Bee Branch Creek Pedestrian Tunnels Grand Opening on Friday, June 24

Monday, June 20, 2022

The City of Dubuque is holding a short ceremony on Friday, June 24, at 4:30 p.m. to celebrate the grand opening of the Bee Branch Creek pedestrian tunnels. The event will be held on the new overlook south of the railroad tracks above the tunnels.

Following the ceremony, Mayor Cavanagh will lead a bike ride on the new trail connection through the tunnel to E. 22nd St. for the 7th Annual Sustainability Fair being held at the Bee Branch Creek Greenway from 5 - 7 p.m. The public is encouraged to bring their bikes and ride along.

Located under the Canadian Pacific Railway between Garfield Ave. and the Lower Bee Branch Creek, the new pedestrian tunnels connect the upstream and downstream trail systems resulting in a continuous off-street trail from the Heritage Trail in Dyersville to the Mississippi River in Dubuque.

The conversion of the old Bee Branch storm sewers into pedestrian tunnels was part of the Bee Branch Railroad Culverts Project which included micro-tunneling six 8-foot diameter pipes under the railroad tracks, construction of upstream and downstream underground transition structures, a pumping station, and a water level control system. Completed in 2021, the flood mitigation improvements provide the area with up to 500-year ?ood protection.

For more information about the Bee Branch Watershed Flood Mitigation Project, visit www.cityofdubuque.org/beebranch.