NORFOLK-During overnight operations, planned to start Saturday, 25, 2025, into the morning of Sunday, October 26, eastbound traffic at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) will begin using the new eight-lane bridge between the facility’s South Island and Willoughby Spit in Norfolk. Traffic will continue using the existing eastbound tunnel, however, the shift marks the debut of the new mega trestle, giving motorists a new perspective of the project on a structure designed to combat the Hampton Roads harbor’s harsh salt-water environment

At more than 202 FT wide, the new structure will easily accommodate the initial two lanes of eastbound traffic. In its final configuration, the trestle will support all traffic between South Island and the Norfolk shoreline; 4 lanes in each direction plus shoulders to accommodate disabled vehicles, a total of up to 8 lanes of traffic. 

The bridge replaces the existing trestles by adding 1.2 miles of new deck length to the facility’s inventory. Long term durability was addressed and maintenance saving employed during the planning, design, and construction of the new connection. The riding surface of the structure is between 13 and 27 feet higher than the existing trestle to allow for improved drainage and to reduce occurrences of sea spray on the bridge’s bearings and joints. Additionally, corrosion resistant materials such as stainless steel, carbon fiber, and concrete that resists the penetration of harmful elements were used to aid in the structure’s planned longevity of more than 100 years.

“Putting the first vehicles onto our new south trestle with this weekend’s traffic shift is a major win for the project and the region”, said Stephen Brich, Commissioner of Highways for the Virginia Department of Transportation. “2025 continues to be the HBRT Expansion’s most meaningful year in terms of measuring progress when we consider the new and rehabilitated portions of I-64 being brought online to reduce congestion and improve safety in this vital transportation corridor.”

The traffic shift will allow Hampton Roads Connector Partners (HRCP), the project’s design-build contractor, to begin demolition of the existing eastbound trestle and complete construction of the remainder of the new structure. These efforts include the construction of westbound approach spans at Willougby Spit as well as replacement of the existing bridges connecting to South Island.

The South Trestle is the second new permanent bridge to open at the HRBT in eighteen months, and only the second new bridge at the HRBT in nearly 50 years since its initial widening in 1976. This significant milestone is just one in a recent series of traffic shifts from the HRBT’s South Island to Bay Avenue in Norfolk, which has brought just over 4 miles of new and rehabilitated roadways and structures online.

Facts about the new eight-lane bridge include:

• 623 concrete pipe piles driven upwards of 80 FT into the bay bottom
• 808 precast concrete beams, some as tall as 85”
• 202 FT in width; believed to be the widest bridge in the Commonwealth
• 1.2 miles in length
• Stainless steel and carbon fiber reinforcement to extend the bridge’s service-life
• Low permeability concrete that resists chloride intrusion and prolongs the onset of corrosion

Media are invited to visit the new superstructure and have an opportunity to interview project leadership on Saturday, October 25, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., in advance of the traffic shift.

For more information and to receive logistical information to visit the structure, please contact Paula Miller, Communications Director, HRBT Expansion Project. 757.619.4163. Paula.Miller@vdot.virginia.gov