This Underwater Tunnel In Virginia Has A Truly Fascinating Backstory
If you’ve never taken the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, you’re in for a spectacular — and slightly jarring — experience as you cross this bridge and underwater tunnel in Virginia. This 23-mile gateway to the Chesapeake Bay is a true feat of engineering, especially considering that a significant portion of the structure is completely underwater. How else could vehicles so easily access Virginia’s beautiful Eastern Shore? Here’s more on this longest underwater tunnel in Virginia and its fascinating history:
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is a fixed link crossing that connects the cities of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Portsmouth with Northampton County on the Eastern Shore.
It's the lone tunnel that goes under water in Virginia, although there are several other bridge tunnels in the state.
The CBBT opened on April 15th, 1964, when it replaced a vehicle ferry service that had been in place since the 1930s. Today, this impressive bridge remains one of only 10 in the world of this nature.
You really have to drive through the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel to appreciate how truly amazing it is.
The proposed route intersected two major Atlantic shipping channels, and instead of going above the open waters, engineers put in place bridge-tunnels which could carry traffic underwater. Each tunnel portion is anchored by a series of man-made islands.
Have you driven through this tunnel that goes under water in Virginia? If not, add it to your bucket list.
The construction and engineering process of putting an underwater tunnel in place was no easy feat. The technique involved digging a large ditch, lowering a section of tunnel suspended by cable, aligning the sections and bolting them together, pumping out the water, and covering the tunnel.
Since its original construction, the bridge in VA has undergone various expansion projects to increase the number of lanes. Most significant was the completion of a parallel bridge in 1999 that opened to four-lane traffic.
It’s estimated that no fewer than 130 million commercial and passenger vehicles have used the bridge since its opening. The direct route saves travelers nearly 100 miles of driving.
Curious to see the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in action? Watch the brief video below, which was captured by a drone flying high above the Chesapeake Bay:
What are your thoughts on this incredible structure? Do you drive the CBBT often? Be sure to share your thoughts about this bridge in VA with us! Then get a glimpse of the adventure that awaits on a journey across the tallest bridge in Virginia.
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A lifelong Virginia resident, Beth loves exploring different parts of the world and currently resides in Charlottesville. She holds a degree in English Literature and one of her short stories has been featured in the Shenandoah Review. Other interests include hiking, songwriting, and spending time in the mountains.
