The Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission (HRTAC) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) have reached a funding agreement that will allow for an expansion of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (HRBT) — the largest transportation project in Virginia’s history.
In all, the project will add a pair of two-lane bored tunnels and expand interstate capacity along a 10 mile stretch of Interstate 64, thanks to a $3.85 billion investment. It will be designed and built by Hampton Roads Connector Partners, with a deadline of Nov. 1, 2025. The full details of a construction contract have yet to be hammered out, however, VDOT said there will be an early completion incentive involved.
“The PAFA (Project Agreement for Funding and Administration) we are authorizing today would not be possible without unprecedented cooperation between HRTAC’s local and state leaders, VDOT and the Commonwealth Transportation Board,” HRTAC Chairman Michael Hipple said. “Together, we have worked to provide regional solutions and partnerships that ensure future congestion relief and connectivity throughout the region.”
Funds paid to the project will come from regional sales and gas taxes. HRTAC is in charge of 95 percent of the project’s funding, while the remainder will come from the Commonwealth’s SMART SCALE program and VDOT itself.
“With over one billion dollars of regional funding already invested by HRTAC in congestion relief projects under construction by VDOT, HRTAC’s funding commitment to the HRBT expansion is truly another major milestone for Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth,” Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Alexander said.