent stops at {{stl|SEPTA Metro|11th Street}} and {{stl|SEPTA Metro|8th–Market}}, the latter of which is shared with the Ridge Spur and PATCO lines. Through the Downtown Link concourse, there are also underground corridors connecting to the {{stl|SEPTA Metro|13th Street}} and {{stl|SEPTA Metro|15th Street/City Hall}} on the Market–Frankford and [[SEPTA subway–surface trolley lines|subway–surface]] lines, as well as {{stl|SEPTA Metro|15th Street/City Hall}} on the [[Broad Street Line]].<ref name=downtownlink>{{cite web |url=https://iseptaphilly.com/blog/DowntownLink19 |title=Downtown Link Center City Concourse |publisher=[[SEPTA]] |access-date=September 2, 2019}}</ref>

Jefferson Station is located adjacent to multiple surface bus routes operated by both [[SEPTA City Bus|SEPTA]] and [[NJ Transit Bus|NJ Transit]]. Additionally, the [[Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal]] was located immediately north of the station across Filbert Street.  However, on June 26, 2023, Greyhound relocated its Philadelphia terminal to 6th and Market.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vadala |first1=Nick |title=New Center City Greyhound station will begin operations next week |url=https://www.inquirer.com/transportation/greyhound-philadelphia-bus-location-market-filbert-street-20230622.html |access-date=29 June 2023 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=23 June 2023}}</ref>

{{clear left}}

==Station layout==
{{Stack||[[File:SEPTA Silverliner IV 411 at Jefferson Station.jpeg|thumb|An outbound [[Paoli/Thorndale Line]] train at the station in 2018]]|[[File:Jefferson Station entrance from Fashion District Philadelphia.jpeg|thumb|Entrance from the [[Fashion District Philadelphia]] shopping mall]]}}
Stainless steel and large plate-glass windows are a major design element throughout the station's concourse, with large color tile [[mural]]s depicting the four seasons adorning the walls. The upper seating area contains benches facing windows that look down onto the tracks. These windows admit light from the street down to track level much like a [[clerestory]], although this natural light only fills a small portion of the station.

On the track level, Jefferson has two {{convert|35|ft|adj=on}} wide [[island platform]]s and four tracks. Each {{convert|850|ft|adj=on}} platform, long enough for ten railcars, is divided into "A" and "B" sections so that two different Regional Rail trains may utilize the same track at the same time.<ref name=filbert/>

To the west, the tracks have a set of cross-over tracks that allow trains to change tracks before they reach Suburban Station, located about {{convert|0.5|mi}} west at 16th Street and [[Pennsylvania Route 3|John F. Kennedy Boulevard]]. To the east, there is a sharp curve north where trains are limited to about 20 to 25&nbsp;mph (32 to 40&nbsp;km/h), and then another set of cross-overs before climbing a 2.5% incline towards the elevated [[Temple University station]].

==Image gallery==
<gallery>
File:Jefferson Station entrance.JPG|Filbert Street entrance
File:Market East Platform Large.jpg|Jefferson Station platform
File:Market East mural.JPG|Tiled wall across from boarding platforms
Philadelphia's 11th street subway station 2017-entrance.jpg|11th Street entrance
SEPTA Silverliner V 724 at Jefferson Station.jpg|An outbound train on the Airport Line stops at the station in March 2018
Market East entrance.JPG|Station entrance sign prior to the name change (1984-2014)
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Market East Station}}
* {{SEPTA links}}
* [https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9518813,-75.1594122,3a,90y,7.32h,104.44t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUAQn22DFCSIFXfJ18A84wg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 12th and Market street entrance from Google Maps Street View]
* [https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9524344,-75.1581484,3a,75y,9.14h,92.84t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sFKqQIEHSZfvjYfIn8UOLbw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 11th and Filbert streets entrance from Google Maps Street View]
* [https://www.google.com/maps/@39.952599,-75.1567785,3a,90y,178.12h,92.49t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sVMFS7aLUkYjpDbKmUPcLOA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 10th and Filbert streets entrance from Google Maps Street View]

{{SEPTA}}{{SEPTA Regional Rail stations}}{{Philadelphia train terminals}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:SEPTA Regional Rail stations]]
[[Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1984]]
[[Category:Railway stations in Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Market East, Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Railway stations located underground in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Stations on the SEPTA Main Line]]
[[Category:Wilmington/Newark Line]]