Van Buren Street Tunnel

Washington St. tunnel

East entrance before 1884
Overview
Status	Closed and covered
Route	Madison, Milwaukee
Start	Franklin St
End	Clinton St.
Operation
Work begun	1867
Constructed	1 large and 1 small masonry archs
Opened	January 1, 1869 (public) August 12, 1890 (cable)
Closed	1953
Owner	City of Chicago
Operator	West Chicago Street RR. Chicago Union Transit Chicago Surface Lines Chicago Transit Authority
Traffic	130 cars per hour max in each direction
Technical
Length	1,605 ft (489 m)
No. of lanes	2 horse, 1 pedestrian
Highest elevation	594 ft (181 m)
Lowest elevation	534 ft (163 m) (after lowering)

LaSalle St. tunnel

South portal before 1888
Overview
Status	Closed and filled
Route	Clark, Clybourn Lincoln-Wells
Start	Hubbard St.
End	Dearborn St.
Operation
Work begun	1869
Constructed	2 large 1 small masonry archs
Opened	1871 (public) March 23, 1888 (cable)
Closed	November 27, 1939
Owner	City of Chicago
Operator	North Chicago Street Ry. Chicago Union Transit Chicago Surface Lines
Traffic	130 cars per hour max in each direction
Technical
Length	1,887 ft (575 m)
No. of lanes	2 horse 1 pedestrian
Highest elevation	594 ft (181.1 m)
Lowest elevation	534 ft (162.8 m) (after lowering)
Tunnel clearance	15 feet 9 inches (4.8 m)
Width	30 ft (9.1 m)

Between 1892 and 1906 Chicago had three cable car tunnels under the Chicago River. The city had a cable-based transit system that carried 80 million passengers a year, but all cable routes leaving downtown to the North or West had to cross the navigable river. Heavy shipping traffic required movable bridges, which cable lines couldn't cross. Two existing public tunnels were converted for cable use, and a third was built as a private venture. In 1906 all Chicago cable lines were converted to electricity and the tunnels were closed. All would reopen for streetcar service, but with the change to electricity streetcars could cross bridges and the tunnels were less important. One ended regular service in 1924, one was closed in 1939, and one remained in regular service until 1952. In 2010 all approaches had been covered but two tunnels still existed.

These tunnels should not be confused with a network of small freight tunnels under the downtown area.

In 1882 the Chicago City Railway opened the first of two cable car lines south from the downtown business district. Used as the backbone of a system of local horse and electric lines, the cable lines were immediately successful and greatly improved public transit in the South Side. But the Chicago River, with its two branches, separated the North and West Sides from the downtown and South Side. To enter downtown cable cars would have to cross the river.

The Chicago River was the city’s port, and shipping had priority over land transport. Heavy river traffic and flat terrain required movable bridges, causing long traffic delays, and which could not have cables on them. But the city had previously built two horse and pedestrian tunnels under the river, both were in poor condition and neither was being used. One under LaSalle St. connected the North Side and one under Washington St. the West Side. A third tunnel next to Van Buren St., also connecting the West Side, was built later.

An 1886 ordinance allowed the North Chicago Street Railroad to use the LaSalle St. tunnel in exchange for payment, moving a bridge, rehabilitating, and maintaining the tunnel. Cable service began in March 26, 1888 and ended October 21, 1906.

In 1888 The West Chicago Street Railway (WCSRy) made a similar arrangement with the city over the Washington St. tunnel. Cable service began August 12, 1890 and ended August 19, 1906.

The last tunnel was built privately by the WCSRy next to Van Buren St. Construction began in 1890 but went slow and the tunnel didn't enter service until July 27, 1893. It was closed for cable July 22, 1906.