 Rays Hill Tunnel at night in 1942 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Line | South Pennsylvania Railroad abandoned |
| Location | Rays Hill, Bedford / Fulton counties, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Coordinates | 40°01′05″N 78°12′14″W / 40.01806°N 78.20389°W |
| Status | Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike Currently Pike2Bike Trail |
| Crosses | Rays Hill |
| Operation | |
| Work begun | 1881 - railway 1938 - highway |
| Constructed | 1881–1885 - railway 1938–1940 - highway |
| Opened | October 1, 1940 |
| Closed | November 26, 1968 - Interstate 76 |
| Owner | South Pennsylvania Railroad abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission abandoned Pike2Bike Trail |
| Character | Hiking, biking, and skateboard trail |
| Technical | |
| Length | 3,532 feet (1,077 m) - highway |
| No. of lanes | 2 |
Rays Hill Tunnel is one of three original Pennsylvania Turnpike tunnels that were abandoned (this one in 1968) after two massive realignment projects. The others included the Sideling Hill Tunnel, and farther west, the Laurel Hill Tunnel.
Rays Hill Tunnel is 3,532 feet (1,077 m) long. It was the shortest of the seven original tunnels on Pennsylvania Turnpike. Due to its short length, its ventilation fans were installed only at its western portal. Its eastern portal is the only one of the 14 tunnel portals on the original turnpike that has no ventilation fan housing. This difference can be seen by westbound traffic on the Turnpike.
The tunnel connects Bedford and Fulton Counties in South Central Pennsylvania.