It’s been a while — since Ike, to be precise — but the only underwater traffic tunnel in Texas is finally re-opening.
The Washburn Tunnel, which goes under the Ship Channel, has been closed ever since the storm surge from Ike did what was thought to be all but impossible — it flooded the tunnel.
More than $100,000 in damages occurred, but as of 5 a.m. Saturday, the tunnel’s open for business.
“It’s totally back to normal, totally safe,” Marco Bracamontes tells Hair Balls. “There are some minor details, like paint that needs some re-touching but that will be done at low-traffic times.”
Bracamontes, a spokesman for County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia, notes that tolls on the Sam Houston Bridge, which have been suspended, will go back in effect Wednesday.
“It took a full week of pumping 24-hours per day to remove in excess of ten million gallons of water from the mile-long tunnel,” Garcia’s office noted.
— Richard Connelly
This article appears in Oct 23-29, 2008.