Maplab
Mapping the Many Tunnels Under Washington, D.C.
An interactive history of underground D.C. reveals the quirks of a city that was built by and for the federal government.
Washington, D.C., has all kinds of tunnels, from the many miles carved out by Metro to the underground labyrinth that connects the government buildings on Capitol Hill.
Now those tunnels and more are on display in the “D.C. Underground Atlas,” a new, highly detailed interactive history of how underground D.C. came be—whether for government, transit, sewage, or steam. Taken together, the project impressively maps out the city’s tunnel construction, providing a cultural history of the federal government and the city where it sits.