The tunnel was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 16, 2008. On March 1, 2020, operations of the Washburn Tunnel, along with the Lynchburg Ferry, were transferred from Harris County Precinct 2 to the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA).

Is the Washburn Tunnel underwater?

The Washburn Tunnel is a two-lane underwater roadway connecting Galena Park and Pasadena. Named after Harris County Auditor Harry L. Washburn, the tunnel opened in 1950. It is the south’s largest and first toll-free vehicular tunnel.

How deep does the Washburn Tunnel go?

Built in 1950 at a cost of $7 million, the Washburn Tunnel is just under 3800 feet long, taking drivers 68 feet below the ship channel.

Is the Washburn Tunnel still in use?

It was named after Harris County Auditor Harry L. Washburn and serves as the first and longest toll-free tunnel in the Southern U.S. It’s the only underwater vehicular tunnel currently operating in Texas, after the Baytown Tunnel was converted into a bridge in 1995.

Are trucks allowed in the Washburn Tunnel?

No. 18-wheelers, tanker trucks, or vehicles carrying a tank or closed drum are not permitted in the tunnel.

Is the Lynchburg Ferry running?

Running continuously since 1822, Lynchburg Ferry (formerly “Lynch’s Ferry”) is perhaps Texas’s oldest operating ferry service. Ferry Operating Hours: Monday – Friday 4:30 a.m. – 8 p.m, Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Is there a tunnel in Houston?

District. DOWNTOWN’S “underground” is a system of tunnels 20 feet below Houston’s downtown streets and more than 6 miles long. Having started out years ago as a tunnel between two downtown movie theaters, today it includes restaurants and service retail and connects 95 city blocks.

What happened to the Baytown Tunnel?

It was closed to vehicular traffic in 1995 with the opening of the Fred Hartman Bridge, and subsequently demolished beginning in 1997 in order for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deepen the channel in 1998.