The City of Minneapolis Public Works Department is constructing a new parallel storm tunnel, enlarging a portion of the existing storm tunnel, and constructing a new tunnel access in Downtown Minneapolis.
The new tunnel is being constructed parallel to the existing tunnel located under Washington Ave S between Nicollet Mall and Chicago Ave. The existing tunnel under Chicago Ave between Washington Ave S and the Mississippi River is being expanded to handle the increased stormwater capacity. The purpose of this project is to reduce pressure in the existing tunnel, provide more room for future growth, and to reduce the need for future repairs and tunnel failures.
Mississippi River Portal
Crews have completed excavation for the enlarging of the existing storm tunnel at the Mississippi River for the season and will resume later this fall when they can access the storm flow again. Until then, crews will continue to work on lining the tunnel with concrete through the summer.
2nd Ave
Crews have completed mining the new parallel storm tunnel under Washington Ave from the new tunnel access shaft in the southbound lanes of 2nd Ave S, just north of the Washington Ave intersection for the season. Crews will continue to work on lining the tunnel with concrete through the summer.
Portland Ave
Crews have completed mining the new parallel storm tunnel under Washington Ave from the existing tunnel access shaft at the northeast corner of the Washington Ave and Portland Ave intersection for the season. Crews will continue to work on lining the tunnel with concrete through the summer.
The excavation part of the project is now 97% completed and crews have removed approximately 67,800 t of material to date. The final part of the excavation will occur next winter. In May, crews continued to work on the concrete tunnel lining. To date, 3,700 cubic yards of concrete have been poured. This process is approximately 23% complete.
For further on the project click here and here for the tunnelbuilder archive. Visit https://www.minneapolismn.gov/. 21/23.
