Overview
- SEPTA says the tunnel has been shut since mid-November and will stay closed at least through the end of December with a goal of resuming service in January.
- Engineers determined roughly five miles of overhead copper wiring must be replaced after sections were left “shattered and raw.”
- Crews reverted from 4-inch to 3-inch sliders, are smoothing rough wire with a brass burnishing tool, and are testing reduced-speed zones and adjusted wire tension.
- Reporters rode a test trolley as SEPTA runs limited movements to rebuild the wire’s carbon patina and to monitor how quickly carbon inserts wear.
- The closure is displacing an estimated 60,000 to 80,000 riders daily, with routes diverted to 40th Street and shuttle buses on Market Street, and officials warn occasional short closures may follow reopening as work continues.