Digging phase of Deep Tunnel project wraps up today

After 27 years of blasting and digging and $2.4 billion,construction crews today will cut through the last chunk of limestoneon the last leg of the massive Deep Tunnel stormwater controlproject.

The milestone "hole through," as it's known in the earth-boringbusiness, will complete the 109th and final mile of tunneling -- andtouch off a celebration among workers who have toiled underground foryears.

"Holing through in a tunnel is like winning the World Series, theIndy 500 and the Daytona 500 all in one day for a miner," said TroyBradshaw, special projects superintendent on the effort.

Today's work will happen deep under the south suburbs inside thenew 7.9-mile …