A Message from Project Leadership
Ryan Banas, Project Director
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While cooler temperatures may be moving in across Hampton Roads, we’re excited to share that things are really heating up throughout the project corridor. The following is just a small subset of the significant progress that has been made over the last several weeks:
Mallory Street Bridge: Substructure work for the southern half of the bridge is complete, and the new 95-foot-long girders have been installed. This makes way for bridge decks to be placed this fall.
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Existing South Trestle: Demolition of the structure built in 1964 is underway. It’s humbling to think these structures carried more than 800 million vehicles over its 60-year service life. Crews are using an interesting technology called pile shearing to fully remove the piles below the seabed to accurately meet our permitting requirements. Read more about this effort in its own story below.
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New South Trestle: We’ve made landfall! Crews have connected the new structure to the Willoughby Spit, allowing construction access from land. This milestone allows large deliveries of concrete to be made 24 hours a day without impacting traffic.
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Westbound Willoughby Bay Bridge: Widening of the existing structure is in full swing, with pile driving operations underway. This work will enable 4 lanes of westbound traffic once complete.
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Bridge Construction Work Advances on Mallory Street in Hampton |
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Hampton Roads Connector Partners (HRCP) construction crews completed a major milestone in Hampton recently with the erection of eight girders that will support the northbound lanes of the new Mallory Street Bridge.
The prestressed concrete I-beam girders (each measuring 95 feet long and weighing 43,000 pounds) were lifted into place by a truck crane and placed first as Span A, consisting of four girders, over the eastbound lanes of I-64 between the abutment and a column in the median; and then as Span B, also consisting of four girders, over the westbound lanes of I-64 between a column in the median and the abutment. These girders, along with the abutments and columns, serve as the bridge substructure and are the primary support for the deck.
With the installation of the girders completed, work now continues with construction of the bridge superstructure – the concrete deck and other components that transfer the traffic load to the substructure.
The image below is a girder being lifted into place above I-64 Eastbound. Periodic, 20-minute full stoppages of traffic were conducted during the nighttime placement of the girders to ensure the operation was performed safely for the crew and motorists.
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The image below is a photo taken from the road surface looking up to the girders above I-64 that will form the northbound lanes of the new Mallory Street Bridge. |
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The image below is taken from the project’s Mallory Street Bridge camera, showing all eight girders in place. |
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Aerial view of the new South Trestle bridge, which will be 8 lanes wide. |
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Progress on the North Island and the future bridges that will connect the North Island to Hampton. |
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Aerial View of the TBM receiving pit on the North Island. Crews have excavated down 65 feet to prepare the shaft for Mary’s arrival. |
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A glimpse of the new tunnel, looking back toward the launch shaft from the rear of the TBM. |
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Equipped to Build: Pile Shears |
In addition to building new structures, the construction process often involves demolishing prior structures that have reached the end of their useful service life or are in the way of new work. The HRBT Expansion project is no exception, with all the existing North and South island marine trestle bridges slated to be demolished in their entirety.
Not only will the decks, girders, and other superstructure elements of these bridges be removed, but the foundation piles will also be demolished. Pile shears are one of the key pieces of equipment in this process: these shears, or pile cutters, are designed to cut cleanly through old bridge supports while a crane holds the pile, ensuring it’s a safe and efficient removal process. This method also enhances safety by avoiding the need to have divers in the water performing the removal activities.
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Pile shears typically operate with a hydraulic-powered blade that can function either above or below the waterline, eliminating the need for jack-hammering or similar demolition processes. These cutting edges are designed to handle the dense materials that make up foundation piles, such as steel, concrete, or wood. The pile shears at HRBT will enable the removal of the concrete foundation piles of the existing trestle bridges to a depth of at least 2 feet below the existing mudline. |
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HRTAC visitors inspect the new tunnel at the rear of the 430-foot-long TBM.
(L to R) HRTPO; Pavithra Parthasarathi, HRTPO Deputy Executive Director; Robert Case, Staff HRTPO; Dale Stith, Staff HRTPO; The Honorable Rick West, Mayor, City of Chesapeake; Keith Nichols, Staff HRTPO; Bob Crum, Exec. Director of HRPDC
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Members and staff of the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission (HRTAC), the regional funding authority supporting 92% of the costs for the HRBT Expansion Project, visited the site in July and August. HRTAC members are elected officials representing the 14 cities and counties in Hampton Roads, contributing tax revenues for the project’s budget. (Read here to learn more about HRTAC and its regional work.)
