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Why VDOT is reducing lanes around the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel for the next three years

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HAMPTON, Va. - The latest traffic shift around the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) project is in place.

It began Sunday night when traffic was reduced to two lanes headed eastbound between Rip Rap and Settlers Landing roads.

It follows the traffic also shifting westbound to two lanes.

VDOT says the lane shifts are needed for the construction of express lanes.

Eventually, there will be four lanes in each direction with two of the lanes being express lanes.

VDOT says the lane reductions will be in place through 2026.

Roadwork is also happening in Norfolk, where crews have reduced traffic under the overpass at 13th View Street to one lane.

Crews are installing a storm drain and doing other work as the expansion project continues and have put up a temporary traffic light.

Scott Bowden, who lives nearby, says the configuration of the traffic light is blocking his driveway.

"It's very frustrating, especially after doing everything I can to talk to people about fixing it," Bowden told WTKR.

He says he's asked VDOT to move the stop bar, so it's no longer blocking his driveway.

A spokesperson for VDOT says the stop bar was put there in accordance with their standards and they say it would be unsafe if they moved, but they say they'll put up more signs to notify people not to block the driveway.

"Project crews will continue to monitor the situation to ensure the operation is conducted in a safe manner," the spokesperson said.

Earlier this month, WTKR reported on the expansion project's progress thus far, which they say is running about a year behind schedule.

They faced questions last month about contracting work going longer than it was supposed to, leading to delays on two mornings.

"Any impact we have to the traveling public is too much and our goal here on this project is to minimize impacts to the traveling public," Ryan Banas, project director for the HRBT Expansion, told WTKR.

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