Washburn Tunnel - March 12th, 2014

Take the girls for a drive through an underwater tunnel

Head north on Shaver toward the Washburn Tunnel

The tunnel connects Pasadena with Galena Park

The tunnel was completed in 1950

Named after Harris County Auditor Harry L. Washburn

First & largest toll-free vehicular tunnel in the South

The tunnel is 2909ft long & max depth to roadway is 68ft

Now the only underwater vehicle tunnel operating in Texas

As the Baytown Tunnel was replaced by a bridge in 1995

Fred Hartman Bridge replaced the Baytown Tunnel

Tunnel allowed only a 40ft depth, now deepened to 45ft

Matching the Washburn Tunnel, also 45ft below the water

Pop out in Galena Park Woo Hoo!

Approach the traffic circle, one on both sides

Take the traffic roundabout and circle back to do it again

Now heading south back into the Washburn Tunnel

Erin doesn't believe we are going underwater

Alex: Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not

I can't remember the last time I've gone through

Likely not since the later 1980's

Forget to try out the radio reception underwater

MP3 player sounds crisp under ground & underwater

Back in the day, radio fade out let you know where . . .

. . . you were when riding as an unobservant passenger

Steel bridges in the Hill Country faded radio signals also

Girls enjoying the ride as we approach the exit

The light changes from red to white

And hello daylight, once again

The girls want to ride through one more time

But we have monuments and battleships to visit