tunnel officially dual bore lane tunnel approximately west denver colorado united_states tunnel carries interstate rocky_mountains maximum elevation highest tunnels world tunnel longest mountain tunnel highest point completed major pieces interstate highway system completed westbound bore named president interstate system named eastbound bore named governor senator lobbied built colorado description bore westbound tunnel long johnson bore eastbound tunnel long tunnels sloped grade elevation feet east portal west portal time dedication highest tunnels world remains highest tunnel united_states higher tunnels constructed rail tunnel china tunnel noted longest mountain tunnel highest point tunnel measure feet feet portion accessible public square shape measuring feet tall rest bore forced air ventilation water drainage systems height restriction additional height restrictions variable message signs lighting systems original posted clearance tunnels feet industry lobbied increase vertical clearance tunnel lower profile lighting signs possible trucks feet navigate tunnel increase inches original limit sensors activate near entrance tunnel vehicle posted height attempts enter tunnel traffic signals entrance turn red stopping traffic entrance remain closed height vehicle removed freeway causing severe delays traffic noted prior vehicles year alarm industry argued trucks height requirement alarm air manually lowered duration journey tunnel snow ice atop trailer time industry estimated number drop clearance raised inches feature monitors truck weight safe speed truck grades curves outside tunnel calculated displayed driver alternate route dangers posed fire inside tunnel trucks hauling hazardous materials prohibited tunnel prohibited trucks pedestrians wish stop view scenery longer climb descent older highway higher sea level exceptions tunnel replaced pass general traffic formidable older route approach tunnel sides steep runaway truck ramps available lose control construction winter storms require closing procedure place allow hazardous material trucks use tunnel hour tunnel closed regular traffic trucks guided tunnel convoy escorts december million vehicles passed tunnel figure includes significant number visitors colorado ski resorts history idea tunnel existed 1940s discussion began state colorado lobbied route highway colorado round negotiations utah officials decided best option follow route corridor engineers recommended tunnel pass attempt build route interstate highway standards known construction named runs western approach tunnel tunnel dedicated renamed honor construction bore tunnel started march construction efforts suffered setbacks project went time budget biggest setbacks discovery fault lines path tunnel discovered pilot faults began slip construction emergency measures taken protect tunnels workers cave ins collapses despite best efforts engineers workers killed boring tube boring second construction boring machines work fast expected high elevations productivity significantly planned frustration prompted engineer comment going book damned mountain couldn read project supposed years tunnel opened traffic march initially northern bore way traffic lane direction traffic tunnel exceeded predictions efforts soon began construction southern bore construction began eastbound tunnel august finished december initial engineering cost estimate bore million actual cost million equivalent million approximately funds paid federal government state colorado paying rest time figure set record expensive federally aided project excavation cost johnson bore million equivalent million included figures million non boring expenses construction tunnels tunnel construction unintentionally involved women rights movement applied work given assignment straight creek tunnels project supervisor resume thought hiring james supervisor discovered department hired woman instead tasked support work office opposition woman entering construction site supervisor stated entered workers flat walk tunnel come workers mining background expressed common woman brought bad luck worker insisted seen die woman tunnel sued department right work inside tunnel countered better shape men working tunnel passage equal rights law colorado finally entered tunnel entourage reporters november workers walk job women remained determined entered tunnel days later time dressed assigned tasks roof tunnel overlooking men surprised apparently noticed woman stated good disguise plane crash construction plane crash occurred miles northeast east portal friday october martin charter aircraft carrying college football team crashed north highway passengers crew board survived team way game logan recently denver international airport plane took different route landed safely logan workers constructing tunnel scene crash site water diversion primarily intended transportation tunnel serves water tunnel water diversion western continental divide eastern water straight creek watershed tributary entering tunnel discharged delivery typically tunnel delivers acre feet water year
Eisenhower Tunnel