Liberty Tunnel reopens hours after emergency drill

PITTSBURGH — The Liberty Tunnel is now fully open. The closures were expected to last until around noon Saturday for a joint "special exercise," but officials confirmed the tunnel hadn't fully reopened until 4 p.m.

PennDOT crews joined with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire, Southwest Pennsylvania Commission and U.S. Coast Guard officials to "test responses to a tunnel fire in a special exercise" Friday night into Saturday, according to a release.

Officials said that exercise required the inbound portion of the tunnel to be closed.

A series of three separate drills took place starting 8 p.m. Friday.

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In addition to the inbound lanes being closed, the outbound (south) side was reduced to one lane during the exercise.

Below is the full detour posted by PennDOT:

Inbound (northbound)

• Take Route 51 (Saw Mill Run Boulevard) northbound
• Take the left exit to I-376 West/US 19 South toward Carnegie/Airport/West End
• Take Exit 69A toward US 19 South/Banksville Road
• Keep left (toward South Truck 19/51) and loop back to I-376 eastbound toward Fort Pitt Tunnel
• Follow eastbound I-376 through Fort Pitt Tunnel and across the Fort Pitt Bridge
• For access to I-279 destinations follow I-279 signage, all other destinations take exit toward I-376 East/Monroeville
• Take the left exit 71A to Grant Street
• Turn left onto Grant Street

Cox Media Group