Work starting on second Chesapeake Tunnel project

Work is now starting on a major tunnel project in the US state of Virginia. Construction of a second tunnel connection for the Chesapeake Bay is expected to cost US$756million. The original Chesapeake Bay Tunnel and Bridge crossing opened to traffic in April 1964 and measures just over 37km long. Construction of a second parallel bridge was commenced in 1995 and opened to traffic in 1999. However the central tunnel link was not widened at that time and now carries more traffic than it was designed for, whil
September 20, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Work is now starting on a major tunnel project in the US state of Virginia. Construction of a second tunnel connection for the Chesapeake Bay is expected to cost US$756million. The original Chesapeake Bay Tunnel and Bridge crossing opened to traffic in April 1964 and measures just over 37km long. Construction of a second parallel bridge was commenced in 1995 and opened to traffic in 1999. However the central tunnel link was not widened at that time and now carries more traffic than it was designed for, while also suffering some delays at peak periods. To increase capacity as well as to boost safety, a second bore is now being constructed and this will eliminate the need for two-way traffic as at present.


This new tunnel will be driven using a TBM with the work being carried out by the Chesapeake Tunnel Joint Venture, a partnership between the contractors 4761 Dragados and Schiavone Construction Company. This machine will use a 12.8m diameter cutter head drive a new bore under the Thimble Shoal Channel, removing some 392,000m3 of material. In all, 9,000 pre-cast segments will be used to support the new tunnel and it will have an internal diameter of 11.9m, while the project is expected to require a total of 32,900m3 of concrete. The tunnel will measure around 1.6km long and will reach a maximum depth of 41.5m, with the work due for completion in 2022.

Finance & Funding

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Australian bridge slides into position
    July 18, 2012
    A heavy rail crossing as part of Australia's EastLink motorway demanded great ingenuity and careful planning Most of the 88 bridges on the EastLink tolled motorway in, Melbourne, Australia were kept as simple and straightforward as possible. Contractor Thiess John Holland (TJH) developed its own precast yard 150km from the city, which provided many of the prefabricated materials required for the structures. This offered speed and economy while logistics and sequencing were vital for their erection. But the
    Read More
  • Urban gridlock for UK capital?
    March 8, 2017
    The UK’s capital London suffers from some of the worst traffic congestion in Europe, with only Moscow registering far worse conditions on a regular basis. Traffic speeds along key routes in the centre of the city have long had a reputation for being low but recent research shows that they have fallen yet again. According to Transport for London (TfL), average traffic speeds in the centre of the city are just 12.5km/h, roughly the same as they were in the 19th century when the majority of road traffic was ho
    Read More
  • Urban gridlock for UK capital?
    March 8, 2017
    The UK’s capital London suffers from some of the worst traffic congestion in Europe, with only Moscow registering far worse conditions on a regular basis. Traffic speeds along key routes in the centre of the city have long had a reputation for being low but recent research shows that they have fallen yet again. According to Transport for London (TfL), average traffic speeds in the centre of the city are just 12.5km/h, roughly the same as they were in the 19th century when the majority of road traffic was ho
    Read More
  • Texas highway upgrade commencing
    May 11, 2021
    A new Texas highway upgrade project is commencing.
    Read More

Highlighted Content