Here are three photos that show the early transformation of West Liberty Avenue at the intersection with Saw Mill Run Road, where the Liberty Tunnels stand today. The first picture is from early 1915. The railroad tressel was part of the West Side Belt Railroad and would soon be upgraded as part of the new Wabash Railroad. West Liberty Avenue was also in the midst of an ongoing upgrade, as the trolley system was expanding and the roadway needed widened and paved to accomodate the sharp rise in vehicular traffic. Pioneer Avenue, which before the construction of West Liberty Avenue was the official state road linking Pittsburgh with Washington County, begins on the other side of the tressel to the left.

This photo shows the same view in 1916. The roadway was now widened and the railroad abutment modified to accomodate the rise in heavy rail traffic. These views are quite different from the modern interchange in existence today. Horse-drawn wagons and first generation trolley service were the main forms of transportation back then. Automobiles were a luxury not yet available to the majority of the middle class.

This final view shows another similar view looking upwards along West Liberty Avenue from the intersection with Saw Mill Run Road in March of 1931. The entire roadway has been paved and modern sewers have been installed. A Peoples Gas station stands at the busy intersection, catering to the thousands of vehicles passing by each day.

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