Conspiracy-free tunnels at Denver International Airport completed

A 624-m (2,050-ft) by 3.3-m (11-ft) diameter tunnel — the largest and longest of the West Gates Pond Expansion project at Denver International Airport – was recently completed. The project runs beneath Runway 16L-34R and surrounding taxiways and contains six tunnels of various sizes, totaling 1,578 m (5,179 ft).

Denver International Airport said the project is “a major upgrade to our aircraft deicing fluid collection system, allowing us to handle winter weather smoothly and sustainably. This includes adding new storage ponds and deicing pads and improving management of storm water and deicing fluid.”

The airport also took time to acknowledge the many conspiracies around the airport’s underground tunnel system that have been popular since the airport was built in the 1990s. Airport spokesman Heath Montgomery told Denver television station KDVR that “They (conspiracy theorists) think that we have an underground bunker and underground tunnels that go to NORAD and military installations. But if you look around it’s really just a lot of stuff to support the airport.”

Of the West Gates Pond Expansion, DIA joked on X that it’s not a secret portal to the underworld, but that the tunnels will upgrade the aircraft deicing fluid collection system, helping the airport with winter weather.

The airport said the construction would include new storage ponds and deicing pads that should improve the management of storm water and deicing fluid.

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