Maryland Begins Tunnel Boring Project To Prevent Flooding

A mile-long North tunnel project in Ellicott City will begin removing 65 feet of granite per day starting this summer. County executive Calvin Ball stated the tunnel will move more than 26,000 gallons of water per second off Main Street and into the Patapsco River. The project aims to mitigate flood risks following a 2016 flood that resulted in fatalities. The tunnel boring machine will fill approximately 90 dump trucks worth of granite daily. The project is part of a major milestone in local flood prevention efforts. The machine is located 150 feet below ground and is scheduled to begin operations this summer. It is expected to remove 65 feet of granite per day, which is equivalent to the volume of 90 dump trucks. This project is part of a milestone effort by Howard County to prevent future flood devastation.