On 29/10/20 Governor Ralph Northam joined the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and state and local leaders to break ground on the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) Expansion Project. The USD3.8 billion project will increase tunnel and interstate capacity along 15,93 km (9.9 miles) of Interstate 64 between Hampton and Norfolk, reducing congestion and easing access to the Port of Virginia and the world’s largest Naval base. 

Virginia crews will use a highly-specialized TBM to dig through soil and construct tunnel segments simultaneously. The machinery is under construction and is expected to arrive in Hampton Roads in 2021 for assembly, which will take several months. It is expected to begin tunneling operations in early 2022.  

The HRBT Expansion Project is holding a contest to formally name the TBM. Middle schools in the Hampton Roads region can submit up to 2 entries per school for the TBM Naming Contest, entries must be received by 13/11/2020. Click here for more details.  

The HRBT Expansion Project will add twin, two-lane bored tunnels and widen the four-lane segments of Interstate 64 in Hampton between Settlers Landing Road and the Phoebus shoreline, and in Norfolk between the Willoughby shoreline and the I-564 interchange. More than 100,000 vehicles currently use this facility during peak travel periods. Click here for the video of the groundbreaking ceremony,  here and us/125 for the tunnelbuilder archive. Visit www.hrbtexpansion.org. 45/20.