PATCO parking limited, but worries aren't.

The narrow gravel road in front of Mary Harmon's Cherry Hill home is secluded by woods and accessible only through a street that greets drivers with a "Dead End" sign.

There's just one problem.

Just past those trees is the PATCO Woodcrest station, one of three stations where drivers will rush to park to catch a train to Philadelphia for Pope Francis' visit in September.

Once those lots reach capacity and close - as they are expected to early on - drivers will spill elsewhere, toward businesses, homes, and potentially streets like Harmon's.

It's the perfect formula - tens of thousands of train riders, not enough parking spots - to create a traffic mess. Add the closure of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, which transportation officials say will cause "enormous" traffic jams beyond PATCO stations, and South Jersey will be gridlocked.

"It's just going to be unbelievable," said John Bertino, owner of the car shop Black Tie Classics, which has more than 200 parking spots and sits near the Lindenwold PATCO station. Bertino is considering charging for his spots, since he'll need to pay employees to guide drivers through the lot.

"I'd rather just say, 'Hey, park anywhere you want,' but people are people," he said. "They'll just mess it all up."

PATCO is operating four stations in South Jersey during the Sept. 26-27 visit: Lindenwold, Woodcrest, Ferry Avenue, and Broadway, the last of which does not have parking.

The three others have a total of 7,900 spaces. But with as many as 100,000 riders a day expected, that won't be enough. Transit officials have advised people to carpool or be dropped off.

Whether those riders will have to go through security before boarding is not yet clear. The Delaware River Port Authority declined to say last week, other than saying "every reasonable effort will be made to protect the safety of the public."

Authorities are also anticipating heavy congestion on Routes 38 and 70 and any roads leading to the Ben Franklin Bridge, which will be open only to pedestrians and emergency vehicles from 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, through noon, Monday, Sept. 28. The section of I-676 nearest to the bridge will likely be closed that weekend, the New Jersey Department of Transportation said.

"We do expect an enormous amount of traffic" in the areas outside the closures, said Steve Schapiro, a spokesman for the agency. It is expected to unveil additional travel restrictions this week, including details on whether the Admiral Wilson Boulevard, which feeds into I-676 and the bridge, will remain open. "So avoiding the area will be advised."

Near the PATCO stations, police departments are planning to use temporary crosswalks, electronic message boards, and beefed-up patrols to control traffic and crowds. But even they can do only so much.

Police in Stratford, which borders the Lindenwold station, won't tow illegally parked cars unless they are blocking roads or causing a serious hazard.

Trying to remove every vehicle would be "kind of a useless gesture," Police Chief Ronald Morello says, since other vehicles would just take the spots.

His department handed out fliers last week to businesses near the Lindenwold station, essentially saying it's up to them to control their lots. The roads next to the station are lined with restaurants and businesses, including a bowling alley, a Goodwill, and a 24-hour diner.

"They're going to have a real problem without some independent staffing out there keeping an eye on things," Morello said.

The Stratford Diner plans to limit parking to customers. But telling the difference between them and train riders is "almost impossible," manager Tom Paliatsas said, so the diner may station an employee outside to monitor where people go.

Even for businesses that profit off traffic violations, the heavy volume could pose a problem.

Bill Flanagan, manager of Steve Flanagan's Auto & Truck Service of New Jersey in Pennsauken, said it would likely cost more for his business to operate that weekend because of the congestion.

At "5 m.p.h., you're not going anywhere," he said. "Basically you're spinning wheels and making no money."

Near the Woodcrest and Ferry Avenue stations, the biggest issue could be drivers parking on neighborhood streets.

Harmon, 76, the woman who lives along the gravel road near Woodcrest, said she was concerned about reaching her home if the street filled.

"The street is not so wide," she said. "It may be a concern of us getting back here."

A few homes down, on another street, people parked on both sides in 2008 to catch trains to the World Series parade in Philadelphia - an event that overwhelmed PATCO and police departments trying to control traffic flow around the stations.

Deborah Adderley, 62, said that people who parked in her neighborhood were at least orderly and stayed out of the driveways.

"It was couples, it was families with their kids. They didn't trash the place or anything," she said. "Hopefully it will be the same type of crowd."

In Cherry Hill, where Woodcrest is located, police may restrict parking in nearby neighborhoods to one side of the street. In Camden, where Ferry Avenue is located, officials said they had not finalized their plans.

Cherry Hill Police Chief William Monaghan said his officers would coordinate crowds near the stations and elsewhere in the township. He said he anticipated "major, major traffic snarls" if Routes 38 and 70 back up, with I-295 feeding into them.

A second platoon of officers will be on call if needed, whether it be for traffic or other troubles.

"We have to be ready for everything," Monaghan said. "And hope nothing happens."

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