SEPTA shuts down Center City trolley tunnel overnight until further notice

SEPTA’s Center City trolley tunnel will be closed indefinitely during overnight hours to allow for crews to perform maintenance work and deep cleaning.

The tunnel will be shut down daily from midnight until 5 a.m., officials said. The closure went into effect on Monday.

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While the shutdown is expected to minimally impact trolley service for customers, there will be some changes for overnight riders to adjust to.

Riders who travel overnight on the Route 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36 trolley lines will need to transfer to-and-from Market-Frankford Line trains or Owl buses at the 40th Street Station for service to-and-from Center City.

Trolleys will continue to operate on their regular routes to-and-from Southwest and West Philly during the tunnel closure.

The shutdown will allow crews to perform track wire repairs and enhanced disinfection as part of the transportation authority’s COVID-19 sanitation protocols, SEPTA said.

The transit authority has also temporarily shut down 14 Regional Rail ticket offices until February as part of a new cost-cutting measure. Train service will still operate at the corresponding stations.

SEPTA has seen a massive decline in ridership during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and is losing $1 million in daily revenue, which has officials considering several budget-saving measures, including closing stations, fare increases and cutting service lines. 

SEPTA faces a projected $350 million budget shortfall. Ridership decreased by 65% between July and September when compared to the same period in 2019.

Riders are required to wear face masks on all SEPTA buses, trains, trolleys, and subways due to the public health crisis.