Motorists using the westbound Squirrel Hill Tunnel along the Parkway East (I-376) have been dealing with delays due to a buildup of ice. Steve Cowan Press Officer for PennDOT District 11 says the inbound tunnel has a water flow problem, and in the winter, when temperatures get below freezing, this leads to the temporary shutdown of the tunnel so workers can melt the ice.
Cowan says that a contractor is looking at a way to fix the water leak problem, but he’s is not sure when that will be completed.
“Please be patient. Our closures last for about 10 or 15 minutes. We are doing everything that we can to resolve these problems so that we can keep motorists safe as they’re traveling through the Squirrel Hill tunnels,” said Cowan.
Drivers can take alternate routes through Squirrel Hill if traffic is too congested and they hear about the delay in time. “It is very difficult for us to know when the icing activities will need to take place, so therefore it is very difficult for us to get the word out to travelers at that point,” said Cowan.
Detouring around the tunnel might be best to avoid the ice delays because some days PennDOT has to shut down the tunnel multiple times a day.
