Detroit-Windsor Tunnel turns 85 today

(WJBK) - The Detroit-Windsor tunnel was a marvel of engineering when it opened in 1930, and it is still the only underwater international vehicle crossing in the world.

It opened to traffic 85 years ago today on November 3 -- a year ahead of schedule. The tunnel is about one mile long, and takes you 75 feet below the surface of the Detroit River. It took 26 months to construct, and cost a total of $23 million.

The first car to cross was a 1929 Studebaker. Since then, more than 375 million vehicles have traveled the tunnel. Approximately 12,000 vehicles pass through the tunnel daily.

Although the tunnel has been open for 85 years, the idea of an underground passing was heard of for much longer. According to dwtunnel.com, promotion for the tunnel started more than 120 years ago.

To read more about the tunnel's history, visit www.dwtunnel.com/AboutUs.aspx.

Meanwhile, a mural has been commissioned to mark the 85th anniversary of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. The mural, by artist Jesse Kassel through Detroit's Inner State Gallery, will be at the Detroit toll plaza. Work on the mural project is expected to be completed by mid-November.