On Friday, PennLive published the story of the Allegheny Mountain tunnels on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the commission's ongoing study of how to bypass them.

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Part of the story looks at the history of the tunnels, and what became of the three tunnels that were bypassed in the late 1960s when the highway was modernized. One, Laurel Hill, has been turned into a high-tech race car testing facility.

The other two were supposed to be part of a pedestrian and bicycle trail that was never completed. They remain unofficially open to the public. There was a lot of interest in those tunnels, so this is a quick primer on where they are and how to find them.

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The most direct route there is via the turnpike to Breezewood, then backtracking east on Route 30 (the Lincoln Highway). After climbing Sideling Hill, Route 30 drops back down the mountain and it is at the base where Pump Station Road breaks off and heads north.

Pump Station is a road that's part paved, part gravel. A fun drive. The abandoned turnpike is a few miles down the road. You'll wonder if you missed it - just keep going. Eventually you will pass a cattle farm on the right, cross a small bridge and then the closed section of the turnpike will be on the right - the "open" section with the tunnels is directly across the road from the closed section, but behind a large berm.

You can't see it from the road, but trust me, it's there.

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Alternatively, if you want more Americana in your trip, take Route 30 west from Chambersburg. The road runs along the Cumberland Valley for a while, past plenty of small towns and farms before climbing into the Appalachian Mountains. There are plenty of slow and fast turns to keep it interesting and the driver occupied. It's a good run unless you get stuck behind a truck, but there are passing lanes through most of the hill climbs.

Fascinatingly, there also are many hilltop inns and restaurants still dotting the Lincoln. So you can make it a lunch or dinner trip if you wish.

Here's a map of Pump Station Road (blue route) and the parking area (blue star):

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Bring a flashlight, a pair of boots and a sweatshirt - the tunnel is cold, dark and the roadway there, while paved, is uneven. Bicycles are allowed, but helmets are recommended.

Parking is available from Pump Station Road, but can be somewhat hard to find. The entrance to the parking area is a few hundred feet down the road from the closed-off section, up a gravel driveway and to the right.

The hike to the tunnel is around a mile - maybe three-quarters. The former turnpike roadway is level and has only a slight grade, so the walking is fairly easy. Eventually you will round a curve in the roadway and there will be the tunnel.

While the tunnel is open to the public the maintenance building is not, even though the windows have all been broken out and the doors are open. Do not enter. You can, however, hike up above the tunnel and peek in some of the windows.

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The original turbines (which pumped air in and out of the tunnels to avoid carbon monoxide build up) are still there and can be seen from the windows behind the building.

If you venture into the tunnels you will want a light - we made this mistake when we went - because the ambient sunlight is quickly swallowed by the tunnel. Once your eyes adjust you can make out a light at the far end of the tunnel (more than a mile away) but we believe this to be an illusion.

Because of the way the tunnel seems to rise, we think that the light that is visible is not the other end, but rather light from the other end reflecting onto the ceiling of the tunnel. Quite honestly, we did not have the intestinal fortitude to fully investigate, and scampered away after walking a few hundred feet inside.

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Here's a video of what it's like:

Good luck.