A Message From the Project Director |
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September was a busy month for our construction teams. The north trestle bridges began to take shape as construction crews placed the first pile cap for the new bridges. Our readers can learn more about this project milestone later in this newsletter.
Farther down the project corridor, bridge crews also placed a pile cap on the new trestle that will expand I-64 over Oastes Creek in Norfolk.
Construction crews started excavating the launch pit on the South Island in preparation for ‘Mary’ the Tunnel Boring Machine. At the same time, the Project team is preparing for ‘Katherine’, the Slurry Treatment Plant’s (STP) arrival. The STP was designed and constructed in France and is currently being disassembled for shipment and is expected to arrive in the United States in 2022.
On the landside, roadway crews shifted traffic on I-64 eastbound, shifting the traveling lanes to allow crews to begin construction to widen I-64 from two lanes in each direction to four lanes in each direction.
This month, DBE and SWaM businesses are invited to attend a DBE Symposium. This event will provide information for DBE and SWaM businesses looking to become a part of the HRBT Expansion Project team. For more information keep reading and listen the most recent podcast discussing opportunities for this project.
The HRBT Expansion project team looks forward to sharing project updates in the coming months.
Sincerely,
Jim Utterback, Project Director
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Construction Update: Bridge Work Advances |
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An important component of the HRBT Expansion Project’s roadway construction is work on twenty-seven (27) landside bridges along the I-64 project corridor. Thirteen (13) of the bridge pairs – all located in Norfolk – are being rehabilitated and widened to include the addition of two new lanes of traffic to the bridge’s existing two traffic lanes. These new additional eastbound and westbound lanes will make all project bridges four-lanes wide. These bridges/overpasses are located at: Bayville Street/13th View Street, Willoughby Bay Bridge, 4th View Street, Oastes Creek Bridge, 1st View Street, Bay Avenue, West Evans Street, Bayview Boulevard, Mason Creek Bridge, Patrol Road, Granby Street, I-564 Interchange, and Little Creek Road.
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Mallory Street Bridge in Hampton is the one landside bridge slated for full replacement. The significant replacement work is scheduled to begin in October and will be carefully coordinated so that the two existing lanes of traffic on the bridge remain open, with no traffic disruption, during its many controlled demolition and new construction activities.
The new Mallory Street Bridge will feature several enhancements, including two northbound traffic lanes, two southbound traffic lanes, a center-turn traffic lane, pedestrian sidewalks, and new bike lanes on both the north and south sides of the bridge.
Upon completion of these twenty-seven bridges, the HRBT Expansion Project will feature a total of 39,792 linear feet (or 7.5 lane miles) of landside bridge decks.
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Pile driving progress at the widening of the Oastes Creek bridge. |
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Pile driving for the new south trestle bridge. |
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Performing quality control on the pile driving for the new south trestle bridge. |
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A concrete cap is set on top of the piles as part of the supporting substructure of the new north trestle bridge. |
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Placing a concrete slab as a solid work platform to construct the capping beam. |
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Milestone Marker for New Bridges |
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The HRBT Expansion Project reached a milestone last month with the installation of the first pre-cast pile cap for the new north trestle approach bridges. “With the placement of the first pile cap, Hampton Roads Connector Partners (HRCP) is making visible progress on the north trestles which connect the Hampton shoreline to the North Island where the entrance to the new tunnels will be constructed,” said VDOT Project Director Jim Utterback.
Over the past several months, dozens of cylindrical piles have been driven. These piles create support for the new bridge structure utilizing the strength of the deeper layers of soil below the water bottom. The piles are then topped with a pile cap. The concrete pile cap is pre-fabricated offsite, then transported by barge and, using a crane, placed precisely on top of the piles. The pile cap will help to distribute the load of the bridge deck and ultimately the traffic across the multiple support piles. “These are just the first steps involved in building the new bridges; however, it is crucial to build a solid foundation to support the 100-year lifespan of the new bridges,” states HRCP Project Executive Juan Miguel Perez.
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As HRCP continues to add more piles and pile caps, the public will see the shape of the new north trestles taking place. HRCP is also working on piles for the new south trestle, which will connect the Norfolk shoreline at Willoughby Spit to the South Island. Pile caps are expected to begin installation at the south trestles as early as next month.
Other marine bridge work within the HRBT Expansion Project includes piles at the Willoughby Bay, Mason Creek and Oastes Creek. These piles will support the widening of the existing bridges.
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Upcoming DBE/SWaM Virtual Event |
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Hampton Roads
Builds Business
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Learn about upcoming DBE/SWaM Opportunities on the HRBT Expansion Project with special guest speakers Governor Ralph Northam, Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine, and more!
Wednesday October 27, 2021 from 8:00am - 11:00am (virtual event)
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Employee Spotlight: Halie Miller
“Grow Where You Are Planted”
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When Halie Miller began her career at the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), she had no idea that she would one day end up working at the center of the largest transportation project in the history of the Commonwealth of Virginia: the HRBT Expansion Project.
Growing up in the coastal city of Virginia Beach, Virginia, just a few miles from the Sandbridge beaches, it was rare for Halie to venture out on the main roads, highways, and bridges. “Our community had everything we needed within just a few miles of our home,” says Halie, reminiscing on growing up not aware of the intricate highway system in Hampton Roads.
After graduating high school, Halie worked in early childhood development and eventually went on to become a full-time nanny for a local Virginia Beach couple. According to Halie, “It was a dream job for a young adult. The family lived at the beach, I got the opportunity to travel with them, and their child was delightful.” It was during that time Halie found her passion - organizing. Halie’s unmatched skills for organization was the talk of the community. From closets to kitchen pantries, the neighbors began calling.
Her passion to move forward in life, and the attractiveness of a career with benefits influenced Halie to move into the corporate world. With no experience in traffic management, but a wealth of knowledge in organization, Halie landed a job at VDOT’s Traffic Operations Center (TOC) as a contractor. (Read more...)
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You are invited to have an “all access” pass to view the project progress captured by the camera placed throughout the project corridor. From Willoughby Bay to Mallory Street Bridge, take a look at what the team has accomplished.
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Get In the Know, and Then Go! |
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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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