UPDATE (Fri, Apr. 22): Beginning Friday, Apr. 22 at 11:00 p.m., Routes 10, 11, 13, 34, and 36 Trolleys will operate on a temporary diversion to allow for repairs and inspection to the Trolley Tunnel. Regularly scheduled trolley service will resume at the start of the service day Monday, Apr. 25, 2016.

Many people were wondering why trolleys were running above ground over Spruce to 40th Street today (Thursday). It turns out SEPTA had to divert Routes 11, 13, 34 and 36 to 40th and Market Streets due to continuous repairs of overhead wires in the tunnel. Wire repair work in the tunnel will continue overnight and possibly on Friday. Here’s more information from SEPTA:

“Service disruptions on the Trolley network (Routes 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36) have been occurring with increasing frequency in recent weeks. Despite the best efforts of our maintenance forces in the limited work windows afforded to them, overhead wire conditions in the Trolley Tunnel continue to worsen and have created this reliability issue. 

This morning, a Route 36 Trolley tore down 100 feet of overhead wire near 22nd St. Station. Repairs to this location will be completed by 6 p.m. tonight. But in order to restore reliability to the Tunnel where some 700 vehicles run daily, our forces will continue to inspect and make repairs all throughout the 5-mile Tunnel during the rest of the service day today and continuing tonight.”

Route 10 will temporarily divert to 40th and Filbert Streets. If your trolley is on diversion to 40th St. and Market, you can transfer to the Market Frankford Line for service to and from Center City (no extra fare is required).