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Yinzerman1992 t1_iyd15py wrote

Rick Sebak did an amazing documentary on the squirrel hil tunnel that answers your question and many more. (Link)

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westinghousesghost t1_iyd5fzo wrote

For those who don't want to or can't watch the whole thing, jump to 24:25 to see the escape doors

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dunwoodyres1 t1_iyd6wa0 wrote

It goes to the other tunnel.

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ExpertExpert t1_iydlij3 wrote

oh wow. i really expected a 3rd tunnel for pedestrians. maybe something that linked the upstairs part?

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Sybertron t1_iyewtgu wrote

I really feel like traffic has improved a good bit since they removed the ceiling. Feels less claustrophobic as ya approach and less folks tap the brakes.

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mandyyy-rose t1_iyd5fq5 wrote

Thanks for the link! Great background noise to work from home and watch

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sqqueen2 OP t1_iye171k wrote

That was most excellent! Thanks so much!

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Sybertron t1_iyeypef wrote

What a flex at the end to eat a birthday cake in the middle of the closed off tunnel haha

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Agile-Hopeful4707 t1_iye5w55 wrote

As long as the problem is a fire or hazmat incident, the fire department will be blocking the lane in the other tunnel when they arrive. They will also be attacking the problem through those doors. Please call 911 immediately or use the emergency phones in the tunnel if this happens. Please describe the side involved (inbound/outbound, and station or distance marker) to ensure a response that will help you faster.

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[deleted] t1_iye887h wrote

Replying so I can watch this later! Thank you!!

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pburgh2517 t1_iycyxg1 wrote

I was under the impression those doors just go to the other tunnel. So if something happens in one tunnel you exit via the other tunnel. If something happens in both, well I guess it’s good luck.

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iron_vet t1_iyd0kn6 wrote

That would be terrible luck. Not like a bird shitting on you. That is honestly terrible luck as well. Lol

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alwaysboopthesnoot t1_iydcsvb wrote

A bird shitting on you is unlucky? My nona said it was lucky—especially on your wedding day!

But the two-tunnels thing…that WOULD be terribly unlucky. Catastrophic.

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notocho t1_iyeksym wrote

What’s lucky about having shit on you

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alwaysboopthesnoot t1_iyezzo7 wrote

It’s an old Italian saying, meaning you were singled out and thus are special. IDK its origins.

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gggg500 t1_iydnw51 wrote

What if a bird pees on you?

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vonHindenburg t1_iydoiby wrote

That’s not a bird…

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gggg500 t1_iydpfuy wrote

Goddamn it. Must be the alligator lizards in the air, again then.

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vonHindenburg t1_iydqnbk wrote

Well, like birds, terrestrial lizards don’t urinate. I guess, though, that I can’t speak for mythical ones in the air (in the aiiiirrrrr). I know what I’m listening to now.

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gggg500 t1_iydru8n wrote

Oh damn! TIL! Anyway, yeah that song always makes me nostalgic for the 1970s. Even though I was born in 1993. Has to be the most 70’s songs out there. I picture myself driving a convertible along the Pacific Highway in California, the year is 1977.

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JoeNoble1973 t1_iydt41b wrote

That lyric always bugged the hell outta me

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gggg500 t1_iyduyg9 wrote

Yeah I wonder did it mean something deeper like a hidden message? Or did they just put something random in the song? Still an amazing song nonetheless!!

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burritoace t1_iyd2ypx wrote

More modern tunnels typically have an intermediate egress tunnel between the two primary tubes, but I'm not sure that is the case here.

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ravia t1_iydn35w wrote

They go into the bathrooms of certain houses around the tunnel.

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mmphoto412 t1_iydu2cm wrote

Secret passage way. A trapdoor for this is hidden under a Pittsburgh potty in someone’s basement for an escape

The hatch can be opened by turning the basement pencil sharpener backwards 5 times

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BetterOff165 t1_iye9sf6 wrote

Winner. Now, have yourself a Cherokee Red Pop from the dahnstairs fridge but don't touch Pap's arns'.

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ravia t1_iye94o2 wrote

Committed to memory and deleted from my inbox.

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wagernacker t1_iyd0ti0 wrote

I saw a PBS thing about it with Rick Sebak. He was checking out the doors with a DOT guy in the Liberty or Ft Pitt Tunnel and the door just went directly to the other tunnel. I would assume the same for Squirrel Hill.

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phasmos t1_iydvis3 wrote

Yep, straight thru to the other tunnel. I walked through the inbound tunnel in 1992 (from Forest Hills to Oakland, which sucked) and tried the door, hoping there was an access tunnel between the two. There isn't.

Also, the ledge you have to walk on is maybe 28" wide, so you have to do a lot of wall-hugging to avoid trucks and such; stepping through to the other tunnel puts you in the same dicey situation, especially when the cars hurtling Eastbound don't know or expect a person to pop out.

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ChefGuru t1_iycyufy wrote

Are you talking about the doors in the middle of the tunnel that lead into the other side of the tunnel?

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sqqueen2 OP t1_iycyxv4 wrote

Yes…is that where they go? That don’t go up and out?

