More Tunnels Open Up in Dig Indy Project

Citizens Energy Group’s DigIndy project will soon reach another milestone.

The Lower Pogues Run and White River tunnels will be online and active at the end of this year. The mining of the Fall Creek Tunnel is completed and the Pleasant Run tunnel project will begin soon.

The 28-mile-long network of 18-foot diameter deep rock tunnels are being built 250 feet beneath the city. Construction began in January 2012, and the first 10 miles of the DigIndy Tunnel System entered into operation at the end of 2017.

Mike Miller, DigIndy capital program manager, said crews have gained a lot of experience since completing the first two tunnels in 2017.

“We took a lot away -- not only from construction knowledge, but engineering knowledge -- that we applied to future designs from that first tunnel,” Miller said.

According to Citizens, the Deep Rock Tunnel Connector and Eagle Creek Tunnel have prevented more than 900 million gallons of sewage from entering White River and Eagle Creek across the southern half of Marion County.

When DigIndy is completed in 2025, up to 99 percent of raw sewage -- or 6 billion gallons annually -- is expected to be kept from entering Marion County waterways.

Part of the 13-year program includes planting trees to reduce runoff. Citizens Energy Group, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, and the Indianapolis Department of Public Works have partnered on a plan to plant 10,000 trees across the city.