I-35W Stormwater Storage Facility Construction, South Minneapolis
Aerial view of I-35W stormwater storage tunnel construction with large cylindrical pipe sections alongside snowy Minneapolis.
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. The work is part of MnDOT's ongoing effort to modernize drainage infrastructure along one of the Twin Cities' busiest commuter routes.
Photo taken in February 2022.
