August 2024 Edition

Summer is sailing by and its almost time to say goodbye to trips to the beach and backyard barbeques. While it doesn’t seem possible the dog days of summer are nearly in our rearview mirror, it’s back-to-school time for students of all ages.

We may be bummed to see the sun set on summer, but the HRBT Expansion will be shining bright well into the fall as we prepare Mary for her relaunch to bore our second tunnel. You can expect to continue to see numerous activities along the Norfolk section of the project corridor as roadway widening, grading, and drainage work continues in addition to bridge decks, barriers, and sound walls being constructed throughout. 

As many of our routines will be shifting back to morning drop offs and after school activities, please keep in mind traffic patterns and volumes through the region will also be shifting to reflect our school year schedules. Just as we ask you to be mindful of our employees whose offices are busy and heavily traveled highways, please pay special attention and be on the lookout for buses picking up and dropping off our smallest citizens!

Stay safe, 

Ryan Banas

Project Director

Working in a tight space on the HRBT North Island and near interstate travel lanes meant precision planning and extra caution for HRCP crews and crane operators preparing for another major lift.

Their persistence paid off on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, when the first of Mary The Tunnel Boring Machine’s four gantries was lifted from the North Island receiving pit and placed atop the island, as traffic whizzed by uninterrupted on the nearby eastbound lanes.

Two 800-ton cranes from WO GRUBB’s Richmond-area office made the big lift possible. WO Grubb leadership shared they’ve been planning for this day for nearly two years as they long awaited the opportunity to show off their technical expertise to meet the unique needs of the HRBT Expansion .

The gantry will be turned around and set back into the receiving pit to be reattached to the TBM’s cutterhead and shield in preparation for mining the second tunnel this fall.

Three more gantries are still in the newly bored tunnel and will be extracted in the next several weeks. They will be lifted, turned around and placed back into the receiving pit in similar fashion to be reattached to form the complete TBM.

The HRBT Expansion marked another milestone with the completion of phase one of the Mallory Street Bridge reconstruction in Hampton. With 50 percent of the new bridge complete, both lanes of traffic were shifted to the newly constructed portion. The new bridge includes an improved pedestrian walkway connecting Hampton University and the VA campus to downtown Phoebus. Crews are now gearing up for phase two where they will demolish and reconstruct the remainder of the old bridge. Construction will continue through the fall with the installation of new earthen retaining walls, signals, drainage, bridge girders and pavement. The completed facility will sport at 10 FT wide bike path fully separated from traffic.

Ground level photos of the new Mallory Street Bridge in Hampton

They didn’t have to leave their backyard to see a tunnel boring project in action. But they did. And for a good reason!

Did you know that the concrete segments Mary The Tunnel Boring Machine uses to construct the HRBT’s new twin tunnels were fabricated just across the bay in Cape Charles, VA? 

Cape Charles Mayor Adam Charney, Councilman Ken Butta and five other Eastern Shore residents traveled to the project  to view their town’s contribution to both new tunnels. Precast concrete manufacturer, Technopref Industries, in partnership with withCoastal Precast Systems, revived the towns precast facility specifically for this project. Within just two years, Technopref’s Cape Charles crew produced more than 2,000 concrete segments which were barged to the South Island, 180-segments at a time.

Mayor Charney and his guests wanted to see how the concrete liners (each weighing 12 tons) became building blocks for the new Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel.

Project Director Ryan Banas briefed members of the Hampton Roads Legislative Caucus, on the $3.9 billion regionally funded expansion project. Delegates Michael Feggans and Bonita Anthony (pictured) were among the legislators learning more about the scale and complexity of this transformative project.

Greater Wards Corner area community leaders and Norfolk City Council members Martin Thomas, Andria McClellan, and Courtney Doyle listen as Project Director Ryan Banas shares updates on expansion work, including local street impacts.

The August Virginia Aerospace Business Association luncheon was all about tunnels, and the HRBT Expansion team was pleased to accept the invitation to join staff from NASA and members of the nonprofit trade organization to share innovative tunnel designs in Hampton Roads. There to represent the team and give insights into the process of tunnel boring was HRBT’s Operations Manager Bradley Weidenhammer.

Leonid “Leo” Troitski travelled the world, lending his hand to underground construction projects in Europe, North America, and Asia for three decades before being asked to join HRBT Expansion Project in May 2021.

With over 100 miles of tunnel work under his belt, including the newest HRBT tunnel, Leo has seen the light at the end of the tunnel and has stepped into retirement.

Leo’s journey to his role as HRBT’s Area 3 (Islands, Portals, and Tunnels) Resident Engineer has been a long winding road full of twists and turns. Born in the Soviet Union and raised in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Leo was introduced to geological exploration at just 12 years old by his father. His interest deepened when he discovered archeology as a teen. This early passion launched his career in gold mining in 1982.

Leo’s path took an unexpected turn in 1992 when he found himself in America "by accident," after his wife accepted a university job in Texas. His first U.S. engineering position was with Dallas Area Rapid Transit where he helped build the city’s first subway tunnel and station. From there, he worked on underground infrastructure projects across the country until his first retirement in 2021.

But retirement didn’t last long when he received an unexpected call to bring his expertise to the HRBT Expansion where he’d be a part of the historic megaproject for the next three years. With him he brought extensive experience in construction management, design coordination, tunnel lining systems and more. As he reflects on his time on the team, Leo is still amazed with the project’s record-setting tunnel boring machine, which bored 17 rings in one day. That feat stands as an industry benchmark for roadway tunnel production via TBM in history. Equally impressive he says, has been the synergy between cultures which can be seen in the team’s ability to coordinate complex operations and resolve issues smoothly.

