No less challenging than construction of the original span, this project once again drew focus to a remarkable achievement in engineering and construction. With the number of ships including the number of passengers and vehicles they transported increasing steadily, the Virginia General Assembly stepped in to create the Chesapeake Bay Ferry District and the Chesapeake Bay Ferry Commission as the governing body of the District; subsequently the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel District and Commission.
In , the General Assembly authorized the Ferry Commission to explore the construction of a fixed crossing. Results of the study indicated a crossing was feasible and recommended a series of bridges and tunnels. Monies collected by future tolls were pledged to pay the principal and interest on these bonds.
No local, state or federal tax money was used in the construction of the project. In April — just 42 months after construction began — the Bridge-Tunnel opened to traffic and ferry service was discontinued. From shore to shore, the Bridge-Tunnel measures Although individual components are not the longest or largest ever built, the Bridge-Tunnel is unique in the number of different types of structures it includes. In addition, construction was accomplished under the severe conditions imposed by hurricanes, northeasters, and the unpredictable Atlantic Ocean.
The Bridge-Tunnel was officially named the Lucius J. Construction work is currently focused on demolishing the old bridge, completing the new westbound structure, and constructing a new interchange at 17th Avenue in Pensacola. To minimize traffic impacts during the construction program, lane closures will be limited to overnight hours, 8 p.
Otherwise, four lanes of traffic will remain open. Access to private property adjacent to U. Stay Connected:. Toggle navigation. More: Pandemic stalls study for third Chesapeake Bay Bridge span. Critics also have pointed to the coronavirus pandemic as a reason to reconsider the span. The virus and resulting lockdowns have upended the way people live and work, with many telecommuting and choosing vacations closer to home.
Bridge opponents have pushed the state to consider other modes of travel to get people across the bay. In the page report, the authority did outline four potential alternatives to a bridge: electronic no-stop tolling, a ferry service, bus rapid transit and a new rail line.
The agency eliminated all of those as standalone options and permanently nixed any consideration of a rail line, which it deemed prohibitively expensive. The remaining alternatives, however, will continue to be analyzed as possibilities implemented in combination with each other, or with the new bridge, if the effort moves forward. And the change to electronic tolling is already under way.
To get public feedback, the state has scheduled four call-in sessions and two in-person meetings, all in April. Comments are being accepting until May The call-in hearings are set for p. To register to provide testimony, call
0コメント