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ChefGuru t1_iyczk8e wrote

If there's a fire or something in one side of the tunnel, you use those to get to the other side of the tunnel where there isn't fire and smoke.

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Upbeat_Estimate1501 t1_iydfd3e wrote

Independence Day literally has had me preparing for this possibility since 1996.

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CARLEtheCamry t1_iydmuf7 wrote

'96 is when Daylight came out as well. I still can't drive the Chesapeak Bay Bridge Tunnel without an increase in anxiety due to that movie.

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MCRNRearAdmiral t1_iydz2nk wrote

Just treated two (three, if you count an infant) native Yinzers to an over-and-back roundtrip on that beast last month- the CBBT never fails to blow people’s minds, even those of us who were scampering around in the sands underneath since as far back as we can remember.

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Wildman_916 t1_iyd3ie2 wrote

So everybody stuck in a tunnel of fire and smoke runs through a small passageway to the other side of the tunnel where there’s still ongoing traffic? Great call from the tunnel guys lmao

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ChefGuru t1_iyd4bic wrote

Damn... if only traffic could be stopped if there was a fire in one side of the tunnel. It's too bad that there's no possible way for that to happen, and that everyone escaping a fire would be forced to run directly into speeding traffic.

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ScratchMoore t1_iyd603n wrote

Right? I feel like maybe if someone invented a light to put at one end of the tunnel as a warning system to stop traffic. Maybe blue? Or purple? Not sure what colors could be used, just spitballing……

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omgwouldyou t1_iyddz2t wrote

It is kinda funny to think the tunnel staff and emergency services would just let traffic continue on as normal through the second tunnel as they use it as an evacuation route.

Tunnel guy screaming over the noise at an evacuating motorist "so sorry sir, it's the Tuesday special at olive garden! We need to keep these people moving! Try to stick close to the walls!"

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westinghousesghost t1_iyd4zhi wrote

Why would you go up out of a tunnel? 1) the heat and smoke of a fire would follow you. 2) that's probably the slowest way to evacuate. 3) that's not at all useful for disabled people.

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CL-MotoTech t1_iyd3i5y wrote

The emergency walk way is perpindicul to the vehicle tunnels. Basically it is a separate tunnel but for people cross to the other side. They don't exit elsewhere. I have seen it in person. The Liberty tunnels have a parallel emergency tunnel that runs the length of the tunnels.

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vonHindenburg t1_iydovun wrote

And what is that windowed room above and between the Ft Pitt Tunnels on the west end? Break room? Conference room? Penthouse?

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MothaFknPOOOON t1_iye0zlp wrote

Best location for semi public sex in the burgh, the onlyfans girls should get on it

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AnonPlzzzzzz t1_iyd435f wrote

You just sit tight and sylvester stallone comes and rescues you like in that movie daylight

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rae1104 t1_iyep7xj wrote

These are the real questions I think about day to day while driving!!

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cordy_crocs t1_iyegr3z wrote

From the comments I gather they just go to the other tunnel. I always assumed they led to stairs and went up.

I would prefer the tunnel doors to to go up so I could escape either tunnels if there was a situation lol

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kimbecile t1_iyf8shv wrote

They lead to the Tunnel Monster's lair.

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gldmj5 t1_iyddics wrote

You also planning your escape routes for the inevitable alien invasion, eh?

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sqqueen2 OP t1_iydeg96 wrote

No but that’s a good additional benefit

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DocAuch22 t1_iye4jyo wrote

There are some pretty tall towers in my neighborhood on Mt Washington labeled Liberty Tunnel directly over it. Not sure what they are for, but I’m sure they are connected in some way.

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itry2018 t1_iyebcin wrote

I was JUST wondering this the other day. So weird!!!!

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Anotherburner42069 t1_iyd0c7e wrote

I believe there is a small central man tunnel in the center of the two as well

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PeanutHakeem t1_iyd1wp5 wrote

There is definitely NOT a small central corridor. I saw a news article years ago that specifically stated that most people (I was one of them) think there is but there isn't. The doors just go to the other tunnel.

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sopmaeThrowaway t1_iyd5ngj wrote

That’s disheartening :/ I thought you could actually escape, but in the case of a real emergency it’s just a trick death trap. Typical.

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omgwouldyou t1_iydegww wrote

Why would that be the case? They are two seperate tunnels. An emergency in one does not mean there will be an emergency in the other.

And even if that was the case and we are worried about the extreme emergencies that could hop tunnels. (I suppose, terroristic or foriegn attack) why would the hypothetical pedestrian tunnel be safe when the two main ones aren't?

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Excelius t1_iydpppm wrote

I don't see the problem?

If there's a fire or hazmat situation or something in one tunnel, then you can just cross into the other tunnel which is likely safe.

Main problem is just getting any traffic in the other tunnel to stop so you don't get splatted while fleeing.

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MothaFknPOOOON t1_iye0s1n wrote

A fire, crash etc in a tunnel should have the monitoring team turn the entrance lights red and stop traffic from entering... I would imagine both tunnel sides are stopped at least temporarily while risk assessment takes place

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