https://www.constructiondive.com/news/virginia-hampton-roads-bridge-tunnel-hrbt-construction-year-behind/689545/ Aug. 1, 2023 Dive Brief: The $3.9 billion Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, Virginia's largest-ever transportation infrastructure project, is about half done but more than a year behind, Virginia DOT spokesperson Brooke Grow told Construction Dive in an email. The 3.5-mile-long HRBT is made up of bridges, trestles, artificial islands and tunnels under the main shipping channels in Hampton Roads harbor. The complex expansion effort aims to address congestion and delays on the busy I-64 corridor. It entails building twin two-lane tunnels under the harbor -- the fourth-ever bored tunnel for vehicular traffic in the U.S. -- and widening 10 miles of I-64 from four to eight lanes between Hampton and Norfolk in southeast Virginia. The contractor, Hampton Roads Connector Partners, is a joint venture composed of Madrid-headquartered Dragados; Paris-area Vinci Construction; Broomfield, Colorado-based Flatiron Constructors and French engineering firm Dodin Campenon Bernard. Work started in 2020 and the contract completion date is November 2025, though it will likely be finished later.Dive Insight: The contractors will bore two new tunnels, both with two lanes, west of the existing eastbound tunnel. When finished, there will be four free general-purpose lanes and four high-occupancy toll lanes: two that are always available and two shoulder lanes for use during peak traffic times. Map shows the section of I-64 where the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel will be expanded, mostly from 4 to 8 lanes. Map shows the area where I-64 around the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel will be expanded. Courtesy of Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion Project It is the first time that the state is using the bored-tunnel construction method, which Virginia DOT expects to be less disruptive to military and commercial maritime traffic in the busy channel. The magnitude and complexity of the effort have translated to delays, according to Grow. "VDOT is navigating new, uncharted territory and adjusting course with the project team accordingly. We continue to monitor progress and address any challenges that may arise," said Grow. "The department continues to work closely with the contractor to mitigate any production delays and to support HRCP as needed to ensure they achieve project milestones and deliver a top-quality product that our region's travelers deserve." Tunnels affected by extreme weather Intense storms associated with climate change are increasingly impacting infrastructure, and tunnels can be particularly vulnerable to flooding, according to the EPA. Examples of this have made headlines recently. In July, at least 13 people died in a Korean traffic tunnel after a riverbank burst amid a severe rainstorm, rapidly flooding the structure and trapping cars. Closer to home, floodwater overwhelmed the Downtown Tunnel in Norfolk, Virginia, at the end of June after its pumping system failed. The tunnel only had to close for an hour and no one was harmed. In July 2009, flooding shut down the HRBT for nearly seven hours after torrential rains from a thunderstorm caused a water main to burst and flow into the westbound tube, overwhelming pumps. A followup report found the structure saw fewer inspections and less maintenance than counterparts in other states, according to The Virginian-Pilot, and Virginia DOT adopted new detection equipment and procedures to prevent another such incident. The original HRBT, first opened in 1957, was designed in consideration of its direct proximity to the bay as well as the potential ramifications of high-water events, and has numerous safety features, according to Grow. Virginia DOT also maintains standby emergency contracts to help it remove water from the open approach structures as well as the tunnels. Currently, there are four tide gates that are tested at least twice a year to ensure they are functioning properly should they need to be closed in the event of an emergency. The HRBT is also equipped with several large capacity drain pumps in each tube that are designed to vacate water from the lower air ducts during extreme weather. Project progress Permitting is finished, design efforts are nearly finalized and work is ongoing in all areas along the project corridor, according to Grow. Mining operations began in late April and so far workers have dug more than 790 feet. HRCP crews have also installed 111 tunnel rings. HRCP crews are now working on three marine trestles that connect Norfolk and Hampton to the two artificial islands, Grow said. Work is continuing on widening I-64, east and westbound, along the corridor and on nearly 25 other bridge structures. The Hampton Roads Transportation Fund is paying for 95% of the project with regional gas and sales taxes, and Virginia's Smart Scale program adds another $200 million. Virginia DOT is also spending $108 million to replace trestle bridges on the Norfolk side of the project. ___________________________________________________ https://www.enr.com/articles/54276-unbound-aspirations-fuel-midsize-firm - With approximately 120 employees in three MidAtlantic offices, Alpha Corp. typically falls into the category of a midsize regional design firm. But since its founding in 1979, the Dulles, Va.