 | Longest of the original seven tunnels on the Pennsylvania Turnpike |
| Length: 6,782 feet |
| One of three tunnels abandoned by the turnpike in 1964 and 1968 |
|
Located east of Breezewood, Pennsylvania, near Interstate 70 |
| Former east-west route of Interstate 76 |
| Tunnel boring work started by the South Penn Railroad |
| Operation began with the opening of the turnpike on October 1, 1940 |
| Sits about five miles east of the abandoned Ray's Hill Tunnel |
| Four lanes of traffic narrowed to two opposing lanes at the tunnel's entrances |
| Single lanes of traffic in the tunnel led to many traffic jams by the early 1960's |
| Bypassing the tunnel was determined to be a better alternative to twinning the tunnel |
| Closed to traffic on November 26, 1968 when the bypass route opened |
| Still maintained, lit, and guarded until 1973 |
| Tunnel portals were boarded up from approximately 1973 until 1988 |
| Tunnel used for test unleaded fuel emissions as well as signing reflectivity testing |
| Light is not visible from portal to portal; no interior lighting since closure 1973 |
| A slight crown (horizontal rise in elevation) occurs in the tunnel's center to allow for water drainage |
| Raise in tunnel center causes total darkness at the tunnel's center |
| Since October 2001, property of the Southern Alleghenies Conservancy |
| Engineers deem the tunnel safe for passage, without fear of cave-ins |
| Former lettering that spelled out the tunnel's name was made of stainless steel |
| Open to the public for visitation -- bring a very bright flashlight |
| 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.
No portion of this page may be used or copied without prior permission from the .
The contents and descriptions on this page are the results of research by the webmaster of this site, as well as commentary and assistance offered by sources, some who may be quoted and some who wish to remain anonymous. All photos are used with the consent of their owners/photographers whenever possible. Some photos are in the public domain and do not require permission to use. Some photographs and images are taken from Internet sources who do not have contact information posted. Should you believe that the usage of any photograph(s) infringes on your rights, please contact the webmaster and either grant permission for usage (notation will be made to indicate permission granted and your name/website source) or request for the picture to be withdrawn. All Library of Congress photos are in the public domain and/or used with permission of their owner.Please report broken/dead links to: .
Entire AbandonedTurnpike.com website is
Copyright © 2005 -
Ray Plazek,