Construct storm water storage tanks, retaining wall on state property east of I-35W in Minneapolis between 42nd St. and 40th St.
Crews are building six, concrete underground tanks that will hold up to 4.5 million gallons of water. That is about seven Olympic-sized swimming pools. During heavy rains, I-35W floods and can be impassable. The tanks will collect the water, store it while the drainage system catches up and then the water is released gradually and taken through drainage pipes to the Mississippi River. Constructing the tanks will help reduce the flooding but will not eliminate. This is the first time a project such as this has been done by MnDOT. In the early stages of this project, crews used a drilling machine called a hydrofraise to help remove the dirt and fill the what are the walls of the tanks. The tanks are going to be 40-feet wide and 80-feet deep.
Complete: August to January 2020: Construct retaining wall. Watch for SB closure of Second Ave. between 40th St. and 41st St.
February to April 2023: Construct storm water storage tanks; watch for regular truck traffic on Second Ave., overnight closures on I-35W and noise.
April to October 2023: Complete project including laying grass and landscaping.