-based company has consistently proven its ability to compete for and win projects typically associated with larger counterparts. Currently, Alpha is providing civil/site engineering design for expanding mid-river terminal islands as part of the Virginia Dept. of Transportation's $3.8-billion Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/hampton-roads-bridge-tunnel-expansion-update-may-2022-new-segments-will-form-tunnels Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Expansion: Crews working to mold 2,400 rings for new tunnels To construct two new tunnels at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) expansion site, crews are building concrete segments to form rings that will be put together to create the tunnels. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Technopref Industries, the subcontractor for this aspect of the project, gave members of the media a tour of their Cape Charles precast plant Wednesday to demonstrate how the tunnels are being built. "This is a huge effort," said Jim Utterback, the HRBT Expansion Project Director for VDOT, said. Nine of the 15-ft. long segments are connected to form one ring. To build two tunnels, more than 21,000 segments need to be created to form nearly 2,400 rings. The precise process involves molding concrete. Crews take steps to make sure the concrete is good quality. Steel fiber is added to the mix and each segment has a rebar cage to reinforce them. Each day between two shifts, the crews make 54 segments, or six rings. So far, about 10% of the work is done, with the goal of beginning to form the tunnels at site in spring 2023. The segments will be transported to the site by barge when ready. "One of the things we wanted to show is that progress is being made on the project," Utterback said. In other bridge-tunnels in Hampton Roads, large pieces of tunnels were built and then connected together. In this method, a boring machine will go ring-by-ring to create the tunnels. "This is being done primarily to minimize the impact on the federal channel, so it will have very little to no impact on the shipping channel and the channel the Navy uses to get warships in and out of Hampton Roads," Utterback said. Work on the $3.8 billion project has been underway since 2020 and is expected to be completed in 2025. ____________________________________________________________ https://www.13newsnow.com/article/traffic/vdot-hrbt-expansion-project-progress/291-2b9f7acd-cc56-4ffd-b1c2-c8805bf121e6 - NORFOLK, Va. -- Unlike the typical commute, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) said construction at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) is moving along well. It's no secret that heavy traffic and stoppages are synonymous with the HRBT, especially during rush hour. The largest infrastructure project in the state's history is supposed to help alleviate that issue. Crews are widening the crossing from four to eight lanes. Some spots will have drivable shoulder lanes, used during peak travel times. "I am so stoked that this is happening. Just a couple more years? I got this," Denise Vaughn said. "It will be so good. I can get to my doctors in Newport News, now. I could take a 4 o'clock appointment if I want!" VDOT said "a vital component is taking shape": the tunnel's concrete walls. Crews worked for months to create just the right concrete mixture. Crews also finished demolishing the southern portion of the Mallory Street Bridge in Hampton and are preparing to build a new one. There are piles already in place to connect Hampton and Norfolk to the islands in the middle. The completion date is still around three years away, so there is plenty of work to be done. Drivers are keeping an eye on the work, waiting for that relief it's supposed to bring. "During the day, in the morning, traffic is almost at a dead-still," John Furman said. "Most times it's just backed up all the time. It's ridiculous." VDOT said officials also are focused on filling potholes that are popping up along the highway to make sure you have a smooth ride while crews are working. Drivers are asked to report potholes to VDOT online. The tunnel is on track for completion in 2025. VDOT wants to remind drivers to drive carefully through work zones and watch out for construction crews. ____________________________________________________________________________________ https://www.dailypress.com/news/crime/vp-nw-hrbt-stabbing-20220128-oock7mxq6zbexh23rrzmdilsfm-story.html - An argument between coworkers on the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel expansion project Thursday led to a nonfatal stabbing on the bridge-tunnel's south island, according to Virginia State Police. The coworkers, both men, are employees for Hampton Roads Connector Partners -- a design-build team working on the expansion project, according to the project's website. The coworkers got into a verbal fight that turned physical, with one man stabbing the other three times on the south island of the HRBT, located in Hampton, police said. The victim's injuries are not life-threatening, police said. State police responded to the stabbing around 1:30 a.m. Police said the victim identified Jason Burl, 43, of Chesapeake, as the man who stabbed him. Burl drove away from the scene after the stabbing, police said. Troopers arrested him on charges of malicious wounding at a Chesapeake address at 3:32 p.m. Thursday. He's being held at Chesapeake City Jail. