Tunnel Run

I am struggling to find the background on this, but apparently this tunnel, that passes in front of the Philly Art Museum, opened in the early 1900's to run trolley cars under Fairmount Hill (where the museum was built in the 20's) Sometime after the trolleys were removed the tunnel was converted to handle auto traffic bypassing Eakins Oval and it's maddening traffic lights. Both passages ran westbound exiting at Spring Garden Street. Sometime in the early 2000's the right lane was closed off for unknown reasons. Once in a while you see graffiti appear that is buffed regularly, only for new stuff to appear. This pretty much makes it the underground equivalent of the former South Street Bridge.

One night in December 2008, after a failed attempt to get into a nearby demolition site I was scouting out, I decided to give it a try. The entrance is off an intersection with a traffic light meaning cars would go through in bunches with a lull in between. Once the coast was clear I bolted down the approach...




Traffic whizzed by on the left, yet no one honked...


At one point the tunnel passes over an freight line that is deeper still, resulting in the weird brace configuration shown.


Looking back


I figured this was a former ventilation area, but I read stories of a former platform in the tunnel's trolley days that later provided access to the museum basement. Could this have been it?


Unfortunately it was sealed off.


Sadly the good stuff was buffed this particular time...


In the active lane in a lull...


The end is near.


Looking up.


Looking back.


Looking down from one of the museum terraces.


Shitty tourist shot, but you can see the grating in the sidewalk in front of the car looking down into the vent/station room.

Very cool, Shadowbat!