Photo Set

I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility

I-35WMinneapolis, MN

The MnDOT I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility is a large-scale underground detention system built beneath the eastern shoulder of Interstate 35W as it runs through the Kingfield and Field neighborhoods of south Minneapolis.

The project addresses a long-standing drainage problem along this stretch of freeway, where runoff from the corridor had overwhelmed the city's combined sewer infrastructure during heavy rain events and threatened to push untreated stormwater into the Mississippi River watershed. MnDOT designed the system around a series of large-diameter vertical shafts bored into bedrock along the highway's shoulder, connected to blasted tunnels running below grade. That approach allowed a high-capacity reservoir to be installed within a dense residential corridor without acquiring additional surface land.

Overhead view of workers and equipment inside a circular concrete shaft of the I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility in Minneapolis during winter construction. — *February 27, 2022* — The I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility sits beneath downtown Minneapolis as part of the Minnesota Department of Transportation's broader I-35W corridor project.

Three large concrete cylindrical storage vaults under construction along Interstate 35W in Minneapolis, with residential neighborhoods visible beyond the security barrier. — *February 27, 2022* — This excavation is part of the I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility, a Minnesota Department of Transportation project built to capture and hold runoff from the highway corridor before it's released into the sanitary or storm sewer system.

Red tower cranes and construction equipment operate along Interstate 35W during Minnesota Department of Transportation's stormwater storage facility project near downtown Minneapolis. — *February 27, 2022* — The I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility runs alongside the freeway just south of downtown Minneapolis, part of a Minnesota Department of Transportation project to capture and hold runoff before it reaches the Mississippi River.

Aerial view of the MnDOT I-35W stormwater storage facility under construction in Minneapolis, showing large cylindrical concrete shafts along the interstate with surrounding snowy residential neighborhoods. — *February 27, 2022* — MnDOT built this stormwater storage facility along I-35W between downtown Minneapolis and the Crosstown interchange as part of the freeway's broader reconstruction through the Kingfield and Field neighborhoods. The underground tunnel system captures runoff from the highway corridor before it can overwhelm nearby storm sewers and eventually reaches the Mississippi River. Crews sank a series of vertical shafts along the shoulder to reach the tunnels bored below grade, a method chosen to limit disruption to the surrounding residential blocks.

Construction workers and heavy equipment operate inside cylindrical concrete shafts of the I-35W stormwater storage facility alongside highway traffic in Minneapolis. — *February 27, 2022* — The I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility in Minneapolis consists of large underground shafts built to hold excess runoff during heavy rain and snowmelt, easing pressure on the city's combined sewer system.

Aerial view of large cylindrical concrete shafts under construction along I-35W in Minneapolis for stormwater storage. — *February 27, 2022* — The Minnesota Department of Transportation built this stormwater storage facility along I-35W in Minneapolis to capture runoff that once overwhelmed the corridor's drainage system during heavy rain. The project uses a series of large-diameter shafts bored into bedrock beneath the freeway, connected to underground tunnels that hold water until it can be released or treated. MnDOT undertook the work as part of a broader effort to reduce flooding on this stretch of I-35W, which runs through a residential section of the city just east of the highway.

Construction crane and equipment operate at the MnDOT I-35W stormwater storage facility site alongside the interstate near downtown Minneapolis. — *February 27, 2022* — This construction site sits alongside Interstate 35W near downtown Minneapolis, part of the Minnesota Department of Transportation's stormwater storage facility project. The underground system was designed to capture and hold runoff from the freeway corridor, easing pressure on the city's combined sewer network during heavy rain events.

Red tower cranes and heavy equipment operate on the eastern shoulder of Interstate 35W during construction of MnDOT's stormwater storage facility in Minneapolis. — *February 27, 2022* — Interstate 35W cuts through south Minneapolis on a below-grade alignment, separated from adjacent neighborhoods by long concrete sound walls. The construction site along its eastern shoulder is part of MnDOT's I-35W stormwater storage facility, built to capture and treat runoff from the freeway corridor before it reaches the Mississippi River watershed.