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ https://wydaily.com/alerts/2021/12/25/on-the-road-this-weeks-road-closures-dec-25-2021/ Welcome to On the Road! This column will have your weekly lane closures and roadwork reports for this coming week. The list below covers full closures of interstates, ramps, bridges and primary roads, and single-lane closures at the bridge-tunnels and the Coleman, High Rise and James River bridges. Scheduled closures are subject to change based on weather conditions and other factors. Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion Project: For lane closures and project updates related to the HRBT Expansion Project, visit HRBTExpansion.org. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/hrbt-expansion-project-timeline-completion/291-dbe1cb8e-791c-4bfe-b14e-b0533a877ee4 "It keeps rolling, but during rush hour, it's horrible," said Nyle Paul, a senior at Hampton University. Like most drivers in the 757, Paul understands how packed the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel and surrounding roads can be. That's why the Virginia Department of Transportation is working to expand the HRBT and widen lanes on Interstate-64. "A number of structures [are] being addressed so far," said VDOT Project Lead Jim Utterback. "Substantial completion" is on track for September 1, 2025, Utterback said in a presentation to the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization on Wednesday. "Substantial is all lanes open to traffic in both directions," he said. The tunnel will eventually go from two to four lanes in each direction. Carving it out is expected to take place from next year until 2024. Construction of the tunnel pieces will begin in a couple of weeks. That hit a bit of a snag because of a nationwide supply shortage of steel. "But they were able to work around the design on this particular issue and they're looking at design changes for some of the others," said Utterback. He attributed that to the tunneling work that needs to be completed underground. "We will not be out of the ground and have control of our risks until 2024," he said. "That's just a fact of the matter. When you're doing underground construction, you will be at risk until you can get through the underground construction." A machine that'll be used to carve out the tunnels will arrive to Hampton Roads from Germany next month. In addition, the project includes the construction of marine trestles from the North and South Islands. Moreover, a stretch of I-64 on the Norfolk and Hampton sides will span six, instead of four lanes. In the meantime, road and bridge work along I-64 will make the most noticeable traffic impact. "I think once it's said and done, it'll allow more travel to happen. I think it's necessary, especially in this community," said Paul. The project carries a price tag of $3.9 billion. VDOT has already spent $1.1 billion, according to the latest data from September ____________________________________________________________________ https://www.spartnerships.com/pipeline/current/pipeline.html Sep 29, 2021 Virginia - The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) provided up to $1.66 billion in financial assistance for the New Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (HRBT) project, the largest highway construction project in Virginia's history. This transformative undertaking, scheduled for completion in November 2025, will widen the current four-lane segments along nearly 10 miles of the I-64 corridor in Norfolk and Hampton, with new twin tunnels across the harbor. The expanded facility will include two new high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes and two new drivable shoulders to be used as HOT lanes during certain times of the day. It is anticipated that the HOT lanes will be incorporated into the Hampton Roads Express Lane Network. The project will include the construction of two new two-lane tunnels, expansion of the existing portal islands, and full replacement of the existing trestle bridges at the HRBT. The expansion will increase capacity, ease major congestion, and enhance travel time reliability. Including the construction contract and owner's costs, the project's total budget is over $3.8 billion, making it one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country. USDOT provides Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act and other surface transportation infrastructure financing through its Build America Bureau to reduce the costs of infrastructure projects. _________________________________________________________ https://www.mdjonline.com/tribune/regional/interstate-expansion-highway-upgrades-and-bike-trails-here-s-the-future-of-transportation-in-hampton/article_b9375278-3e5f-5e85-8097-2d5fdf4c5996.html Local transportation officials have decided what they want the future of transit in our region to look like -- for the next quarter-century, anyway. This summer, the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization approved a long-range plan that lays out what changes are needed to maintain the way we move around