CAMDEN – A major parking change is in store for rail passengers who drive to the four largest South Jersey stations on the PATCO Hi-Speedline between Lindenwold and Philadelphia.

Drivers now park their cars and trucks in the open air, exposing them to sun, rain and snow, but the pending installation of roof-like canopies over a combined 10,000 parking spaces at those stations will offer vehicles considerable protection from the elements.

That will be a direct benefit to PATCO commuters who use the parking lots at the Ashland, Ferry Avenue in Camden, Lindenwold and Woodcrest stations though it is not the main reason for canopies.

The angled carport rooftops will be covered with more than 50,000 solar panels in a major green energy initiative by PATCO and the Delaware River Port Authority, PATCO's parent organization.

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DRPA officials say the massive project will cut the agencies' energy consumption in half and lower the energy cost to operate its four bridges and PATCO by an estimated $600,000 a year.

“This project represents an important and groundbreaking next step for the DRPA and PATCO as we explore new opportunities to promote sustainability within every aspect of our operations, said DRPA Vice Chairman Jeffrey Nash. “I’m excited about the potential opportunities that exist for reducing our carbon footprint."

DRPA spokesman MIke Williams said PATCO riders who drive to stations will be getting more premium parking with canopies.

Free parking with not be eliminated and no increase in parking fees is anticipated for those parking sections that are paid lots.



Most PATCO parking is free at Lindenwold and Ferry Avenue, but the majority of spaces at Ashland in Voorhees and Woodcrest in Cherry Hill have paid parking. PATCO's nine other South Jersey stations are not part of the solar project.



However, there will be disruption of some parking during installation later this year when one parking section at a time at each of the four stations will be closed.

Lindenwold is the largest parking lot with 3,337 spaces.

John Hanson, who holds dual roles as DRPA CEO and PATCO president, said the installation is a $60 million project that has no construction cost to the authority because contractor SunPower Corp. will design, build and maintain the canopies and solar panels.

SunPower, a global energy company based in the Silicon Valley in California, then will operate the system and become a power provider to the DRPA and PATCO when the 22 megawatt solar system goes on line by late 2020.

"There is very little risk to us," Hanson contended.

He said the panels will provide half of the combined electric power needed for PATCO, DRPA's Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross, Walt Whitman and Commodore Barry bridges and DRPA headquarters in Camden.

"A cost savings of $12.2 million is projected over the 20-year term of our power purchase agreement with SunPower," Hanson noted.

"Part of our overall mission is environmental stewardship and solar power is good clean energy," Hanson said, "but we will still have to buy energy from PSE&G."

The PATCO mass transit line operation represents most of the DRPA energy bill, which last year totaled $4.3 million.

SunPower will charge nearly two cents less per kilowatt hour for electricity than the current nine-cent blended rate the authority is paying its current providers in South Jersey: PSE&G; Aggressive Energy LLC; South Jersey Energy and WGL Energy Services, Inc.

"It's also important that we have more than one power source to guard against power interruptions," Hanson added.

Other panels will be installed on parking lots and building rooftops at the Betsy Ross and Commodore Barry bridges and also over parking at DRPA headquarters in Camden prior to the PATCO parking lot work.

"With nearly 23 megawatts of solar planned for installation across seven DRPA and PATCO properties, the projects will deliver substantial savings to stakeholders, help improve local air quality and move the state closer to meeting its renewable energy goals," said Nam Nguyen, SunPower executive vice president of commercial solar.

Williams said the anticipated reduction in spending with the solar program also will lower reduce the DRPA's operating subsidy for PATCO, thereby providing more funds for investment in its facilities.

Subsidy increases were a major driver behind the need for past PATCO fare increases, but Hanson said there is no fare increase on the horizon.

Carol Comegno: @carolcomegno; 856-486-2473; ccomegno@gannettnj.com

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