PortMiami Tunnel Set To Open In May
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The PortMiami Tunnel project will soon be open to traffic after years of construction.
The billion dollar underground wonder is on track to open for cargo and cruise traffic in May of 2014. Representatives for the project tell CBS4 News the tunnel, which connects Watson Island to PortMiami, will open the week of May 19th.
The project has taken more than four years to complete.
The underground tunnels are a mile and a half long. Five additional mini-tunnels were also constructed that will act as emergency exits.
SLIDESHOW: An Inside Look At The Tunnel
Both the eastbound and westbound tunnels were bored with a mega machine named "Harriet".
The tunnel beneath Government Cut will relieve cargo traffic from Downtown Miami by diverting it from I-395 to PortMiami.
Tuesday, Miami-Dade County commissioners gave the port the authority to pursue a $225 million bond offering to fund tunnel upgrades, which will bring the port's debt obligation to well over $1 billion.