through 2045. It's the culmination of a five-year process. Included are some of the flashy projects you've likely heard of, such as expanding the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. But citizens and experts proposed hundreds of other new projects that the organization then had to evaluate and pare down, from interstate work to highway upgrades and bike trails. The team had a nearly $31 billion budget, of which $17 billion had to be used to maintain existing infrastructure. The federal government requires metro areas of a certain size develop such long-term plans, adjusting them every five years to capture changing conditions like population and economic growth, said Dale Stith, HRPTO's principal transportation planner. This was the first iteration to include what's known as scenario planning -- accounting for a range of possible futures such as suburban sprawl or more urban-focused growth. "Something we did differently was to acknowledge up front that when you're trying to predict 20 years out, really the only thing you're probably really certain of is that you're wrong," Stith said. "You're embracing that uncertainty and trying to factor it in." Here are some major takeaways. _____________________________________________________ https://www.wtkr.com/news/project-widens-lanes-awaiting-machine-to-build-tunnel-the-latest-on-hrbt-expansion-project Project widens lanes, awaiting machine to build tunnel: The latest on the HRBT Expansion Project Work on the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion Project has been going on since breaking ground in late October, and things are really moving along, according to Annalysce Baker, communications director for the expansion project with the Virginia Department of Transportation. “We are really picking up on construction,” Baker said. “We're having a lot work taking place on the North Island and the South Island, and also throughout the roadway in Hampton and Norfolk." Some of the work you can see, and some you cannot. "We've started widening I-64, and of course we're waiting for the arrival of the TBM, the tunnel-boring machine,” Baker explained. The TBM will dig out a new tunnel, a major piece of the project. Baker said the TBM should arrive later this year. At nearly $4 billion, the expansion is already in its seventh month after the groundbreaking in late October, but it has been in talks for roughly two years. The whole reason for the expansion is to alleviate congestion and improve traffic flow. The HRBT opened in 1957 with one tunnel. A second tunnel was added in 1976. In the short term, you can expect more traffic headaches, however. "They need to be very mindful that there are going to be delays, and they need to plan their commutes,” Baker said. "One way they can do that is by calling 511." She added that information such as closures is also posted on the HRBT Expansion Project’s website. The project is expected to be done by November 2025. "Please be patient with us. We are working to build a better drive,” Baker said. “We understand that the traffic is very heavy in this area, but we are working on that every day." Drivers should also follow posted speed limits. Speeding in a work zone can you land you a fine of up to $500. Also, look out for work crews and vehicles going in and out of work zones. Signs and road markings should be obeyed, and drivers should leave room between themselves and other vehicles because unexpected stops can happen. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ https://www.dailypress.com/news/transportation/dp-nw-hampton-mallory-street-bridge-hrbt-20210521-y3mnw7ugx5a3rdeeccrjfdryja-story.html HAMPTON -- Now that construction has begun in earnest on the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel expansion, the anticipated disruptions to Hampton streets have arrived. Crews are working steadily on the 10-mile stretch from Settlers Landing Road in Hampton through Interstate 564 in Norfolk for the $3.8 billion expansion. The project widens the four-lane highway, bores additional twin tunnels and has an expected completion date by 2025. according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. Part of that work entails building a new Mallory Street Bridge, the overpass for Interstate 64 at the Mallory Street exit. Work will be done in phases over two years and calls for lane closures that will begin Sunday. Beginning at 9 a.m., crews will shift traffic to one lane, reducing access on the south side of Mallory Street and the eastbound ramp to I-64, VDOT spokeswoman Annalysce Baker said. Construction will include roadway striping and bridge demolition to widen the road. The work will continue until 3 p.m. on Sunday and then pick up again from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. After Monday, some lane closures could start as early as 8 p.m. Motorists should expect some day and nighttime work, but most of the construction is scheduled for overnight hours, Baker said. Once the bridge's south side is completed, VDOT will close the north-side. During each phase, pedestrians will have access to a sidewalk. Motorists should plan for possible delays, reduced speeds and possible detours in some areas, all of which could change depending on the weather or other factors, VDOT officials said. When completed sometime in 