The Annual Trolley Tunnel Blitz Will Return Next Weekend

SEPTA is stopping service of underground tunnels for ten days to perform maintenance. It’s a lot of work to be done, hence the ‘blitz’.

The stoppage will last from 10 p.m. on Friday, August 9^th, to 5a.m. on Monday, August 19^th. SEPTA uses these ten days to upgrade, clean, and maintain the track, tunnel, and station areas.

If you use the trolleys to commute, you might experience a few detours. Routes 10, 11, 13, 34, and 36 will redirect to 40th and Market streets. From there, you can transfer to the Market-Frankford subway line for connections to Center City.

Changes and improvements to the trolley tunnels will include (from SEPTA website):

• Replacing Trolley Tunnel track curved rail along the Eastbound and Westbound sides of the Tunnel at 15th St and 36th Streets, and the Eastbound side at the 40th St portal
• cleaning campaign that includes vacuuming the entire track bed and drainage system and power washing the entire track bed at all stations and all of the track right of way
• Heavy cleaning, inspection, and maintenance at all stations including plumbing, tile, railings and partition screen repairs; painting; graffiti removal; and a major beam repair at 19th St. Station
• Removing almost one mile of retired steel piping and communications cable in the tunnel between 19th and 22nd Streets. Replacing about one quarter mile of old wood overhead protection boards with a new fiberglass protection board system between 19th & 22nd Street.