On Thursday morning, you'll be able to use the Armstrong Tunnel once again. After more than two years of construction, it's back open, connecting drivers in Pittsburgh from Downtown to the South Side.

Pennsylvania State Senator Wayne Fontana (D), like many, felt the Armstrong Tunnel was small, gloomy, and short. Now it's looking extra bright for the more than 11,000 drivers who use it every day.

"It's looking good, isn't it? It looks great," Fontana said.

Lawmakers, Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, and leaders with the county public works gathered at the site for a ribbon-cutting Wednesday after a more than $13 million facelift that began in March 2023.

"In a city in a region like ours with hills and rivers and valleys, we need bridges and tunnels and retaining walls to keep us moving and to keep us safe," Innamorato said.

This was the first renovation in more than 30 years since the nearly 1,300-foot-long tunnel opened in 1927. It came after inspections had shown the county needed to address deterioration and bring the tunnels' safety systems up to current standards.

One of the biggest upgrades was removing the ceramic tile liner and replacing it with fireproof wall panels that came from Belgium.

Jason Molinero is the public works deputy director.

"If they're in the event of a fire, they're protecting the concrete and the tunnel structure behind it with the fire-resistant qualities that they have," Molinero said.

Molinero said they're also easier to clean and add light to the space, along with hundreds of new fixtures.

"One of the things that we heard a lot from people leading up to our rehab was how dark it was in the tunnel," Molinero said.

Other changes included repairing concrete, installing cameras, and widening the sidewalk.

"We're able to allow two-way traffic for you know wheelchair-size pedestrians," Molinero said.

In doing that, they needed to reduce the tunnels from two lanes to one, increasing safety and accessibility for all.

"This is an improvement that we think made a lot of sense," Molinero said.

While work on the tunnel is done, the sidewalk by the outbound tunnel will remain closed through September as Duquesne University continues to repair the Fisher Hall pedestrian bridge above Forbes Avenue.