Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

Hwy 61 Tunnel lighting project

Lake County

Traffic Impacts

Work is complete for 2025. Work will resume in spring 2026. Weekday lane closures controlled by a signal system will be required in both tunnels.

About this project

Summary of work

Map of the Lafayette Bluff tunnel and the Silver Creek cliff tunnel

Project location map

  • During the Fall of 2019, crews performed an inspection of existing tunnel lighting supports over the centerline in the Silver Creek Cliff and Lafayette Bluff tunnels. The inspection was needed to verify the structural capacity of the existing lighting support system in preparation for the design phase of the lighting upgrade project.
  • A new LED lighting system will be designed to upgrade the luminaires and lighting control system in each tunnel.