Minneapolis unveils completed Central City Tunnel

Minneapolis city leaders and local state lawmakers gathered at Mill Ruins Park Thursday morning to celebrate the completion of the Central City Tunnel project.

The tunnel project, according to city officials, is one of the largest to be taken up by the city’s Public Works Department in recent history. The tunnel system is about 70 feet below the surface and collects stormwater runoff for nearly all of the downtown area.

The new tunnel will increase the amount of stormwater runoff, with city officials saying it will lower the risk of possible flooding, as well as tunnels failing. They add that some of the tunnels are from the 1800s, and the city requested state money to help complete the project.

The purpose of the project is to reduce pressure in the existing tunnel, provide room for future growth and reduce the need for future repairs.

Over 70,000 tons of sandstone, shale and soil was excavated for the project, the city said. The over 4,200-foot tunnel is three times the size of the existing tunnel and can hold four million gallons of water.

“A stormwater tunnel might not draw the attention of something like a new stadium or a redesigned park, but the years of hard work and collaboration that went into constructing the Central City Tunnel is something to truly be admired,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “This tunnel is one of the biggest public works projects in recent years, and if you hear nothing about it after today, you know it’s working for you and our city. Thank you to our incredible Public Works department for seeing this project through.”