Interesting. Never knew about this tunnel in south Toledo.

Wow me neither!

Had no idea.

From the Blade -
"Twenty-five years ago it was well lit and clean, and it was still scary," he said. "Now I don't think it's safe at all to walk through the tunnel."

I agree, it's got a "Law and Order" episode writen all over it.

From the Blade:
"The criminal element has taken over," Mr. Pratt said. "Trying to do upkeep and maintenance is just not feasible."

So the city of Toledo is just going to roll over and take their beating like a wimp. Looks like the gangs win this one, and if we ever get a gang territory map we'll at least know which gang owns the tunnel.

Diana Vasquez, who lives one house away from the tunnel's west portal and brought pictures of graffiti and garbage inside it, supported the plan.

"I want it closed," she said emphatically. "They're shooting, doing drugs, and my husband's truck got shot. … My 14-year-old son knows he's not allowed to go down there."

Oh, well, since Vasquez wants it closed the city will get right on it. Let's move this up to priority one where it belongs.

I wonder if the truck survived being shot.

This whole thing is bullshit. Where are the police during all this?

madjack are you just complaining to complain? It sounds like this tunnel won't be missed by anyone but the gangs.

"Where are the police during all this?" Should they post a guard at each end? That neighborhood has enough for the police to worry about without constantly monitoring a tunnel.

Well, I can answer the where are the police question. They are sitting on the entrance ramp to I-75 at Ottawa River Road.

A couple (edit: dozen) of suggestions of what to do about this based on prevailing logic:
1) We could install cameras. Cameras prevent crime.
2) We could steal exhibits from the state of ohio, install them and call it a science center. It would be "self-supporting" (in Toledo this means a levy.)
3) We could create jobs for Trolls. If selling a "street paper" is a real job, selling a "tunnel pass" is a freaking career.
4) Use it as a holding cell. Already a concrete cage with a gate.
5) Neighborhood tornado shelter.
6) Cut rate mausoleum.
7) Sell it to the Vasquez family as a bullet-resistant parking structure.
8) Promote it as a "lair" for a superhero. Get some Batman style crime fighter down there. Kill two birds with one stone.
9) Promote it as a film location. I'm not kidding. You can fake that level of creepy with paper mache mock ups.
10) Sheriff substation.
11) Headquarters for "Addicted to Change," a new non-profit currently accepting donations for anti-drug work.
12) Municipal water park. Just leave the nearest hydrant open after the kids open it.

^ Now there's some creative thinking (damn funny too)

And, you're right about where the cops are. Speaking of which, seems like they're about due to set up another speed tr.........uh, I mean safety corridor.

What a crock that is. I don't give a rat's rear end if their speed trap folly is paid for with "grants" - it's ALL our $$ damn it! And if there is grant $$ out there to be had, let the cops put it to better use - like perhaps preventing a real crime.

Too bad Ryan left (not really), he used to love to defend this revenue raising affair.

I went to Areis to see how close the tunnel is to Casa Vasquez. One house away. Interesting block. Casa Vasquez is situated between an alley (out the front window) an alley (out the back window) and I-75 to the east. I can see how they totally missed that tunnel when they decided to buy the house. Like living on the west side of a mountain range, the sun doesn't actually rise until lunch.

.....IM TOTALLY GOING TO HIT IT UP THIS WEEK!

I've known about it for years, we called it "Rape-Tunnel"

We called it that because it's a secret passageway to another world that's called Rapestry, it's where the mermaids and unicorns live and survive on rainbows and mushrooms. I highly suggest people go there and yell the magic words "I will cut all your bitches" only then will the mystical door open. If nothing happens yell louder and point at people.

If there is one connecting West and East Eastern, should we check to see if there is one connecting East and West Western?

is it big enough to play roller hockey in? lol

madjack are you just complaining to complain?

Nope. I'm complaining because the criminals won this one. Due to violent crime, graffiti and gangs the city is willing to close something up. I don't care if it's an unused phone booth, I don't like seeing the criminals win.

