I have a love/hate relationship with the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. Two lanes can cause severe backups. Heading in this time was a cinch, but going westbound this morning was a headache. Traffic barely moved, but I am amazed by how this was built. It certainly is a landmark. It does look like there is some new construction going on, so hope more lanes are being added. This does bring you into Virginia Beach. That alone for nostalgia reasons is cool. There is enough room for the lanes. Kudos to VDOT for lots of signs, that remind motorists not to switch lanes. Does it happen sometimes? Yes and be prepared for it. I definitely think architecture wise, it is a modern marvel of construction. Illumination and visibility in the tunnel is great. read more

Wow! Memories of my former daily commute from Oceanfront in Va Beach to the Naval Air Station in Norfolk are intensely anxiety-provoking. For those like me with both anxiety AND claustrophobia you can only imagine how this 3.5 strip of hell on earth [well under water actually, for the majority of the miles] was. I just can't have faith that the engineers who created this death chamber could actually keep it waterproof. Without fail, there seemed to be an accident, nearly every trip - usually one way, fortunately not both ways. And, with a limited line-of-sight, you would never know what the heck was actually going on to cause everyone to come to a complete halt. I do hope the HRBT Expansion Project alleviates some of the ridiculous congestion of this structure and improves traffic for the area! I wanted to give this bridge/tunnel 1 star, but generously added a second because there is thankfully no toll. I'm really grateful this bridge/tunnel is no longer a part of my work life, and life in general! read more

This tunnel/bridge afforded me some extra time when I needed to do something while in the area. I had been staying outside of the area and needed to kill some time. By doing so I had to find things to do and to do those things I needed to use this. I noticed that it was kind of a breeze to get through here. Coming from an area where the tunnels are always backed up no matter the time of the day, it was nice to be able to get through one without a hassle. The tunnels seem to be well maintained. And maybe I hit this at the right time to avoid traffic, but I was surprised by how smooth traffic was to make my way both to the city and from. read more

It is a love hate relationship. You have to use it. But you have to plan when to go through it. They are doing a lot of construction. Hopefully it will improve . Sometimes it is backed up for miles read more

Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels - Coming out - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Vastly overshadowed by its bigger brother over/under Chesapeake Bay, but utilizing the same engineering, the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels allows I-64 to pass between Hampton and Norfolk, Virginia, without the need to drive the long detour on the James River Bridge which was the only passage before this master project was completed. Fact is, there is so much water around here that without this transportation network the entire Hampton Roads region would not have been developed into the huge naval center and economic dynamo that it has become. So, if you live around these parts and make a living for your family, this lifeline is part of your personal circulatory system. For us coming from southeastern Pennsylvania, these bridge tunnel systems are our preferred means of getting to family in Newport News. They afford an efficient and most direct route for travel, and a magnificent view of Chesapeake Bay and the overall Hampton Roads waterworld. In some ways this smaller scale passage is easier to comprehend and appreciate as it doesn't daunt perception by it shear overwhelming dimensions. True, both directions could use additional lanes to counteract the never contemplated huge public volume of vehicles, but even on bad days it beats the old circuitous route. (I know, easy for me to say as I don't use it everyday as a required piece of living here.) Still, to the limited extent it is part of my life and travels, I do appreciate it for its design and ability to bring me closer to the watery essence and my family. read more

Beautiful view, and all, but as much as my family and I enjoyed coming down to the Hamptons Roads area this bridge is a big reason why I would never be able to live in this area. Having this bridge be the main artery connecting Hampton and Norfolk is like having a bike trail be the entrance to disney world. I couldn't imagine having to commute to work daily over this bridge. I would go insane. Luckily for the foreseeable future i'm just a passerby. If they ever chose to fix this issue I could definitely see myself moving south. So much history in this area. It's one of those places that just feels different when you visit. This vibe here is one of a kind. The biridge though, not so much... read more

