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Shortest of the original seven tunnels on the Pennsylvania Turnpike |
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Length: 3,532 feet |
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One of three tunnels abandoned by the turnpike in 1964 and 1968 |
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Located east of Breezewood, Pennsylvania, near Interstate 70 |
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Former east-west route of Interstate 76 |
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Tunnel boring work started by the South Penn Railroad |
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Operation began with the opening of the turnpike in 1940 |
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Only tunnel on the turnpike that featured exhaust fans at one portal |
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Eastern portal of the tunnel does not have exhaust fans |
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Sits about five miles west of the abandoned Sideling Hill Tunnel |
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Four lanes of traffic narrowed to two at the tunnel's entrances |
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Single lanes of traffic in the tunnel led to many traffic jams by the early 1960's |
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Bypassing the tunnel was determined to be a better alternative to twinning the tunnel |
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Closed to traffic in 1968 when the bypass route opened |
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Still maintained, lit, and guarded until 1973 |
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Tunnel portals were boarded up until 1988 |
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Roadway west of the tunnel was used to develop and test the sonic nap alert pattern ("rumble strips") now used on many U.S. highways |
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Light is visible from portal to portal; no interior lighting since it's closure in 1973 |
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Since October 2001, property of the Southern Alleghenies Conservancy |
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Engineers deem the tunnel safe for passage, without fear of cave-ins |
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Former lettering that spelled out the tunnel's name was made of stainless steel |
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Open to the public for visitation; walking and bicycling is permitted |
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No motorized vehicles are allowed in the tunnel or anywhere on the abandoned roadway |
This page was created on: February 21, 2006.
Last updated on: August 09, 2014.
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