On This Day

America's Highest Vehicle Tunnel

In 1968, on this day, construction started on the north tunnel of the Eisenhower (north tunnel)/Johnson (south tunnel) Memorial Tunnel in Colorado.

The tunnel cuts through the Continental Divide at an altitude of more than 11,000 feet.

The Eisenhower tunnel cost $117 million. At the height of construction, more than 1,140 persons were employed in three shifts, 24 hours a day, six days a week. The prime contractor was actually a consortium of four contractors. The Johnson tunnel cost $145 million and required more than 800 workers. Just under 500 of those workers were employed in actual drilling operations.

Content and photo for this page are from the Colorado Dept. of Transportation.