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. When built all three tunnels were 18 feet under the riverbed, but in 1900 the direction of the Chicago River was reversed by deepening it. The lower bottom level exposed all three tunnels and ships ran aground on the Washington St. tunnel. In 1904, the Federal government declared that all three tunnels were hazards to navigation and had to be removed. In 1906 all cables, which had become obsolete, were replaced by electric service that could cross the bridges and all three tunnels were closed. After cable service ended After the end of cable service all three tunnels were lowered, converted to electricity, and reopened. The LaSalle and Washington St. tunnels were owned by the city, but the privately owned Van Buren St. tunnel would have to be lowered or removed at the owner's cost. The WCSR filed a suit that went to the US Supreme Court, but they lost and had to pay for lowering the tunnel. The Van Buren St. tunnel was reopened in 1910, the Washington in 1911, and the LaSalle in 1912. The Van Buren St. tunnel was closed again in 1915-1916 during construction of the new Chicago Union Station. With the change to electricity cars could cross bridges and the tunnels were less important. The Van Buren St. tunnel ended regular service on September 14, 1924, after that it was sometimes used as a bypass when bridges were open. The LaSalle St. tunnel was closed in 1939 for construction of the State St. subway. The Washington St. remained in regular service until 1952. Construction Washington St. Originally built for pedestrians and horse-drawn traffic, this was the first tunnel under the river. Construction began in 1867 and it opened January 1, 1869, but it wasn't successful. The approach grades were steep for horses, it leaked, and it was dark and uncomfortable for pedestrians, by 1884 it had been closed as unsafe. In 1888 the West Chicago Street Railroad Co. began to rehabilitate it.