Yellow Caterpillar excavator breaks through a concrete wall inside the I-35W stormwater storage facility tunnel in Minneapolis. — *February 27, 2022* — This underground chamber is part of the I-35W stormwater storage facility, a Minnesota Department of Transportation project built to hold runoff from the freeway corridor before it's released into the city's stormwater system.

Hydraulic breaker attachment and yellow excavators operate inside a concrete tunnel of the I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility in Minneapolis. — *February 27, 2022* — The I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility is an underground detention system built by the Minnesota Department of Transportation to capture and manage runoff from the freeway corridor before it reaches the Mississippi River.

Yellow Caterpillar excavators operate inside a concrete tunnel at the I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility in Minneapolis. — *February 27, 2022* — The I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility is a Minnesota Department of Transportation project built to hold runoff from the highway corridor before it's released into the city's sewer system, reducing flood risk in surrounding neighborhoods.

Red tower crane visible against night sky through interior of I-35W stormwater storage facility concrete shaft in Minneapolis. — *February 27, 2022* — The I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility is a underground storage system built by the Minnesota Department of Transportation to capture runoff from the I-35W corridor in downtown Minneapolis.

Rusted rebar cage with metal bolt fixture inside the I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility shaft in Minneapolis. — *February 27, 2022* — This shaft is part of the I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility, a Minnesota Department of Transportation project built to capture and hold runoff from the interstate corridor in Minneapolis.

Metal scaffold tower and concrete shaft interior at the I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility in Minneapolis. — *February 27, 2022* — This concrete shaft forms part of the I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility in Minneapolis, a underground system built to hold excess runoff and reduce flooding along the I-35W corridor.

Green forklift operates inside a reinforced concrete tunnel lined with metal rebar cages at the I-35W stormwater storage facility in Minneapolis. — *February 27, 2022* — This passage is part of the underground stormwater storage facility built along I-35W in Minneapolis as part of MnDOT's freeway reconstruction project.

Metal scaffold tower rises vertically through the interior of the I-35W stormwater storage facility concrete vault in Minneapolis. — *February 27, 2022* — The I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility in Minneapolis is an underground concrete cistern built to hold runoff from the surrounding highway corridor before it's released into the municipal storm sewer system.

A yellow scissor lift and ladder stand inside a concrete chamber of the I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility in Minneapolis. — *February 27, 2022* — The I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility is an underground rock tunnel system built by the Minnesota Department of Transportation to manage runoff along the Interstate 35W corridor in Minneapolis.

Two yellow CAT excavators operate inside a blasted tunnel of the I-35W stormwater storage facility in Minnesota. — *February 27, 2022* — This tunnel is part of the I-35W stormwater storage facility, a Minnesota Department of Transportation project built to hold runoff from the freeway corridor before it's released into the local sewer system.

Interior view of the cylindrical concrete shaft at the MnDOT I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility in Minneapolis. — *February 27, 2022* — The MnDOT I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility is an underground concrete vault built to hold runoff collected from the I-35W corridor through downtown Minneapolis before it's released into the municipal storm sewer system. The structure consists of a cylindrical shaft bored deep into bedrock, a construction method chosen to fit a large-capacity reservoir into a dense urban footprint without acquiring additional surface land. Its capacity allows the Minnesota Department of Transportation to manage peak flows during heavy rain events, reducing the risk of flooding and easing pressure on the city's older combined sewer infrastructure.

Yellow excavator positioned inside a concrete tunnel lined with rock debris and construction equipment during I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility work. — *February 27, 2022* — The I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility is a MnDOT project built to capture and hold highway runoff before it's released into the municipal drainage system.

Looking up through a vertical shaft at the blue interior of the I-35W stormwater storage facility vault. — *February 27, 2022* — The I-35W stormwater storage facility is a large underground vault built by the Minnesota Department of Transportation to capture and hold runoff from the interstate corridor before it's released into the city's drainage system.

I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility

Minneapolis Photographer