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Just read an editorial online from the Virginia Pilot that was so slanted and tone deaf it energized me to write this review. The Pilot editorial totally glossed over the fact this project was supposed to be completed Nov 2025, and now is estimated to be completed on or about August 2027. It stated "there is a light at the end of the tunnel." Today is 11 July 25. There is no light not even a faint glow! I have commuted on the HRBT since 2015 and experienced delays and miles long back up on a daily basis. The only respite from this came during the height of COVID. A vehicle break down can and will cause a miles long back up that takes way to long to be cleared because the entire stretch is torn up and there is no where to go. We (commuters) are trapped watching VDOT place thousands of cones and taking there sweet time clearing incidents. I have read how this expansion will alleviate traffic congestion but firmly believe this is VDOT and the State of VA creating another money stream by charging commuters to use HOV lanes for traffic that will undoubtedly be congested even after the expansion is completed. read more

Greatly improved experience over the last time I was in the area a few years ago. As much as I would like to say that somehow the tunnel had something to do with any improvements, I've got to keep it real and chalk it up partially to dumb luck and partially to travelling on Christmas Day & New Year's Day when I would imagine traffic would be a fraction of a normal day. Even with the lesser volume I still saw the same BS a lot of reviewers bitch about. Some dude from Florida changed lanes right in front of me. The 55 MPH speed limit would best be described in the words of Captain Barbossa as "guidelines" because I never went below 70 yet was still getting passed. Way too cold for the bucolic imagery of people fishing or for any boats on the water but I was still able to score some excellent glances at Fort Monroe and of course the Naval Base. I mean I even had time to take the ultimate HRBT selfie which of course is the ever so necessary phone pix taken while driving in the tunnel. Score! I'm sure next time I'll get stuck in a five hour traffic jam or I'll be lucky enough to be in the tunnel when the USS Lard Ass goes over top and causes the whole damn thing to collapse. Either way, I'll take what I can get and it was shockingly a great round trip this time. read more

Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

This is the tunnel we go through to get to Virginia Beach. It is long and clean. I cannot say much about a bridge and tunnel. It's consistently there! read more

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There will no always be traffic. Take your time, leave time to sit in the traffic. You bc ca also by pass this and hit up other tunnels to get across the water. Beautiful views for sunsets and sunrises. They work quick to remove cars in the tunnel who are stuck. read more

Once going south and once going north. The first time, pretty boring. "Maintain speed 55" and "Don't change lanes." The second time, even more boring. As the line of cars crossed the bridge, first one lane was closed and then... both lanes are closed! All stop! The line of traffic stopped. Some folks got out of their cars and had a smoke. I wandered to both sides of the road and took some pictures (the USS Eisenhower is in port!). And meanwhile... nothing. Twenty minutes later, someone blew a whistle and we all got in our cars and drove on. No explanation. I'm guessing there was a breakdown or some such. Would have been nice to know. On the plus side, THERE IS NO TOLL. So it has that going for it. Check the traffic - if you don't want to take the tunnel, you can take the I-664 tunnel or the James River Bridge. Neither of these would have helped me as I was already stuck on the bridge when the backup started. Yuck. read more

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There is always traffic. Always check your GPS to try to avoid traveling during peace times. A 20 minute drive can easily cover to over an hour read more

Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels - Finally got thru - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

We have all had a love hate relationship at some point. Well the HRBT and I have a long relationship and it's been both delightful and tumultuous over the years. Let's get down to the fact it is an engineering marvel. It takes years of planning to pull a tunnel project through construction and completion. They did it twice because the original tube was two ways and they expanded to a second. How can anyone not be fond of it is beyond my wildest imagination. It was not too long ago, I believe mid 60's they were still using ferry service here. If you hit it at the right time it's no biggie, but what is that right time is always a mystery... but usually late night early morning are safe. Accidents and cars running out of gas is a daily which adds to aggravation especially during rush hour. For the most part the pattern in the AM is heavy going East, then flips to heavy West. Friday's all bets are off. Take your time, say a prayer upon entrance, NEVER change lanes and have some tunes playing to relax you . All will be right with the world in about 3 miles when you emerge victorious from crossing the HRBT. read more

