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The Washington Street Tunnel was the first traffic tunnel under the Chicago River. J.L. Lake was awarded the contract to construct the tunnel in 1867 and its construction was completed in 1869. This tunnel was 1605 feet long, from Franklin Street west to Clinton Street, and cost $517, 000. By 1884 it was leaking and had to be closed. In 1888 the West Chicago Street Railroad leased the tunnel. Construction began in 1888 and the tunnel was reopened August 12, 1890. The reversing of the Chicago River in 1900 lowered the water level and exposed the roof of the tunnel in the riverbed. Several ships ran aground on it, damaging the roof. In 1904 the Federal government declared it a hazard to navigation, it was closed in 1906. A wider, deeper concrete replacement was built under the original masonry. The approaches were deepened to a new lower tunnel level. The tunnel reopened for electric streetcar service on January 29, 1911 and was in use until the end of streetcar service 1953.
