Beginning Friday, July 7, 2023, at 10:00PM and continuing through Monday, July 24 at 5:00AM, SEPTA forces will work around the clock tackling critical track and power maintenance and upgrades, station upgrades and painting, tile replacement, and maintenance work; and intensive tunnel, track area, and station cleaning as part of the 2023 Trolley Tunnel Blitz.
Trolleys will not operate in the tunnel at any time during the blitz.
Full details on the 2023 Trolley Tunnel Blitz available here, along with a diversion map below.
SERVICE IMPACTS:
- Trolley Routes 10, 11, 13, 34, and 36 will temporarily divert to 40th & Market Streets
- Trolley Route 13 will operate as a bus during the Trolley Blitz
- Customers may transfer at 40th Street to the Market-Frankford Line for service to/from Center City
- Tents will be available as a temporary shelter for customers transferring from Trolleys/Market-Frankford Line
- For late night travel, customers can transfer to Market-Frankford Line Night Owl Bus Service while maintenance work takes place
- Look for signs posted at the 40th Street Portal and at affected stations for service information. Directional signage will help you navigate the system during the Blitz, with tips on how to access service during construction, stairway and station closures, and boarding information
TROLLEY TUNNEL BLITZ DIVERSION MAP:
PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TRACK RIGHT-OF-WAY:
- 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 various locations. This helps to maintain safe operations along curved portions of the Tunnel; clean out/flush all pipes, drains, vent wells; replace 4 miles of overhead contact wire
- Heavy maintenance on Ludlow Switch; test and maintenance of entire Tunnel signal system
PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS AT STATIONS:
- Heavy cleaning, maintenance, and improvement campaign at all stations including painting, lighting, graffiti removal, drain and pipe cleaning
BENEFITS OF THE TROLLEY TUNNEL BLITZ:
Giving SEPTA forces the opportunity to tackle maintenance, track construction, station facility, and safety improvement work in a concentrated period of time reduces the number of late night and weekend outages over the course of the year.
On average, 700 vehicles operate through the five-mile Trolley Tunnel every day. As with previous Blitz campaigns, starting in 2014, this work is scheduled during the summer when our ridership is traditionally lower in an effort to impact the fewest number of regular customers.
-via Press Release