I mean, it's the HRBT -- a two lane tunnel that goes under water and connects Hampton to Norfolk. It has no toll. So, bonus for not costing money. Decent view as you're driving up to the tunnel. It's functional, so there's that. If you aren't a local, then you need to be prepared. This tunnel ALWAYS has a back-up. In the 15 years I've lived here, I can maybe count on one hand the times there hasn't been a back-up and there really isn't a rhyme or reason to the times when it's happened. If you are traveling in the summer on the weekend, be prepared to wait for a god-awful amount of time to get through, either direction. Tips: Make sure you have enough gas - you DO NOT want to be the person that makes it a one-lane experience for everyone. Try to hit it at non-peak hours (so like maybe 10:30 on a Tuesday). And for the love of god, please don't break constantly as you're approaching and entering the tunnel. That's what causes the back-up people! Just keep on moving on! read more

This bridge tunnel is designed so that its drivers drive thru an underwater tunnel.As cool as the concept of this bridge tunnel is getting from one side of the tunnel to the other is cringeworthy!! More often than not there is standstill traffic and a few idiots who always change lanes in the tunnel which causes an accident. read more

So as a native here in the 757 the HRBT is a staple in the community, but most of the time it really just causes headaches. I have just like everyone been stuck in the never ended traffic that seems to lead to nowhere and when you see the light at the end of the tunnel it's basically clear as day! Today was the first time I MEANNNN FIRST TIME EVER that's I was able to head to Virginia Beach at 1:30pm and head back to Newport News at 3:30pm. And it was smooth sailing!!! You have no idea how amazing it felt to actually get through that tunnel and have no stop and go and no stalling. So I had to take a moment to YELP it! This tunnel bridges together a couple of beautiful cities and it has so for years! I'm ecstatic that I was able to get through it safely and QUICKLY this time. I hope we are able to keep this going read more

What a unique tunnel - under the water! I can see where traffic could be an issue, especially if there's an accident.

It's a love hate relationship. The HRBT is a necessity for those not looking to drive around to the MM-bridge. Traffic is rough when there is an accident, as to be expected with any bridge. They keep signs up to date with delays and lane closures, also offering alternate routes when available. Honestly, just grateful they haven't put a toll on this highly trafficked bridge/tunnel. read more

Necessary evil, the HRBT. Avoid rush hour if at all possible. If you can't, then good luck. Positive - the view from the Norfolk side. Negative - Rush. Hour. Traffic. read more

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I can't believe I'm rating a bridge-tunnel, but it's a really lovely place to be stuck in traffic. Traffic happens, and I think we're behind a car accident. I hope everyone is okay. It isn't the tunnel's fault. I don't know, rather than be angry about it, I just rolled down the windows and looked around me. It's beautiful. It's a goofy thing to say, but it's nice to just stop and take time to smell the flowers. ...but in this case, see the beautiful water and feel the bay breeze on your skin. read more

A bridge tunnel that takes you from Norfolk to Hampton. If you live in Hampton Roads, you'll more than likely end up using this. Positives- 1) the view. On a sunny day stuck in traffic you get to see the birds flying, and people fishing around the pylons. 2) no tolls to use the HRBT. Negatives- 1) TRAFFIC! Either direction it sucks. Stupid drivers want to hit the breaks right before you enter the tunnel causing rear end collisions. Plan to add 30-45 minutes to your commute because of accidents and too many on the road. It's the fastest option from Norfolk to the Peninsula. I don't like to use the HRBT. But when I do....I am an angry driver when stuck in traffic. read more

Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

The Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (HRBT) is a connector on Interstate 64 between Norfolk and Hampton (once you get on the bridge heading west, you are in Hampton). It's essentially at the mouth of the James River where it meets the Chesapeake Bay. There are no tolls associated with this bridge-tunnel. There is definitely a love-hate relationship with this bridge-tunnel. The tunnels are only 2 lanes in each direction. Traffic tends to bottleneck where the interstate goes down to two lanes, regardless of direction of travel. The day of the week and time of day makes a huge difference in your experience with the HRBT. If you're travelling this road during rush hour traffic, just don't do it. You're better off waiting where you are for an hour or two before leaving your current location. You'll thank me later. Now, there are some things that the tunnel itself cannot control. Other drivers. For those that aren't familiar with the area or tunnels, there's nothing to be afraid of. You can almost tell the visitors (or locals afraid to drive through it) as they tend to put on the brakes right before getting into the tunnel and then go slow through them. I refer to the group as tunnel chickens. To the tunnel chickens, the road is the same size as it is when outside the tunnel. There is another end to the tunnel and you won't sink in the tunnel. Please go forward with a minimum speed of 55 mph and not slow down. The faster you go, the faster you get out the other side. I have seen where some have actually switched lanes inside the tunnel, even though that is not supposed to be done to get around. If you do go slow through the tunnel, please stay in the right lane and let the rest of us speed by in the left lane. If you are travelling the tunnel with a truck, please note that the tunnel is shorter in height going westbound (13 ft. 6 in.) versus the eastbound tube (14 ft. 6 in.). The good thing is over the past year or so, VDOT has installed over height detectors on the interstate heading westbound well before the tunnel to try and avoid those trucks getting all the way to the tunnel, only to be turned around and stop traffic in both directions in the process to do so. In the future, I know they are looking to expand the HRBT. This will be a much needed enhancement once they actually get down to doing it and having it done. As we all know, it will take several years of construction and destruction to get it done, but hopefully it will be better in the long run. In the end, I would still use the HRBT, but would completely avoid it during rush hour times. This also holds true for me almost anytime on a weekend during the peak summer travel season. Be sure to check out 511 before making it to the tunnel to check on any traffic back ups. Your alternatives are the Monitor Merrimack Memorial Bridge Tunnel and the James River Bridge. You'll get to your destination, just plan accordingly. read more

Avoid the HRBT ...oh wait, you can't avoid it if you have any business at all on the peninsula! Smart thinking VDOT. But lately the HRBT is god awful, they seem to be doing construction or cleaning it all the time. I got through the tunnel one to three times a week to visit friends and you have to hit it at just the right time or you're in trouble. I really do try to avoid it anytime during 'rush hour' traffic' and that means from 4-7. Lately they seem to have one lane closed on either side at night giving you at least a 20 minute wait to get through to the other side. I don't know why they think it's a good idea to close down one lane of traffic on a Saturday night at 12:00 am, but hey, i don't make the rules. This is a one two lane (in each direction) bridge and tunnel and it usually sucks, but you really don't have many other choices. Good luck! read more

Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels - Hamton Roads Bridge Tunnel - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

There's no service under the tunnel, which sucks since all other tunnels do have service. :( There's ALWAYS traffic leading up to this point, whether it be a holiday or not. I DON'T KNOW WHY - but it screws up plans and wastes so much time, especially since this is a very long and lengthy bridge to drive upon. The view here is wonderful, though and it's amazing how close the bridge is to the water! read more

Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

It was nice,no roaches or anything breakfast was good,me and my step mom went swimming it was awsome

You can only give the HRBT a one-star, baby! I mean come on, it has several things working against it daily: 1) This is a metropolitan area of over 1 million people total. What absolute nut thought that a 2-lane artery at the main connection point would ever be sufficient? That baby is 90% blocked 90% of the time and is in desperate need of a bypass. 2) It is a 2 lane highway before you go in the tunnel, it is 2 lanes all the way through, and 2 lanes out the other side... So why, daily, is it backed up before you enter, backed up in the tunnel, but then after you come out the road is wide open? Minus that one S-L-O-W car in front of you?! Daily! What the h3ll is the daily holdup? Drivers who cannot "Maintain 55" in the tunnel, that is what. 3) If you are on the Southside, and need to get up to Hampton 1 hour later, there is about a 99 and 44/100ths percent chance that no matter what time of day you depart, traffic will come to a complete stop. "Turn your radio dial to AM 1680" to discover why you are 'parked on the freeway' this time... --Isn't it amazing how many "disabled vehicles" find their way to that tunnel and break down, daily? These amazing "Antique" car drivers in Hampton Roads. Do they draw squares to see what day of the week it is their duty to break down in there? Such consistency. I'm starting to believe so. Look, this is the 21st century folks... All this recent talk of amazing things coming in the future! Self-driving cars! Space-X flights to Mars! Chevy's that actually start (Or in recent news, that don't shut off while you are driving!) ---But then you look at this multi-decade atrocity we have here called the HRBT, our inability as a metro area to improve it, and just shake your head.... Lets build a 100 million dollar train that hardly anyone uses instead! {{{{BONG}}}} CUC-Koo! Last note: ---Drivers: If there is a massive half-a-mile gap between you and the car in front of you when in the tunnel, YOU ARE THE PROBLEM! (Too bad they ain't reading this...!) read more

