Totally tubular: Liberty Tunnels marks 100 years
Mount Washington was once a distinct natural barrier separating Pittsburgh from the communities in the South Hills and beyond, but that changed dramatically when the Liberty Tunnels opened to traffic 100 years ago.
The tunnels – or “the tubes,” as they are known locally – connect the South Hills to the city by way of West Liberty Avenue. Cars began traveling through the Liberty Tunnels in January 1924, though they had been open to foot traffic prior to that.
Leslie Przybylek, senior curator at the Senator John Heinz History Center, said it was those communities that lobbied the hardest for the construction.
“It was really the South Hills communities that kept the momentum alive,” Przybylek said.
The population and development of Mt. Lebanon exploded with the advent of the tunnels. While the tubes were under construction, many already were preparing for the impending economic shift.
“Several years before the tunnels were built, real estate agents were advertising those tunnels. It was one of the two most active times of housing construction – a tenfold increase in population at that time,” said Geoff Hurd, a volunteer at The Historical Society of Mt. Lebanon.
Hurd described Mt. Lebanon as transitioning from a trolley community to one that relied on automobiles as a result.
“It also made a significant investment in quality schools. That has been maintained, and is still one of the most attractive features of the community,” Hurd said.
According to Hurd, a group of Mt. Lebanon businessmen lobbied, successfully, for the southern end of the tunnel to connect to West Liberty Avenue. Hurd and Przybylek both said there was debate over whether the project would be funded publicly or privately.
Ultimately, Allegheny County paid for the project. A $6 million contract was awarded to Booth and Flinn, a former Pittsburgh construction firm, and Almos Davidson Neeld acted as the project’s lead engineer.
Four years later, work on the Liberty Bridge would be completed.
“It took a few more years for the artery to literally link directly with Downtown Pittsburgh in the configuration we know today,” Przybylek said.
It was not all smooth driving once the Liberty Tunnels opened, however. According to Hurd, a trolley driver strike led to an increase in people driving, and on May 10, 1924, a traffic jam in the tunnel and a buildup of carbon monoxide, resulting in many people being hospitalized.
“They metered cars until a ventilation system could be completed,” Hurd said.
Ventilation is handled through the Liberty Tunnel fan house, which is situated on Secane Avenue on Mount Washington with the direct center of the tunnels about 200 feet beneath it.
Paul Manyisha, tunnel manager for the state Department of Transportation, explained how this is unique among Pittsburgh’s tunnels.
“All the other locations have the fans and different electrical systems inside of the actual tunnel. This one is very unique where this building houses all of the electrical and fan systems,” Manyisha said.
Manyisha oversees the operations and budgets of Pittsburgh’s four tunnels. Other than the Liberty Tunnels, there are the Fort Pitt, Squirrel Hill and Stowe tunnels.
The fan house is as described – several rooms that house large, industrial fans. The building is recognizable by the large smoke stacks on the exterior.
In an emergency, Manyisha said tunnel maintenance workers are trained first responders. If it’s necessary, they will descend into the tunnels from the fan house.
There are no stairs, mind you. Manyisha pointed out a small doorway workers enter to rappel down into the tubes.
“For a major incident, we will protect the scene and assist police when they arrive on scene. For us, traffic incident management is all about safe, quick clearance,” Manyisha said.
A century later, the Liberty Tunnels remain the most direct connection between Pittsburgh and the South Hills, where many communities thrive as a direct result of the tubes.
“The existence of the tunnels was entirely connected to this realization … The only chance for them to truly grow was to see better traffic infrastructure for the region,” Przybylek said.