Selby Avenue Streetcar Tunnel

Located below Selby Avenue at Summit Avenue, this tunnel once carried the Twin Cities Rapid Transit Company Selby Avenue line. The cut and cover concrete tunnel was constructed in 1907 to connect the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue line to downtown St. Paul. The tunnel featured a curve, and could carry two tracks. The tunnel was built due to the steep terrain of St. Paul. A 7% grade was used inside the tunnel. The cut and cover method involved excavating using open cut methods, constructing the tunnel and filling the remaining area. During the height of the streetcar system, they ran every three minutes during peak hours, and every seven minutes during non-peak hours. In 1953, the system would be shut down, and the tunnel abandoned. During the early 1960s, the west portal of the tunnel would be removed and paved over. The interior of the tunnel was still accessible until the late 2010s, when large concrete blocks were installed across the portal to prevent access. Overall, the remaining visible structure appears to be in fair condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this tunnel as being moderately significant, as it is one of few remaining structures from the streetcar era in the Twin Cities.