The existing I-64 Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) is a 3.5-mile corridor with two-lane immersed tube tunnels connecting man-made islands, with trestle bridges to shore from Norfolk to Hampton, Virginia.
During tourist season, more than 100,000 vehicles utilize the crossing per day, making it one of the most congested corridors in the region. To increase capacity, provide congestion relief and improve emergency safety and support, the expansion, the largest in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s history, was initiated.
This transformative undertaking will widen the current lane segments along nearly ten miles of the I-64 corridor, including one mile on the Hampton side of the Chesapeake Bay, four miles south through Norfolk, and across the harbor with new 1.5-mile-long twin tunnels, making this project only the fourth bored roadway tunnel venture in the United States. The roadways will be expanded from four to six lanes with a part-time drivable shoulder lane in each direction and include a combination of free general-purpose lanes and variably priced toll lanes. More than two dozen bridge structures are also slated to be replaced or rebuilt, and the existing HRBT marine trestles that carry additional lanes above the water onto the landside portions of the project will be replaced in their entirety. Throughout the entire project timeline, KCI is providing quality control testing and inspection on all pre-construction and construction activities, in addition to assembling a mobile testing laboratory to perform materials testing on site and documenting compliance with state regulations.
Once completed, this massive expansion project will increase the existing tunnel network to carry traffic both eastbound and westbound, helping to reduce congestion and stoppages for commuters and tourists throughout the heavily traveled area.
