Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (I-64) Expansion

[Thing 342]

Second tunnel, new traffic shifts coming in HRBT Expansion's 2025 (WTKR): https://www.wtkr.com/transportation/second-tunnel-new-traffic-shifts-expected-in-hrbt-expansions-2025

The southern eastbound trestle should be the next major piece of the new HRBT to open. I drove through the area last weekend and most of the structure is complete, save for connectors to the current freeway.

[74/171FAN]

"I think we have undersold the positive impact the HRBT expansion is going to have on Hampton Roads," insists Banas. "We've seen what additional capacity has done at the Midtown Tunnel (in Norfolk). We've seen what it's done at the High Rise Bridge (in Chesapeake). I think we're going to blow both of those expectations out of the water at the HRBT."

I honestly feel like this quote comes from VDOT trying to sell the Third Crossing idea to connect to the I-664 MMMBT so long when widening the HRBT was always the best solution.

[Thing 342]

The dogleg crossing idea had appeal because it would have involved fewer traffic disruptions and wouldn't have required rebuilding the stretch of I-64 through Ocean View. I can see why they wanted to do that for so long.

As for impacts on the region, I'm not super excited about the upcoming eastbound bottleneck in Hampton when the "Express Lanes" are opened up. You're going to have 5 free lanes (plus one bonus lane containing traffic from Mercury eastbound) merging into a single HOT lane, two free lanes for I-64, and two free lanes for I-664 (that quickly merge down to 1 lane at then end of the ramp)

[Plutonic Panda]

They will need to get on to fixing that bottleneck once this project is completed.

[Thing 342]

The dogleg crossing idea had appeal because it would have involved fewer traffic disruptions and wouldn't have required rebuilding the stretch of I-64 through Ocean View. I can see why they wanted to do that for so long.

As for impacts on the region, I'm not super excited about the upcoming eastbound bottleneck in Hampton when the "Express Lanes" are opened up. You're going to have 5 free lanes (plus one bonus lane containing traffic from Mercury eastbound) merging into a single HOT lane, two free lanes for I-64, and two free lanes for I-664 (that quickly merge down to 1 lane at then end of the ramp)

A correction on this, apparently they are adding additional one "part-time" Express lane between Exits 265 and 268 as part of Segment 4C of the Express Lanes project: https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/projects/major-projects/64expresslanes/about-hrel/hampton-segment-4c/

Still very unexcited about the express lanes, they're effectively removing a general purpose lane on multiple stretches of I-64 which don't normally have congestion (the Newport News segment in particular) and sticking tolls on it.

[sprjus4]

The dogleg crossing idea had appeal because it would have involved fewer traffic disruptions and wouldn't have required rebuilding the stretch of I-64 through Ocean View. I can see why they wanted to do that for so long.

As for impacts on the region, I'm not super excited about the upcoming eastbound bottleneck in Hampton when the "Express Lanes" are opened up. You're going to have 5 free lanes (plus one bonus lane containing traffic from Mercury eastbound) merging into a single HOT lane, two free lanes for I-64, and two free lanes for I-664 (that quickly merge down to 1 lane at then end of the ramp)

A correction on this, apparently they are adding additional one "part-time" Express lane between Exits 265 and 268 as part of Segment 4C of the Express Lanes project: https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/projects/major-projects/64expresslanes/about-hrel/hampton-segment-4c/

Still very unexcited about the express lanes, they're effectively removing a general purpose lane on multiple stretches of I-64 which don't normally have congestion (the Newport News segment in particular) and sticking tolls on it.

The entire segment up to Jefferson Ave right now is 8 lanes for 20 hours of the day, and the left lane is converted to an HOV lane during rush hour. They are removing that 4th free lane for a 24/7 toll lane, that will not allow passing or entering / exiting for several miles.

They did the same thing on I-64 in Chesapeake / Virginia Beach and it has made traffic worse, especially around peak hours. The express lanes are underutilized during rush hour and are practically empty during off peak hours.

The High Rise Bridge portion has gotten better traffic wise (that's because it was a new lane outright) but the lanes are still underutilized and the general purpose lanes seem to always be very heavy (but moving). It's a shame considering the underutilization of the express lanes along with a very wide left shoulder. There's easily room for a standard 8 lane cross section with no tolls, and that would fix virtually all the traffic. But tolls tolls tolls.

Get ready for more though... and several years of construction coming with it. They will span I-64 from Bowers Hill to Newport News, and they want to build them on I-664 in the future.

[Thing 342]

Yep. The "your tax dollars at work" sign preceding the construction of these toll lanes is cute.

[sprjus4]

Yep. The "your tax dollars at work" sign preceding the construction of these toll lanes is cute.

They actually say your highway dollars... clever on their part 

...since technically some of it is funded by toll revenue but it's still mostly tax dollars.

[Great Lakes Roads]

Just south of the HRBT project, VDOT is adding part-time shoulder express lanes between I-264 and I-564. They will operate in the opposite direction of the reversible lanes. (EB in the AM, WB in the PM)

[sprjus4]

Just south of the HRBT project, VDOT is adding part-time shoulder express lanes between I-264 and I-564. They will operate in the opposite direction of the reversible lanes. (EB in the AM, WB in the PM)

I'm not personally a fan of this project... they are doing it "on the cheap" by shifting the right shoulder to the left shoulder. There will be a 2 foot right shoulder throughout the corridor, which carries high volumes of traffic throughout the day. I thought interstate highways were supposed to have a minimum 10 foot shoulder, but they are somehow exempt from that rule here. I have a feeling this design, along with the construction (the construction near the I-564 interchange has been an absolute mess) is just going to drastically increase accidents. There's really no need for this type of project, but it's an opportunity for them to cram express lanes and collect more toll revenue.

The reversible express lanes, outside of rush hour, now that they toll them 24/7, are largely empty. I imagine that will be the case once this project is complete. Also, no separation between the part-time shoulder express lanes and the mainline, could cause some nasty situations when the mainline traffic is stopped, and someone decides to cut illegally in the lane in front of a car going 55 mph.

[Beltway]

Engineering News-Record has a nice article about the project.

Milestone Tunnels are Centerpiece of Landmark Virginia Bridge-tunnel Expansion
https://www.enr.com/articles/60756-milestone-tunnels-are-centerpiece-of-landmark-virginia-bridge-tunnel-expansion