SEPTA Trolley Tunnel to close for 2021 Trolley Tunnel Blitz, July 9-26
Written by David C. Lester, Editor-in-Chief
A SEPTA trolley, one of which collided with a CSX freight this morning.
wikipedia.org
SEPTA crews will work around-the-clock for 17 days, tackling critical track and power maintenance, station upgrades, and intensive cleaning as part of the 2021 Trolley Tunnel Blitz.
SEPTA Trolley Routes 10, 11, 13, 34, and 36 will not operate in the Center City tunnel from 10 p.m. on Friday, July 9 through 5 a.m. on Monday, July 26.
Trolley service will begin and end at 40th and Market Streets. Customers can board SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Line at 40th Street Station for travel to-and-from Center City.
Work that will be completed during the tunnel closure includes:
- Demolish and rebuild the full length of the eastbound 22nd Street platform, rebuild entire track bed, and pour new concrete decking
- Replace worn track curved rail at 37th Street eastbound and 15th Street westbound
- Complete column plate repairs
- Replace four miles of overhead contact wire
- Complete maintenance on Ludlow Switch
- Perform work on entire tunnel signal system
- Conduct heavy cleaning and maintenance at all stations including painting, lighting, graffiti removal, and drain and pipe cleaning
This is the ninth consecutive year SEPTA has held the Trolley Tunnel Blitz, which is scheduled during the summer when ridership is traditionally lower to impact the fewest number of regular customers.
“The Trolley Tunnel is critical to our daily operations, providing thousands of passenger trips underneath heavily congested roadways connecting Center City and University City,” said SEPTA General Manager/CEO Leslie S. Richards. “These cleaning and maintenance blitzes allow our crews time to make necessary fixes and prepare us for the year ahead.”
For more details on the 2021 Trolley Tunnel Blitz, please visit: septa.org/blitz. SEPTA will continue to post real-time service updates at septa.org and on Twitter @SEPTA.
