Braddock Tunnel Inspection Report Flags "Multiple Deficiencies," Repairs Still Being Reviewed

A routine structural inspection of the Braddock Tunnel completed last month identified several maintenance deficiencies within the aging passage, according to documents obtained by Weazel News through a records request to the Blaine County Department of Transportation.

The report, dated six weeks ago, cites spalling concrete along sections of the tunnel's northern support wall, degraded expansion joints near the midpoint access corridor, and water intrusion consistent with prior findings dating back several years. The tunnel's mechanical ventilation system — installed when the passage was originally bored decades ago — was noted as "non-operational" and "not scheduled for replacement in the current fiscal cycle."

"The tunnel remains safe for normal vehicle traffic," a county spokesperson said in a brief statement to Weazel News. "Structural monitoring is ongoing, and any necessary repairs will be prioritized according to available funding."

When asked directly whether the lack of a functioning ventilation system posed a risk in the event of a fire or other incident inside the tunnel, the spokesperson said the department "follows all applicable emergency protocols" but did not answer the question further. Braddock Tunnel carries a significant volume of daily traffic between Sandy Shores and the surrounding county roads, including a steady stream of freight and heavy trucking traffic that county officials have previously acknowledged the tunnel was not originally engineered to accommodate at current volumes.

County records show the tunnel's last full structural rehabilitation was completed over a decade ago. A follow-up inspection has not yet been scheduled. The Department of Transportation says it will provide updates "as appropriate."