Laurel Hill Tunnel Statistics

Location/Nearest Large City:	Donegal, Pennsylvania; bordered on the north and south sides by Forbes State Forest
	County/Counties: Westmoreland and Somerset counties The county line for Westmoreland and Somerset counties passes through Laurel Hill Tunnel.	According to a credible source, there was once a sign inside the tunnel that acknowledged the location of the county line. The sign was removed by a P.T.C. worker after the tunnel was closed. The current owner of the sign sent the photo that appears two frames to the left.

Looking out from within the depths of Laurel Hill Tunnel. This is the only known photograph that anyone has taken from inside the tunnel looking outward. This photo was taken in 2003, shortly before the P.T.C. began leasing the tunnel privately.	As with the photo to the left, this is the only known photo taken within the depths of Laurel Hill Tunnel. This photo was also taken in 2003, shortly before the P.T.C. began leasing the tunnel privately.
Who built the Laurel Hill Tunnel? The South Penn Railroad bored the first 813 feet of the tunnel. The boring began from east to west, in an area that was later completely destroyed when the Pennsylvania Turnpike crews moved the eastern portal of the railroad's tunnel back (westward) more than 1000 feet. In mid-October 1885, a work stoppage letter was written to inform S.P.R.R. workers that the tunnel would cease by the end of October 1885.	(Library of Congress) Laurel Hill Tunnel, 1940	Beginning in 1937, the P.T.C. continued the work of the S.P.R.R. and completed the boring of Laurel Hill Tunnel. (Thank you to Russell Love, www.southpennrailroad.com for your assistance with the work start and ending dates on the tunnel boring, as well as the differences in eastern tunnel portals.)
Tunnel's Direction: Runs WEST-EAST, formerly the route of Interstates 70 and 76 (Library of Congress) Laurel Hill Tunnel, 1940	LENGTHS OF THE SEVEN ORIGINAL TURNPIKE TUNNELS: Sideling Hill Tunnel 6,782 feet* Allegheny Mountain Tunnel 6,070 feet Tuscarora Mountain Tunnel 5,326 feet Kittatinny Mountain Tunnel 4,727 feet Laurel Hill Tunnel 4,541 feet Blue Mountain Tunnel 4,339 feet Ray's Hill Tunnel *3,532 feet*	Total length of the tunnel, according to turnpike records: 4,541 feet ---------------------------------- Laurel Hill was the fifth longest of the original seven turnpike tunnels. ---------------------------------- Only Blue Mountain Tunnel and Ray's Hill Tunnel were shorter.
Total length of the bypass route, according to turnpike records: 3.1 miles		Work began on the Laurel Hill bypass route on September 6, 1962.
Total length, as designed by the never-completed South Penn Railroad:	5,389 feet	Image courtesy of www.southpennrailroad.com
	Date Opened to Traffic:	October 1, 1940 (opening of the turnpike)
Date Closed to Traffic: October 30, 1964 (opening of the bypass)	The Laurel Ridge Hiking Trail traverses the Laurel Hill Tunnel, as well as the bypass route.	This is the only foot bridge over the eastern segment of the turnpike. The direction of the trail is north-to-south. Research on the Internet has shown that multiple people have forgotten another foot bridge. There is a foot bridge near the Allegheny River overpass on the western segment of the turnpike that allows golfers to cross from one side to the other.
The hiking trail footbridge can be seen in the above aerial photograph. It is the dark line that bisects the highway.
	Current Ownership of the Tunnel and the Right-of-Way Property: Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
Recently, an anonymous and credible source of information on the Laurel Hill Tunnel confirmed that the tunnel had indeed been boarded up following it's closure in 1964. The western portal had been used for storing road salt up to 2003 -- thus it was not closed off. The eastern portal though had been boarded up by the P.T.C. at the point inside the portal where the ceiling changes from the arch shape to the flat concrete roof. Now, both portals are completely sealed off by metal doors that cover there entrances. Visit our new page that attempts to uncover the current usage of the Laurel Hill Tunnel. Please note, the tunnel and right-of-way remain private property. Visiting Laurel Hill is not advised.
(Library of Congress) Laurel Hill Tunnel, 1940	Interior Lighting: Presently, this is unconfirmed, as no one can enter the tunnel from either portal. Credible sources say that (upon their legal visitations, when the P.T.C. allowed such visits) you can faintly see light from one portal of the tunnel to the other.	A recent visitor to the tunnel shares his pictures and information.

Laurel Hill Tunnel's Current Usage: Visit our page that attempts to uncover the current usage of the Laurel Hill Tunnel	Legal Visitation Permitted? NO.	While visiting Laurel Hill sounds neat and makes for an adventure, please bear in mind that trespassing on the old right-of-way, the tunnel or any private property around the area could get you in trouble with the authorities.
	Coordinates of the Western Portal: (approximate)	-79.23431 longitude 40.10227 latitude
Coordinates of the Eastern Portal: (approximate)	-79.21803 longitude 40.09661 latitude
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Laurel Hill Tunnel Statistics: