Washburn Tunnel
historic place
Welcome to the Washburn Tunnel, a significant historic place in Harris County, Texas. Completed in 1950, this two-lane underwater motor-vehicle tunnel connects the communities of Galena Park and Pasadena. It travels north-south beneath the Houston Ship Channel. The tunnel was named after Harry L. Washburn, who served as the Harris County Auditor for 41 years. Upon its opening, it was recognized as the first and largest toll-free vehicular tunnel in the Southern United States. Construction of the Washburn Tunnel was a notable engineering achievement. The project, built by the Merritt Chapman and Scott Corporation, cost approximately $7 million. It involved digging a deep trench and carefully locking tunnel sections into position 85 feet underwater. The tunnel is 3,791 feet long and features a 22-foot-wide roadway. In 2008, the Washburn Tunnel was added to the National Register of Historic Places, acknowledging its historical and engineering importance. Today, it remains the only underwater vehicle tunnel in operation in Texas, continuing to facilitate travel and commerce across the Houston Ship Channel.