Skip to main content

Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike Tunnels in the early 1980s

Image
By
During the Fall of 1981 and the Summer of 1982, Bill Symons explored the three former single tube tunnels of the Pennsylvania Turnpike System.  At that time, the tunnels - Laurel Hill, Ray's Hill, and Sideling Hill - had been abandoned for over 10 years.  Since then, these three once busy passageways have been explored by many Turnpike, road, adventure, and outdoor enthusiasts.  What is unique about these photos from 35 years ago is that many of the original artifacts (lettering and lane stripping) still existed at the entrances to the three tunnels.  With the widespread popularity of abandoned Turnpike exploration, these photos capture the exterior of the abandoned tunnels closer to their operable form than they are today.

I am pleased to share with you Bill's photos as part of the blog's Pennsylvania Turnpike Collection.  These photos show the abandoned tunnels and roadways of the PA Turnpike with 35 years less of decay and vandalism.  But at the same time, it is truly amazing that after nearly 50 years of quiet abandonment that these small forgotten ribbons of highway have kept a remarkable form that serves as a living history of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Laurel Hill Tunnel:
Bypassed in 1964, the Laurel Hill Tunnel, located in Westmoreland County, was the first tunnel to be bypassed on the turnpike system.  Of the three abandoned turnpike tunnels, the Laurel Hill Tunnel is the forgotten one.  Located in remote southeastern Westmoreland County, the tunnel stood proud among overgrowth and fill when Bill visited the location in the Fall of 1981 and in the Summer of 1982.

Laurel Hill's west portal in the fall of 1981.  Asphalt fill blocked the westbound lane and the entrance to the tunnel.  'Laurel Hill' still stands at the tunnel's entrance. (Bill Symons)

Entrance to the eastern portal of the Laurel Hill Tunnel, Summer 1982.  This is an excellent example of how narrow the roadway becomes upon entering the tunnel.  Also of note is the concrete retaining wall running to the entrance. (Bill Symons)
Ray's Hill Tunnel:
Ray's Hill Tunnel along with nearby Sideling Hill Tunnel was bypassed in 1968.  The turnpike opened 13 miles of new tunnel less roadway on October 30th of that year.  The tunnel's length was relatively short at 2,532 feet.  Because of its short length, Ray's Hill was the only tunnel built with one set of exhaust fans.  The eastern portal was erected of stone and concrete but minus the exhaust fans that existed on the western end. 

Looking west and exiting the tunnel, Fall 1981.  Thirteen years dormant, the abandoned roadway is cracked and full of overgrowth. (Bill Symons)

The narrowing lanes of the westbound Turnpike approaching the western portal of Ray's Hill Tunnel. (Bill Symons)

Entrance to the western portal of Ray's Hill Tunnel.  By 1999, the letters were gone. (Bill Symons)
Looking east from the eastern portal of Ray's Hill Tunnel.  Ray's Hill Tunnel was only 2,532 in length and the light at the end of this short tunnel can be seen. (Bill Symons)
A side perspective of the exhaust fan less eastern portal of the tunnel.  Some of the letters had fallen off their mounts. (Bill Symons)
The former PA Turnpike exiting the eastern portal of the tunnel as viewed from the top of Ray's Hill. (Bill Symons)

Sideling Hill Tunnel:
The Sideling Hill Tunnel is the longest of the three abandoned tunnels at 6,782 feet.  It was also bypassed in 1968. 

The very narrow entrance to the eastern Sideling Hill tunnel portal, Summer 1982. (Bill Symons)
Exiting east of the Sideling Hill Tunnel and curving towards a reunion with the modern-day Turnpike. (Bill Symons)

Site Navigation:
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The 1915-era Teilman Bridge (the only known Concrete Pony Truss Bridge in California)

By
The Teilman Bridge is a semi-abandoned structure over Fresno Slough west of Burrell siding near the intersection of Elkhorn Avenue and Elkhorn Grade.  This structure is the only known Concrete Pony Truss Bridge constructed in California and was designed by Ingvart Teilman.  Teilman's Bridge would open in late 1915 when the Elkhorn Grade was the primary road between Fresno and Coalinga.  The structure would be replaced in 1991 but was left standing as it carries pipelines over Fresno Slough.  Part 1; the history of the Teilman Bridge In the early Twentieth Century the most direct highway between Fresno and Coalinga followed the Elkhorn Grade.  The Elkhorn Grade began at Fresno Slough a short distance west of Burrell siding.  From Fresno Slough the Elkhorn Grade followed a generally southwestern course through San Joaquin Valley into the Kettleman Hills towards Coalinga.   The Elkhorn Grade can be seen on the  1914 C.F. Weber map of Fresno Coun...
1 comment
Read more

The Dummy Lights of New York

By
  A relic of the early days of motoring, dummy lights were traffic lights  that  were  placed  in the middle of a street intersection. In those early days, traffic shuffled through busy intersections with the help of a police officer who stood on top of a pedestal. As technology improved and electric traffic signals became commonplace, they were also  originally  positioned on a platform at the center of the intersection. Those traffic signals became known as  " dummy lights "  and were common until  traffic lights were moved  onto wires and poles that crossed above the intersection.  In New York State, only a handful of these dummy lights exist. The dummy lights  are found  in the Hudson Valley towns of Beacon and Croton-on-Hudson, plus there is an ongoing tug of war in Canajoharie in the Mohawk Valley, where their dummy light has been knocked down and replaced a few times. The dummy light in Canajoharie is currently...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prunedale Road (Monterey County)

By
Prunedale Road is a short 2.6-mile-long frontage corridor of US Route 101 in the namesake Monterey County community of Prunedale.  Prior to 1932 US Route 101 bypassed Prunedale in favor of the San Juan Grade to the east.  Prunedale Road along with nearby Moro Road served as an alternative connecting highway between Salinas and San Juan Bautista.  Following the realignment of US Route 101 onto the Prunedale Cutoff the former through route along Prunedale Road would be rendered as a western frontage.   Part 1; the history of Prunedale Road Prunedale Road is located in and is named after the Monterey County community of Prunedale.  Said community was founded near the junction of San Migeul Canyon, Langley Canyon and Echo Valley.  Watsonville settler Charles Langley (namesake of Langley Canyon) was one of the prominent early community settlers.  The Prunedale Post Office would open for the first time in 1894 but would close by 1908.  Early agricu...
Post a Comment
Read more