Decades ago, there was a 2-lane bridge across the Maumee that connected Eastern Avenue to Fassett Street on the east side. I was named the Fassett Street Bridge. The speed limit on it was 20 mph. During a windstorm, there was a lake freighter moored at Mid States grain elevator and the ship broke it's moorings and drifted to the bridge, causing considerable damage. Consequently, the bridge was deemed unsafe for vehicle traffic and was torn down.

I would compare that with an act of god vs the tunnel as a act of vandals.

Surprised the Blade hasn't attached some sort of historical significance to this tunnel and demanded it stay just as it is.

If the vandals were smart, they would just start painting some dogs and pictures of the circus and the Blade boys would Block those city workers from welding the thing shut lickety split.

ahhhhhhh phooey. Yes, criminals won this one, but the locals gave up too.
From the picture it is plain to see there hasn't been any maintenance done there in quite a while. It would take one afternoon of maybe one lawn mower and a weedeater to clean up the area. Then, maybe people could watch the place a little more.
Lastly, as the article says, people supported the closing, but wouldn't give their name due to fear of retaliation from troublemakers.
I have said this all along. Defending your neighborhood isn't fun, safe, or easy. It takes balls. It's about taking chances. Is it right? Is it fair? nope. But if you want to run and hide then the criminals win. At what point will you finally get pushed too far? When a family member is innocently killed while inside your home because you think staying indoors is safe while outside goes to hell?
I've used the old west end as an example because those people should be applauded. Maybe they didn't personally patrol the streets, but they organized and got a security plan in place that appears to be working for the most part. At least they did something.

Interesting tidbit. I didn't know about that bridge. But I think that I can picture where it may have been from boating around that big corner in the river.

Fassett Street Bridge http://drc.library.utoledo.edu/bitstream/handle/2374.UTOL/665/CCLOCHIST-B_fassettstreetbridge.jpg?sequence=1

I grew up near this tunnel, infact remember when I was about 4yrs of age, having to take cover under the bridge because of tornado warnings It smelled of urine and there were broken glass all over. Growing up and going to school, it was a scary thing to use. I was so happy when I moved on the other side of the bridge(Sumner St. Side) There was always a fear of drunken whinos or rapist living under the bridge and never to use it at night. I don't believe that the city ever visited twice a month to clean the tunnel out.

Thanks to "justread" for the historical photo of that bridge. Another vehicle bridge Toledo once had was the Ash-Consaul Bridge, the surface of which was wooden planking. The east end of the bridge was close to Tony Packo's Restaurant.

Speaking of tunnels- the Hawley Street Tunnel under the Airline RR Yards is still in use.

Thanks to "justread" for the historical photo of that bridge. Another vehicle bridge Toledo once had was the Ash-Consaul Bridge, the surface of which was wooden planking. The east end of the bridge was close to Tony Packo's Restaurant.

Speaking of tunnels- the Hawley Street Tunnel under the Airline RR Yards is still in use.

Are the pylons/supports for the old Fasset Street bridge still standing in the river?

From Google Maps, it doesn't look like anything is left of the old bridge. Leaving the pylons might have caused a hazard for ships, much like the old bridge that lay right before an almost 90 degree turn in the river.

That neighborhood east of I-75 is interesting... a tiny wedge with about 45-50 houses remaining, a few empty lots here and there, very isolated aside from Segur and South Avenues, and its connection to the interstate.

It has a rails-to-trails bridge at the north end that suggests an old railway line used to run through the neighborhood.

Those are cool shots. I think that the remnants that I see when I am boating on the river are a little more north of the curve. Maybe north of the railroad bridge.

I saw a cool website with a bunch of old Toledo bridges on it the other day. I went to look for it again and found this pic of the fassett street bridge wreckage. I apologize that I haven't figured out the inserting photos function. I'll look into it.

http://drc.library.bgsu.edu/bitstream/handle/2374.BGSU/7/000714.jpg?sequence=1

The old Fasset St bridge connected with Walbridge St in the south end, where Andersons grainery is at, is the site old Toledo City dump.

I was interested to hear about the Airline Ave tunnels.

My Grandparents lived on Airline but on the small side west of Boroughs School. Can you point them out on a map, I might check them out next time I'm in town.