PA: The Mount Washington Transit Tunnel is closing for 8 months. Here's what to expect and how to navigate it.
By King Jemison
Source Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)
A long-term planned closure of a major public transportation artery goes into effect this weekend, and commuters between the South Hills and Downtown will see detours and schedule changes.
The Mount Washington Transit Tunnel will be closed for about eight months starting Sunday as crews perform infrastructure upgrades, Pittsburgh Regional Transit announced earlier this month. The $28 million project is expected to last until October.
Here's what to know.
Why is it closing?
Crews will replace the light-rail tracks and repair the roadway and overhead electrical lines while the tunnel is closed.
These upgrades "will ensure long-term safety, reliability, and efficiency of the system," PRT spokesman Adam Brandolph said.
REMINDER: The 8 month closure of the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel and service adjustments for many other routes begins Sunday, February 23, 2025. Please be sure to check your schedules. Information about the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel closure: https://t.co/rxMXypthR9... pic.twitter.com/TEWBg6QzMI — Pittsburgh Regional Transit (@PGHtransit) February 21, 2025
The work is part of PRT's $150 million investment in light rail upgrades. PRT replaced tracks on the Red Line last summer and is currently repairing the Downtown subway plinths (the beams that support the tracks), which has led to some closures and service changes through early March.
Other planned upgrades include replacing the tracks in the Mount Lebanon Tunnel, reconstructing Belasco Station in Beechview, upgrading the Station Square and Dormont Junction stations, and repairing the Panhandle Bridge.
What are the planned detours?
On weekdays, Red and Blue line trains will bypass the tunnel through Allentown via Warrington and Arlington avenues about every 15 minutes. PRT will open a temporary stop along Warrington Avenue at Allen Street.
During weekdays, the Silver Line will be restricted to travel between Library Station and Washington Junction, where riders can access the Red and Blue lines. On weekends, all three lines will travel through Allentown.
Additionally, a temporary rail route will operate between Station Square and Allegheny Station at about 35-minute intervals during most hours of the day. During the project, Station Square will be added to the "free fare zone," where riders can travel to and from the the Golden Triangle and the North Shore without paying.
A map shows the light rail detours resulting from the Mount Washington Transit Tunnel closure.Courtesy PRT
Bus routes that typically pass through the Mount Washington Transit Tunnel will instead mostly travel inbound via Warrington and Arlington avenues and outbound via the Wabash Tunnel — which will be open only in that direction during the closure.
The routes include:
- 39- Brookline
- 40- Mount Washington
- 41- Bower Hill
- 44- Knoxville
- 51 L-Carrick Limited
- Y1-Large Flyer
- Y45- Baldwin Manor Flyer
- Y46- Elizabeth Flyer
- Y47- Curry Flyer
- Y49-Prospect Flyer
Full details about those routes and their changes are available on PRT's website.
Where, exactly, is the tunnel and when will it reopen?
The transit tunnel passes through Mount Washington from Station Square to South Hills Junction.
It's the only tunnel in the country that serves both buses and light rail, PRT said.
It's expected to reopen in October.
PRT urges riders who have questions about the project and its effect on travel to call its customer service desk at 412-442-2000, post on X @PghTransitCare or talk to a customer service representative at www.rideprt.org.
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