HAMPTON, Va. — If you're heading to Virginia Beach or anywhere in Hampton Roads, a major construction milestone may affect your travel plans, but big relief is on the horizon.
The Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel expansion project, a $4 billion effort to improve one of the area's most critical crossings, just hit a significant milestone: Mary, the tunnel boring machine that dug two brand-new tunnels beneath Hampton Roads harbor, has completed her work and is being removed from the site.
What does this mean for your trip?
The two newly bored tunnels are now in their final outfitting phase.
Crews are installing roadway surfaces, ventilation systems, lighting, and other safety features needed before the tunnels can open to traffic.
The project is expected to wrap up by spring 2027.
Once open, the new tunnels should provide relief at one of the region's busiest bottlenecks meaning shorter backups and smoother crossings for visitors making their way to and from the beach.
What to expect now
Until that opening arrives, you should be prepared for some disruptions along the way.
Traffic shifts are planned throughout the year on both the Norfolk and Hampton sides of the crossing, as well as during the crossing itself.
Project Director Ryan Banas has a heads-up specifically for spring and summer visitors:
"This time of year especially, really just slow down, leave plenty of room, and the sooner that we can complete this, the sooner the public can use it, and we all get home just a little bit quicker."
Bottom line for vacationers: Build in extra travel time when crossing Hampton Roads, especially during peak summer season.
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