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Digging Begins Under Downtown Akron on the Ohio Canal Interceptor Tunnel

The tunnel boring machine poised to begin drilling under downtown Akron. (urycki)

"Rosie" the tunnel boring machine began drilling into the ground at the north end of downtown Akron today (Thurs).   The site off Hickory Street is only a few hundred yards from one of Akron's oldest buildings, the Mustill Store, built on the edge of the Ohio Canal.  

The 6200 ft. tunnel is called the Ohio Canal Interceptor Tunnel and will be used to hold storm water to prevent an overflow with sewage into the Cuyahoga River.  The entire project will likely cost the city over one billion dollars. 

The boring head of the machine will only be visible for about a day before it disappears under downtown. 

This video illustrates the tunnel project but the city has been building other structures already as part of an agreement with the US EPA and the Ohio EPA.