One of the first things visitors to downtown Houston ask, especially in the summer when the weather is effing awful, is "Where is everyone?" It's a good question, as the streets can look post-apocalyptically empty.
A quick trip into the lobby of many a large office building will provide the answer. Take the escalators down from the ground floor and there you'll find a whole other world of air-conditioned tunnels, food courts, stores and mini-malls. Something like 6 miles worth. And you'll find people. Walking. Everyone's underground, away from the heat and humidity, the torrential rains or the crazy drivers.
I'm not saying I like it, but it is what it is. Here are some photos I found on Flickr:
Houston Tunnels by
bill barfield, on Flickr
Riding Escalators by
Mabry Campbell, on Flickr
HOUSTON DOWNTOWN TUNNELS #2 by
RUSSIANTEXAN, on Flickr
HOUSTON DOWNTOWN TUNNELS #11 by
RUSSIANTEXAN, on Flickr
HOUSTON DOWNTOWN TUNNELS #7 by
RUSSIANTEXAN, on Flickr
TUNNEL TEST (NIKON D5100) by
RUSSIANTEXAN, on Flickr
Shine by
Tuan(minus6), on Flickr
TUNNEL ABSTRACT by
RUSSIANTEXAN, on Flickr
houston tunnels - curve in the road by
Ed Schipul, on Flickr
HOUSTON DOWNTOWN TUNNELS #4 by
RUSSIANTEXAN, on Flickr
HOUSTON DOWNTOWN TUNNELS #5 by
RUSSIANTEXAN, on Flickr
Tunnel Walkers by
Tuan(minus6), on Flickr
Path to the unknown by
Daniel, on Flickr
underground tunnel system. by
Rod x Rodriguez, on Flickr
Downtown Houston, 2015 by
408 Project, on Flickr
Downtown Houston, 2015 by
408 Project, on Flickr
Downtown Houston, 2015 by
408 Project, on Flickr
1.30.08 - a pic a day by
chevy, on Flickr