SEPTA’s ‘Trolley Tunnel Blitz’ returns with route disruptions

The annual “Trolley Tunnel Blitz,” in which SEPTA closes down the Center City trolley tunnel for track repairs and other maintenance, is back this week.

Starting Friday at 10 p.m., the heavily trafficked tunnel will be shut down to routes 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36. In the nine days that follow, SEPTA will replace part of the tracks and their crossing points, install energy efficient lighting, test emergency generators, fix water leaks, and complete other routine maintenance. The tunnel will reopen at 4 a.m. on August 19.

“The Trolley Blitzes allow our crews to get productive work windows to complete necessary repairs and improvements they otherwise would not be able to because the tunnel is used 24 hours a day,” SEPTA General Manager Jeffrey Knueppel said in a statement Monday.

During the tunnel closure, trolley service will start and stop at 40th and Market, and will connect to the MFL, which riders can use to get in and out of Center City.