Cringe. This is really a rant. Despite all the amazement I have for structures like this I want to hammer a nail into my eye every time I have to drive through this tunnel. So there are walls. People get scurred and all of a sudden they disrupt the even flow of traffic and all of a sudden you get a six mile back. Interested in wasting away at life? Take a drive on the HRBT during rush hour. This is where I get my most f*ck you moments of the week. Alternatives? Swim, canoe or boat your way to Hampton. Or if you're filthy ass rich you can just take your helicopter to wherever you need to go. read more

I didn't know you could rate the HRBT until just now!!! This is great! Well let me start by saying this: It's not you, HRBT. Honestly it's not. It's the people that drive on you. You're a fine bridge-tunnel. You can't help it that out-of-towners suck at driving over and though you. It's not your fault that people are stationed here and then choose to live on the other side of the water, thus adding to the traffic. It's not your fault that there's always ONE maniac that wants to weave in and out of traffic at 85mph just to save 37 seconds on their commute, thus causing an accident because he clipped someone or because he scared an out-of-towner into suddenly slamming on their brakes, even though they were already driving 50mph in the fast lane with 17 cars backed up directly behind them. No, no...it's not you. It's us. read more

The VDOT Engineering Headache I will agree with most of you and say yes there is a love, hate relationship with the HRBT. However I've often wondered what the hell VDOT was thinking during the construction of the tunnel and I-64 leading up to it. The TWO lane tunnel is bordered by the world's largest naval base, to also include four other major naval bases and the crowded Virginia Beach area. Everyone and their mom is always seeming to be heading North and the thing is always backed up to Granby, Yet the south-bound traffic never seems so backed up. You'd thing they'd have THREE lanes going each way. Better yet it gets funnier when traffic goes from 2 lanes to 4 lanes and then back down to 2 lanes just north of Newport News all the way to Richmond. There is WAAAYYY too many people in the area for that to be happening. At least extend it again THREE lanes in both directions to Williamsburg as by that time most of the traffic has already thinned out a bit and your able to move it back down to 2 lanes. I believe the 4 to 2 lane shift happens too soon over a relatively short distance. Back to the HRBT; I'm pretty sure but could be wrong with the final completion of the "Patriots Crossing" this might relieve traffic on the HRBT and traffic will shift over to the MMBT a little. For those of you that don't know what it is. They are in the planning stages of connecting I-564 with I-664 somewhere around Terminal Blvd and creating a new tunnel and coming back out around Craney Island and merging it into 664, with and off-shoot connector to 164 south of Craney Island. Hopes and Dream's maybe in the next decade or two! **Overall I straight up hate this thing I'm more of a bridge kind of guy. *Think to yourself for a minute; during a hurricane which floods first?...the tunnel or the bridge. Hence not many ways to escape the area during natural disasters either, but then again people would say several bridges would ruin the views of Hampton Roads. Ohhh, HRBT your the death of me, but a somehow I still love you!! read more

Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels - Thought this pic looked cool. Very abstract looking! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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I almost feel like I have to like/appreciate this bridge because it takes me to and from work. It's amazing when it's clear of extra slow drivers who does not like maintaining the "55mph" speed limit. Personally I love the architecture or this bridge/tunnel but the some of the people who drive through it are the ones who make it less enjoyable to drive through. Everytime I pass this bridge I love looking over to Norfolk Naval Station to peek at the Carriers sitting in the water. read more

Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Hate OK that's a strong word but this tunnel is a great way to travel to... But wait it's really not the tunnels fault it's people/drivers that travels through the tunnel that makes each drive to the other side horrific. People just can't drive! read more

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Haha I didn't know you could review this thing! I am so glad I live south of this tunnel. This has to be THE worst section in the Hampton Roads area. Traffic backs up DAILY--even on the weekends. We unfortunately had to take this tunnel to get through to Hampton and continue on to our destination and on a Saturday--yes a Saturday, we sat in traffic for close to 45 minutes waiting to go through. Could it be an accident? A stalled vehicle? Nope, it was neither. Just slow people afraid to drive through the tunnel. Then, all of a sudden they gain confidence and speed up towards the very end. Hmmm. I can't complain too much because it is a rare occasion indeed when I need to take this thing. I have nothing else to say except its not worth going through the MMBT (Monitor Merrimac) because that usually backs up though not as bad. You really honestly save no time. I wouldn't even recommend this tunnel to my worst enemy. read more

I can't believe this bridge-tunnel use to be such a fixture in my life. We almost sailed through with ease, but of course we ended up slowing down a bit due to traffic. Nonetheless, I love this bridge-tunnel and the views it provides. read more

Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels - Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Definitely dread anytime I have to use this tunnel. In the morning (5am) it's not bad at all however in the afternoons (between 2 and 6) it will be backed up. Don't bother paying attention to the sign either yesterday it said 2 miles = 11 minutes........40 minutes later I made it those 2 miles. Today it only took 20 minutes. I mean it's not the bridges fault. It's a cool concept I guess but unfortunately instead of doing 55 mph through it everyone feels like they have to slam on their breaks and go through it slow as can be. That along with no one wants to let anyone merge coming off the exits before hand and you get traffic backed up for hours read more

Well maintained and convenient. Traffic can suck and if there's an accident in the tunnel you could wait for hours. Still I give 4 stars for the condition rather than basing my review on the traffic. It would be fine if people hit the gas instead of constantly breaking. read more

Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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AVOID! Especially Friday-Monday Memorial Day through Labor Day. BTW if you yelped more than one star are we talking about the same HRBT? read more

Every time I drive under this tunnel, I think to myself, "Wow what a great man-made tunnel." I am always very amazed by how it's build and I appreciate I get to drive on this great tunnels. read more

Usually when I drive through the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels in my Grand Wagoneer, I like to play a game. I try to see how many Budweisers I can finish with my eyes closed before I get to the other side. My buddy Larry and I try to break each other's record. Once Larry was able to finish 11 Budweisers, but he slowed down to 20 MPH. After that, we put some rules in place. Now we have 3 rules. 1) Eyes stay closed 2) You can't go under 55 MPH 3) No passengers or help There are two hard parts about this. One, knowing how fast you are going while your eyes are closed; and two, opening the Budweiser cans while your eyes are closed. Since I can't see my speedometer while my eyes are closed, I open the window and throw my left arm out there to get an estimate. I used to be a city bus driver and used to do this all the time before I got fired. To help me be able to open the Budweisers while my eyes are closed, I keep about 18 of them in the passenger seat and wrap the lap belt around them. This way, if I drop one, I can just grab another real quick like. I trust that Larry follows the rules. Since then, I have the record at 6 1/2 Budweisers. read more

20 years ago I sat in a transportation symposium discussing the future of transport in Hampton Roads.the key speaker back then said if we do not add another crossing. The average morning drive wait will increase to 30 minutes a day. He was absolutely correct as we sit each morning for 30 minutes and that's if there are no accidents or bad weather and they are just starting to discuss a third crossing read more

As far as tunnels go this is one of the best. Minimal leaks, saves a lot of time vs. catching a ferry or buying a boat. Pro's: relatively dry, cozy, electric lights, goes. east & west. Con's: lack of natural lighting, lot of concrete, not a lot of greenery, no car-side service during backups, exhaust fumes. Overall, I would recommend this tunnel to anyone not wanting to swim for a couple of hours or take the James River Bridge. Also, traffic would be better if people drove at least the speed limit in the tunnel and stop tapping their brakes. read more