VIRGINIA BEACH

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel

For over 50 years, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel has captured worldwide attention as a modern engineering wonder and an important East Coast travel convenience. Crossing over and under open waters where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, the Bridge-Tunnel provides a direct link between Southeastern Virginia and the Delmarva Peninsula (Delaware plus the Eastern Shore counties in Maryland and Virginia), and cuts 95 miles from the journey between Virginia Beach and points north of Wilmington, Delaware.

Following its opening on April 15, 1964, the Bridge-Tunnel was selected “One of the Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World” in a worldwide competition that included more than one hundred major projects. In addition, in 1965, it was distinguished as “The Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement” by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

And guess what else this wonder of the world has for it’s travelers’? Well it has a little something for everyone. For the anglers there is a free fishing pier where you can catch bluefish, trout, shark, you name it.They also have a weight station so you can verify your catch and a picture taking station to save the memory. Hungry from your travels? Then have a delicious meal at the Chesapeake Grill located right on the bridge serving breakfast,lunch,and dinner.

No modern engineering wonder of the world would be complete without scenic view areas to “take it all in” And of course there is a a gift store where you can purchase Virginia gear to remember your journey over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.

EXPANSION PROJECT (2017-2023)

In 2013, the CBBT Commission affirmed an undertaking to build the Parallel Thimble Shoal Tunnel, with cost assessed at $756 million. The task got three offers, all of which would utilize a passage boring machine. The winning organization was German-based Herrenknecht, whose machine was 325 ft (99 m) long. The machine, nicknamed Chessie in a naming challenge, was equipped for digging 2.4 in (61 mm) of soil every minute, or around 50 ft (15 m) every day. At that rate, it was evaluated that the passage would be burrowed in approximately one year. Development work started in 2017 to set up the area of the passages, with a dock, shop, and eatery shutdown in September 2017. The machine was built in 2018, after certain postponements, and was dispatched to Virginia. Development is planned to start in 2020, and finish in 2023.

Development is presently in progress to include a second passage adjacent to the current passage situated on the southern end (Thimble Shoals). In the wake of exhausting, the machine will likewise be including the roundabout solid fragments which will be conveyed into the passage by means of mine vehicles each in turn.

Passage Length: roughly one mile
Passage Diameter:
Inner Diameter (before roadway and bolster structure establishment): 39 feet –
Outer Diameter: 42 feet
Development Cost: $755,987,318
Development Method: Bored passage
Development Start (est): October 1, 2017
Development Completion (est): 2023
Greatest Tunnel Depth (Crown – at its most profound area (mid-channel)): 105 feet beneath the water surface
Greatest Tunnel Depth (Invert – from the highest point of the roadway at its most profound area): 134 feet underneath the surface
Soil Removal: The rough measure of soil to be evacuated by the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is 500,000 cubic yards.
Solid Sections: The new passage will comprise of roughly 9,000 individual solid pieces. Around 42,000 cubic yards of solid will be expected to make the passage sections.