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The view from Ring #143, 950 feet into the new tunnel. Visitors (L to R): The Honorable Monty Mason, Virginia State Senator; staff member, Channing Brooks; Christopher Hall, VDOT Hampton Roads District Engineer; The Honorable Michael Hipple, Chair, James City County Board of Supervisors; Scott Stevens, James City County Administrator |
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Christopher Hall, VDOT District Engineer for Hampton Roads, and Ryan Banas, HRBT Project Director, led the tours, providing details about the project status and answering many questions about the massive undertaking beneath the harbor. They highlighted innovative technologies and strategies being implemented to ensure successful completion of the project with a constant focus on safety.
The visit not only reinforced the project’s significance in enhancing regional connectivity but also underscored the planning and hard work of the teams involved.
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HRTAC visitors observe how the TBM operator plans and places each segment when visiting the TBM control room. |
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HRTAC visitors view the concrete tunnel segments staged on the South Island quay, awaiting placement. |
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Earn While You Learn: HRBT's OJT Program |
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The Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) Expansion Project is not just about building infrastructure but also about enhancing the future of its employees with its "On the Job Training (OJT)” program initiative. Designed specifically for minorities, women, and economically disadvantaged individuals, the OJT Program opens doors to the vast world of construction, providing training and apprenticeship opportunities.
To date, the HRBT Expansion Project has graduated 32 participants from the OJT program, already achieving 40% of its target to produce 80 graduates.
An additional 16 dedicated enrollees are working towards graduation, getting closer to launching their careers in the construction industry.
One of the standout features of the OJT program is its "earn while you learn" structure. This approach ensures participants receive competitive compensation and benefits, making it a game-changer for historically under-represented individuals in the highway construction sector. Moreover, the program offers a range of career choices, each structured with training in different trade skills. Upon fulfilling the required training hours, participants are awarded a formal certificate, a testament to their dedication and accomplishments.
The OJT Program doesn't just offer a job; it provides a career path. The skills and experiences gained contribute to the HRBT Expansion Project’s progress and support the future growth of the Hampton Roads region and its workforce.
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HRBT Expansion Project Magazine | Summer 2023 |
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Ready, Set, Dig - Tunneling Begins... |
Read the latest updates, view the most recent pictures and get a behind-the-scenes peek at the HRBT Expansion Project.
From building bridges, to using massive machinery, and highlighting the many interstate improvements, there’s so much to discover in the Summer 2023 edition of the HRBT Expansion Magazine.
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Barbara Garces, HRCP Office Manager
In the transportation world, countless roles contribute to the success of a project. Meet Barbara Garces, Office Manager for the HRBT Expansion Project.
Barbara plays a crucial role in supporting the engineers' work and ensuring smooth project operations by managing the South Island and North Island field offices for HRCP at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. Read more...
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Building Bridges and Beyond |
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Isaac Walker, VDOT Construction Engineer
As the HRBT Expansion Project progresses, it's essential to continuously highlight the people making it all possible. Isaac Walker is a dedicated construction engineer who plays an instrumental role in overseeing the construction activities for the marine trestles, along with the expansion of the North and South Islands.
An alumnus of North Carolina State University, Isaac's education began with civil engineering design. Yet, the real-world application of actually building new structures captivated him. Prior to the HRBT project, he served in many roles, including ones that required him to climb cell phone towers and survey major bridges. Moving from his early-career assignments in Austin, TX, to join the HRBT project in January 2021, he said it was an easy choice because the allure of the East Coast drew him back home. Read more...
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Lights, Camera, Expansion! |
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Interested in the daily activity at the HRBT Expansion Project? Wondering about the widening? Excited about the expansion? Check out our real-time project cameras on the HRBT Expansion website. Citizens can view the construction activities happening throughout the project corridor. |
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Get In the Know, and Then Go! |
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Sign Up To Receive Updates! |
Sign up for the HRBT Expansion Project Alerts to get weekly updates on traffic and construction impacts. Perfect way to “know before you go!”
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The HRBT Expansion Project team is committed to staying connected with the region for the life of the project. Like, join, follow, or tweet about the project on our social media channels. |
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