2022, the bridge will have a phased center turn lane, two general-purpose lanes, bike lanes and wider sidewalks on both sides of the bridge. The Mallory Street overpass links Phoebus and the Hampton VA Medical Center. The road is habitually jammed with traffic daily during the peak hours from 5 a.m. through 9 a.m. and between 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Hampton has long sought remedies for the traffic that can back up to far west as Lasalle Avenue. The bottleneck at times convinces frustrated drivers exit the interstate looking for bypasses through Phoebus and downtown Hampton. Afternoon traffic furthers jams up as people began to leave work from the Hampton VA, Hampton University and other businesses, city officials said. "We'll wind up with more traffic in downtown Hampton, but it may make some folks stay on the interstate," Mayor Donnie Tuck said. "What they are proposing will make it ... worst for a while. You have people who are short cutting through Phoebus. It will be a deterrent for the folks with the different (travel) apps." In the past two years, officials have installed bollards on Settlers Landing Road to control the traffic flow from downtown Hampton to the interstate exit near Hampton University. The City Council also mulled having a metered ramp at the Mallory Street exit to regulate traffic, but it was too costly. In additional to ramping up traffic enforcement, in Phoebus, officials added fines up to $250 for "blocking the box" intersections and placed no left turn signs on streets. "We weren't able to enforce that," Tuck said. "We look forward to the fall of 2025. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ https://www.wavy.com/traffic/hampton-roads-students-to-name-tunnel-boring-machine-used-in-hrbt-expansion-project/ HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) -- Hampton Roads students will find out on Wednesday if the name they chose for the HRBT Expansion Project's Tunnel Boring Machine will win a local contest. Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Hampton Roads Connector Partners (HRCP) were the judges of the contest, which was announced in October of 2020. They say three finalists will be named. The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) will be used to construct new twin two-lane tunnels west of the existing eastbound Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. Traditionally, a TBM is named before the project starts for good luck. VDOT says TBMs are historically named after women because tunnellers looked to Saint Barbara, the patron saint for military engineers and miners, for protection. Students were asked to give the TBM a name that reflected the project or has a connection to Hampton Roads. ___________ PID : 3396206 Local transportation leaders vote for HRBT expansion project CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) -- Local transportation leaders voted in favor of the planned expansion of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel at a meeting on Thursday. photo Courtesy: VDOT There were several items on the agenda for the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission and the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization, including the $3.6 billion dollar expansion project, which would widen the bridge-tunnel to four lanes in each direction. It's the biggest transportation project in the commonwealth and among the biggest in the country. Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander was the lone vote against the project because he says it does not include $375 million dollars to replace the trestles from the south island at the HRBT to Willoughby Spit. Alexander says that taxpayers in Hampton Roads will get stuck with that $375 million dollar bill, instead of it being paid for by the Commonwealth of Virginia. City Activist Terry Danaher is concerned about the trestles too, "accountability for why the trestles the south trestles were not maintained in the first place, and what are the safety issues, and can the project move ahead unless money is found elsewhere...these are the concerns." State Senator Frank Wagner is already thinking about January's start of the General Assembly as an answer to finding $375 million dollars, "The state should always fulfill their obligation and now the state is hedging on that a little bit, and we are going to hold their feet to the fire and say no. It is your responsibility." 10 On Your Side asked Wagner, who is also the state's Secretary of Transportation, where the money will come from. "Once we looked at the entire procurement and realized the southern trestles weren't there we've been working very hard to figure out how to include this so we can do it all at one time." Wagner said. "We are going to find the money and insist VDOT find the money when we go into session." There will be toll lanes as part of the new project. Delegate Chris Jones, Chairman of the House Appropriation Committee, says "You are going to have tolling at those two crossings, but to keep them as low as possible, and only at rush hour and during the day you wouldn't have to pay." Jones also makes it clear there will be no tolling of existing lanes at the HRBT or the High rise Bridge, "My legislation I carried a couple of years ago requires existing lanes be toll free."