A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Friday morning to celebrate the opening of the Elizabeth River Tunnels project in Norfolk, Va.
The $2.1 billion project created a new two-lane tunnel under the Elizabeth River, upgraded the Midtown and Downtown tunnels and extended the MLK Expressway.
Although the new Midtown Tunnel and the MLK Expressway extension have been finished for awhile, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and other transportation leaders decided to celebrate the completion of the projects, which wrapped up a year ahead of schedule.
The projects span Norfolk and Portsmouth, with the idea being that they will alleviate congestion for motorists, saving them time on their commute.
VDOT is in charge of the next big tunnel project, expanding the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT). The $3 billion effort is on track to be one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country. Construction is expected to start in 2024.
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Source: WAVY-TV (Portsmouth, Va.); WVEC-TV (Norfolk, Va.)
