A Message from Project Leadership
Ryan Banas, Project Director
|
|
|
Spring is in the air which usually coincides with the official kick-off to construction season, but the HRBT Expansion Project has been busy all winter long making great strides. We are nearing the completion of Virginia’s first bored tunnel – less than 100 feet separates Mary the TBM from breaking through at the North Island receiving pit. Over her journey, Mary has mined more than 7,900 feet of soil and installed more than 1,175 rings for our first of two new tunnels.
|
|
While the tunnel will not be completely finished for several more months while drainage, roadway, lighting, ventilation, and safety systems are installed, this is one of the most anticipated milestones for the project. As we are often reminded; more men have been on the moon then the number of tunnels built using this technology. Stay tuned for news regarding the Mary’s breakthrough in the coming days!
Hampton Roads motorists will soon be able to utilize one of the project’s three new marine trestles constructed across the Hampton Roads harbor. Later this spring, traffic will be shifted onto the new North Trestle connecting Hampton to the North Island. While you’ll be on the new bridge, you will still be using the existing tunnel. This traffic shift will allow crews to demolish the existing eastbound bridge and to continue efforts on the westbound structure.
Not to be overlooked, along Interstate 64, crews have made significant progress on the roadway and bridges. The first phase of Mallory Street overpass is nearing completion, retaining walls, drainage, and newly added bridge decks spanning the widened Willoughby Bay, Oastes Creek and Mason Creek Bridges abound. The sheer volume and scope of work being completed on a daily basis throughout the corridor is incredible.
|
|
National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 15 through 19. In 2022, 891 people died in work zone incidents. While this week was established to spread awareness across the country and honor those lives lost, we need your help to make sure work zone safety is top-of-mind year-round. This year’s theme is “Work Zones are temporary. Actions behind the wheel can last forever.” Please be mindful as you enter a work zone you’re driving through our office. Each and every person who helps deliver projects like the HRBT Expansion is a daughter or son with a mother, father, spouse, or child waiting at home each evening. It’s in our control to help them arrive back home each night the way they left that morning. You can do your part by putting down your phone, obeying posted speed limits, focusing on the road, and staying alert to changing traffic patterns.
Stay Safe,
Ryan Banas
|
|
Construction Advances on Mallory Street Bridge in Hampton
Concrete Pour on First Half of New Mallory Street Bridge
|
|
As construction work on the HRBT Expansion Project advances, Hampton Roads Connector Partners (HRCP) construction crews have made loads of progress on the first half of the new Mallory Street Bridge in Hampton.
|
|
Sunset during final Inspection of the deck before commencement of the concrete pour
|
|
Concrete pour using boom pump on new Mallory Street Bridge deck above I-64
|
|
As the only bridge on the project that crosses over I-64, special measures had to be taken to perform the concrete deck pour above the interstate while maintaining traffic flow on the roadway below. This included the installation of false decking above the eastbound and westbound right lanes of I-64 under the bridge and the closing of the eastbound and westbound left lanes under the bridge during the pour. Another measure taken to safeguard the operation was working with the City of Hampton to close one lane of traffic on the existing Mallory Street Bridge and to place the concrete pump truck right next to the deck being poured, instead of placing the pump truck down below in the I-64 median.
|
|
Deck of new side (south side) of Mallory Street Bridge before concrete pour
|
|
A primary constraint on this operation was time: HRCP needed to have the concrete pour above the westbound lane of I-64 completed by 3 a.m. to allow for the removal of traffic barrels and the opening of the closed lane by 5 a.m. Crews had to be off Mallory Street Bridge by 5:30 a.m. to accommodate morning rush hour traffic. The construction team successfully met these time constraint challenges. The 6-hour pour, consisting of over 200 cubic yards of concrete to the bridge via 21 concrete trucks, began at 11 p.m. and was finished at 5 a.m.
|
|
Deck of new side (south side) of Mallory Street Bridge after concrete pour
|
|
Still to come before shifting traffic onto the new southern half of the bridge is relocating the deck’s waterline, backfilling abutments, and pouring the approach slabs to the new bridge. Once traffic is shifted later this year, crews will demolish the old northern side and begin constructing the new second half of the bridge.
Travel advisories and notices will be posted in advance of the traffic shift to alert motorists and pedestrians of the new traffic pattern.
|
|
EQUIPPED TO BUILD: The Finisher
|
|
Across the corridor from Hampton to Norfolk, bridge widenings for the HRBT Expansion Project are moving along. One of the most critical pieces of equipment to bridge progress is a 10,473-pound concrete bridge deck paver known as a Bid-Well. The “Kleenex” of pavers, this machine pioneered by the Bid-Well company, has become synonymous with concrete finishing in the construction industry.
With several of these yellow steel giants positioned throughout the project, the Bid-Well machine is a major cornerstone in the ten-mile roadway transformation. They have made recent appearances on the Mallory Street, Bay Avenue, Willoughby Bay Bridge, and the South Trestle as pictured in Image 1. But how does this marvel of engineering work?
