By: BRITTANY NADER
Cleveland

Rosie the Tunnel-Boring Machine

AKRON, Ohio — Rosie, the giant boring machine operating beneath downtown Akron to create the Ohio Canal Inceptor Tunnel, will complete its 6,240-foot venture next week.

The city plans to host a party Wednesday to celebrate the completion of this phase of the project at Lock 3 Park. The party is scheduled for noon to 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The tunnel is the largest Akron Waterways Renewed! project to date. The project is a joint venture between Kenny Construction Co. and Obayashi Corp.

The tunnel will be 27 feet in diameter and will hold 25.6 million gallons of storm water and sewage during heavy rains. It will control nine overflows into the Ohio & Erie Canal and Little Cuyahoga River.

Attendees at Wednesday’s party can view a live stream of Rosie’s work digging the tunnel. They also can touch a segment of concrete from the tunnel and take a photo at an “inside the tunnel” selfie station.
Giveaways commemorating Rosie’s work and the kickoff of the project’s next phase will be featured at the event.
The city will release information to the public if circumstances related to  engineering projections force the event to be rescheduled.

Visit akronwaterwaysrenewed.com/ocit.aspx for more information about Rosie and the Ohio Canal Inceptor Tunnel.

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