Rock-Bored Tunnel Chambers, I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility, Minneapolis
Yellow JCB lift inside MnDOT I-35W stormwater storage tunnel under construction in Minneapolis.
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. Crews excavated the chambers through solid bedrock, then lined sections with reinforced concrete and rebar cages to shape connecting passageways between storage caverns. The finished tunnels hold stormwater during heavy rain events, reducing the load on the city's surface drainage system and nearby waterways. Construction equipment such as scissor lifts and ladders supported the concrete work and rebar installation needed to stabilize the excavated rock walls before the facility went into service.
Photo taken in February 2022.
