Photo courtesy of CSX.

It looks like Southeast residents opposed to a proposed expansion of the Virginia Avenue Tunnel are just about out of luck.

CSX announced today that they have begun the major construction phase of the project, which entails drilling holes for pilings near 2nd and H Streets SE. In the next few weeks, they’ll do the same on the other end of the project near 11th and M Streets SE to support a temporary retaining wall that is needed before they can build the tunnel’s new permanent structures.The company plans to expand and widen the 3,800-foot tunnel—which runs from Second Street and Virginia Avenue SE to 11th and M streets SE—to accommodate double-stacked trains.

The work comes on the heels of multiple failed efforts to stop the project by concerned community members. Despite a pending lawsuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals denied the Committee of 100 on the Federal City’s request for an injunction on Wednesday, the Washington Business Journal reported.

“Now that we’re underway, we plan to complete the project as expeditiously as we can safely do so, consistent with our commitments to minimizing the impact on the community through our extensive mitigation plans,” Chuck Gullakson, chief engineer on the project, said in a release.

Construction is expected to last for more than three years.