First, the crew must pour the concrete, which our team accomplishes using a crane, conveyer, or pump truck like the red one in Image 2.
|
|
Then, they bring in the Bid-Well to finish the job. Picture a massive rectangular frame mounted on wheels. As it travels across the bridge’s surface, the Bid-Well machine uses rotating screws to flatten and level the freshly poured concrete to a workable level. Next, vibrating rollers work back and forth over the top of the concrete to bring it to its final elevation, ensure no air bubbles exist, and to provide a flat surface. Last, the Bid-Well drags wet burlap over the deck to provide a slightly roughened surface to help aid in vehicle traction. Take the newly paved Mallory Street Bridge shown in Image 3 as an example.
|
|
The machine moves carefully, covering large areas of the deck with ease. Its precision controls allow for adjustments in speed and depth, to adapt to unique features of each bridge section. The result? Smooth and reliable bridges ready to withstand the test of time.
|
|
HRBT EXPANSION MAGAZINE | WINTER 2024
|
|
Historic milestones and prehistoric finds! If you think the project newsletter is an adventure, you’ll love the latest edition of the quarterly magazine. Dig deeper into the latest updates from on, around, and between the islands. Much has happened since Summer 2023, from unexpected discoveries to the making of more tunnel segments and VDOT history.
Even with some major milestones behind us, there are exciting updates anticipated throughout 2024. Read about it all and take a closer look at changes to the corridor at https://bit.ly/4cyGpjN.
|
|
Celebrating National Engineers Week
|
|
Since February 1951, the National Society of Professional Engineers has led the nation in a celebrating the influence of engineers on our ever-changing world. Engineers have had a hand in most major technological advances from the evolution of cars to the roads and bridges that carry them. There’s no shortage of roads or bridges in the HRBT footprint, and the success of our project relies on the know-how of civil, electrical, mechanical, industrial, structural and other engineers who work together to transform an intricate design into drivable infrastructure.
|
|
This year’s theme, Welcome to the Future, is a nod to engineers’ incredible ability to think forward and bring change to life. Though our efforts to promote engineering are year-round, we spent Engineers Week (February 18 – 24, 2024) sharing some of the challenges we’ve overcome along the way with fellow STEM leaders at the Jefferson Lab in Newport News.
|
|
Breaking Waves: Women Shaping the Future of Maritime Construction - Nauticus, Norfolk
|
|
March is Women’s History Month, and the HRBT Expansion Project Team took the opportunity to engage with Hampton Roads residents and visitors at this year’s Nauticus Women in Maritime Day. The event featured activities, crafts, and programs highlighting women’s historical contributions to the maritime industry. HRBT Expansion, alongside a host of other community partners, shared project details, construction updates, and displayed the 12-foot tunnel boring machine model.
That’s not all team members packed for the excursion to Nauticus. They also brought along microphones and a mixer for a special recording of HRBT Tunnel Talk: A Boring Podcast live from the Nauticus theatre.
The next episode will feature Sofia O’Brien, HRCP Project Engineer for Island Expansion and Linh Do, Construction Engineer for VDOT. Tune in to our online newsroom later this month for a deeper dive into the world of engineering trestles and bridges.
|
|
Women in Construction: Keys to the Future
|
|
In celebration of Women in Construction (WIC) Week, March 3 – 9, 2024, Hampton Roads Connector Partners (HRCP) led the project team in acknowledging and amplifying the invaluable contributions of women on the HRBT Expansion.
Throughout the month, HRCP highlighted women serving in a wide range of roles. These active WIC shared their history on the project, the path that led them to a career in construction, their most memorable achievement, and their role models. The women’s diverse backgrounds, expertise, and dedication exemplify the evolving culture of the construction industry. From engineers to project managers, women bring a wealth of skillsets to the project. Their influence in civil engineering, contract management, logistics, and construction to name a few, play a pivotal part in the project's success.
Beyond providing technical knowledge, the women on the team are a critical source of leadership, communication and solutions. Their influence on this historic transformation not only diversifies the regional and international workforce but also serves as a platform for broadened innovation and inclusivity, inspiring future generations of women to pursue careers in construction.
Meet some of the women making waves on the HRBT
|
|
Ariana Jackson
HRCP, Office Administrator
|
|
Evelyn Genuino
VDOT, Resident Engineer
|
|
Jordan Tate
HRCP, Survey Party Chief
|
|
Martha Gross
VDOT, Major Projects Manager
|
|
Sabrina Reillo
Safety Administrator
|
|
|
Building Bigger & Better
Sofia O’Brien, HRPC’s Project Engineer - Island Expansion
|
|
Meet Sofia, Project Engineer for island expansions on the HRBT Expansion Project. With new tunnels and larger bridge structures being constructed, the islands must be enlarged and equipped for a variety of supporting functions that range from housing the tunnel operations center and other buildings to launching and receiving the 430 feet long tunnel boring machine.
Thanks to the bridge-tunnel’s rich history as the first roadway tunnel built between two artificial islands, Sofia and the other members of her team aren’t starting from scratch but rather enhancing the legacy of the HRBT to connect the region through innovation once again. Read more...
|
|
Get In the Know, and Then Go!
|
|
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!”
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|