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Pennsylvania and New Jersey bi-state transport agency From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA), officially the Delaware River Port Authority of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, is a bi-state agency instrumentality created by a congressionally approved interstate compact between the state governments of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The authority is principally charged to maintain and develop transportation links between the two states with four bridges and a mass transit rail line across the Delaware River. Though the DRPA has "port" in its name, it does not own or operate any ports.
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| Abbreviation | DRPA |
|---|---|
| Formation | July 17, 1951 |
| Type | Bi-state authority Congressionally-approved interstate compact entity |
| Headquarters | One Port Center Camden, New Jersey, U.S. |
Region served | Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including Philadelphia, Camden, and its surrounding regions |
Chairman | Jim Schultz[1] |
Chief executive officer | John T. Hanson |
| Website | drpa |
In 1919, the Pennsylvania and New Jersey legislatures approved the creation of the Delaware River Bridge Joint Commission. The first meeting was held on December 12, 1919, with Pennsylvania and New Jersey commissioners. On July 1, 1926, the first bridge opened before a crowd of over 25,000 people. It was named the "Delaware River Bridge", and following the ceremony, over 100,000 people participated in the inaugural walk. United States President Calvin Coolidge came to dedicate the bridge the next day. At this time, political support existed for a regional governing body for a port authority and the construction of another bridge and a high-speed rail line. On July 17, 1951, United States President Harry S. Truman signed a bill that created the Delaware River Port Authority. In 1953, construction started on a new bridge to connect South Philadelphia and Gloucester City. In 1955, the existing bridge was renamed Benjamin Franklin Bridge, while the name Walt Whitman Bridge was approved for the new bridge that would open in 1957. By 1966, two more bridges were approved: the Commodore Barry Bridge (opened February 1, 1974) and the Betsy Ross Bridge (opened April 30, 1976). In 1974 and 1990, the Ben Franklin Bridge and the Walt Whitman Bridge carried their one-billionth vehicles.[2]
In 2011, DRPA ceased operating the Philadelphia Cruise Terminal.[3] In 2015, DRPA sold the RiverLink Ferry to the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation and the Cooper's Ferry Partnership.[4]
In 2022, the DRPA installed more than 20 MW of solar panels at its facilities built by TotalEnergies. The Lindenwold, Ashland, Woodcrest, and Ferry Avenue PATCO stations, as well as the Betsy Ross Bridge, Commodore Barry Bridge, and DRPA's headquarters in Camden, have large solar canopies covering their parking lots. These will provide more than half of the DRPA's electricity usage and save it $12 million over a 20-year PPA contract.[5][6][7][8]
Sixteen commissioners govern the Delaware River Port Authority, eight of whom represent New Jersey and Pennsylvania. All eight New Jersey commissioners are appointed by the governor of New Jersey, and six Pennsylvania commissioners are appointed by the governor of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania treasurer and the Pennsylvania auditor general serve as ex officio commissioners. These two officers are elected officials.
The 16 commissioners also serve as the board of directors for the Port Authority Transit Corporation or PATCO, a DRPA subsidiary.
The DRPA operates and maintains four bridges that cross the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. All four bridges charge a $5 westbound toll. From southwest to northeast, they are:
The DRPA Police Department provides police services on all DRPA properties to include all Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO) locations and trains.
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