At 70, Leo is ready for real retirement, but his adventures around the world will continue. To kick off his next chapter, he’s headed to Dubai and then to Moscow before embarking on a sailing adventure through England, Scotland, and Iceland next summer.



We thank Leo for his numerous and significant contributions to the project, and while his presence will be missed by many, we know he has earned his fair winds and following seas!

Every four years Brian Ballard gets a little nostalgic.

When the world’s Olympic athletes take their walk during opening ceremonies, Ballard recalls the sense of pride and accomplishment they feel even before the competition begins.

He knows firsthand, because he was one of them in 1988 in Seoul, Korea.

(Right) Ballard pictured right at the Opening Ceremonies of the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea.

Ballard, HRCP’s maintenance of traffic (MOT) Manager was a member of the U.S. Olympic Trap Shooting Team, and while he didn’t medal (9^th place finish), his days of winning accolades were far from over. He made a total of four Olympic qualifying appearances and would eventually compete in two world championships and three Pan-Am games.  

Ballard learned the sport from his father at age eight, while growing up in rural Idaho. “My dad was quite an outdoorsman,” he said. Following in his footsteps, hunting, fishing, taking in the great outdoors came naturally. By age 13, he was headed to his first appearance on what would be five all-American teams.

Ballard learned the sport from his father at age eight, while growing up in rural Idaho. “My dad was quite an outdoorsman,” he said. Following in his footsteps, hunting, fishing, taking in the great outdoors came naturally. By age 13, he was headed to his first appearance on what would be five all-American teams.

Recruited heavily by the Army, Ballard enlisted in 1982 where he shot for the Army Marksmanship Unit at Ft. Liberty, GA (formerly Ft. Benning).

In 1984, he reached the Olympic qualifiers in Los Angeles but lost a team spot by one target. Determined, Ballard secured his spot on the U.S. Team four years later (ultimately finishing in ninth place) and went on to compete in the qualifiers again in 1992 but, again, missed an Olympic appearance by just one target. Ballard won national titles for Olympic Trap twice. Once in 1994 and again in 1996.

(Left) Ballard taking aim at a target.

His success took him around the world, collecting medals and memories in the 1980s and ‘90s from the home front to Moscow, Havanna, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany to name just a few.

After Olympic competition, he was flooded with job offers to manage gun clubs throughout the country. He decided on a private club in Orange County, CA where he also met his future wife. 

Twenty-eight years ago, a friend who worked for HRCP joint venture team member Flatiron on a California toll road project offered him a job and he has been with the company since.

While managing traffic on construction projects professionally may seem like a long way from competitive clay pigeon shooting, Ballard says there are some similarities. Namely, challenges, problem solving, working as a team, and of course, never giving up.

Ballard still wears his 1988 Olympic ring.

And while there have been a lot of changes in the sport, including technology over the years, he confesses, “I still think I could compete with the best in the world.”

For now, Ballard hopes to have more time to practice his trap skills once he retires at the end of 2024. He’s also looking forward to more time to golf, ski and see the world from his Harley!

Listen & learn with a few Tunnel Talk oldies but goodies!

Click the episode titles below to tune in.

Two of the team’s dynamic women in maritime, VDOT Construction Engineer Linh Do and HRCP Project Engineer Sofia O’Brien take listeners on a deep dive into the challenges and engineering solutions used in constructing the project's island expansions and new trestles.

Second generation tunneling expert and VDOT Assistant Resident Engineer, Lion Nitschke shares the details behind the latest milestones in Virginia's first bored roadway tunnel.

Archeologists  from VDOT, William and Mary, and Virginia Museum of Natural History gather around the Tunnel Talk microphone to uncover the history behind the project’s prehistoric finds.

Something for all ages – Curious students look to VDOT Construction Manager Philip Casteen for answers to their not so boring questions about tunneling.

In this debut episode of HRBT Tunnel Talk, Kevin Page, Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission (HRTAC) explains the groundbreaking project.

As Project Director Ryan Banas mentioned in his message above, Hampton Roads is welcoming teachers and students back into the classroom this month, so the HRBT Expansion Team reminds all motorists to remain alert to the changes brought by the beginning of the school year.

Student drivers, bike riders, walkers, buses, and even carpools will soon fill city streets throughout the region.

In an effort to keep all roadway users safe while traveling in and around school zones, especially those impacted by construction, it is crucial that all drivers:

1. Adhere to Speed Limits: Follow the reduced speed limits in school zones as mandated by Virginia law 46.2-873. Fines for violations are doubled.
2. Be Vigilant at Crosswalks: Slow down and be prepared to stop for children crossing the street. Always yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.
3. Obey School Bus Signals: Stop for school buses loading or unloading children. It's illegal to pass a bus from either direction if its lights are flashing and the stop sign is extended.
4. Avoid Distractions: Avoid using your phone and other distractions while driving.
5. Watch for Cyclists: Be cautious of cyclists and give them plenty of space.
6. Follow Road Signals: Pay special attention to crossing guards and school zone signs.
7. Stay Alert Near Construction Zones: Be mindful of travel impacts within construction zones.

Let's make this school year a safe one for everyone.

City of Hampton Activates Red Light Camera Near Mallory Street Bridge

While HRBT Expansion crews begin work on phase two of the Mallory Street Bridge replacement, Hampton is making efforts to minimize congestion for residents and businesses in the area.

On August 1, 2024, the city launched its new traffic safety program with newly installed red-light cameras at the intersection of Mallory Street and Segar Road, among others.

Although unrelated to construction for the HRBT Expansion Project, motorists traveling eastbound on I-64 must adhere to the new city ordinance. For more information on the traffic safety program, contact the City of Hampton or visit hampton.gov.