Pictured above, President Michael, Annalysce Baker (Communications Manager), Martha Gross, and George Compo
The Program
Virginia has embarked on the largest infrastructure project in the state’s history aimed at reducing the congestion at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. It includes the widening of 10 miles of interstate including new twin two-lane tunnels, replacing five existing bridges, and widening 23 more bridges. Impressively, this 3.8 billion dollar project is being funded by regional gasoline and sales taxes for 92% of the project while the state and federal governments will provide the remaining 8% in funding. Completion is scheduled for November 2025. It will alter the experience for those making the 3.5-mile crossing. Click here to see a conceptual video of HRBT from Hampton to Norfolk.
It is not the first time that the HRBT has been at the forefront of road construction in Virginia. Before it was opened in 1957, the only means of getting directly from the Southside to the Peninsula was by ferry which might not run in bad weather and where drivers had to wait their turn in line. Originally a two-lane tunnel, the cost was $1.25 ($11 in today’s money). The current two tunnel configuration was opened in 1976. The expansion will take the HRBT to eight lanes, four going in each direction.
Our speaker, Martha Gross is the first person hired by VDOT to be the HBRT technical director. With an undergraduate degree from Penn State with Honors in History and a Masters’ in Civil Engineering and an MBA and Ph.D. In civil engineering from Virginia Tech, she previously had worked on tunnels and bridges including the Tappan Zee bridge in New York. Before being named the HBRT technical director, she worked for Tidewater Skanska.
Historically the tunnels in the Hampton Roads area were constructed via the immersed tube method because of the soft marine soils. This time, the tunnel will be constructed with a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) which is being built by Herrenknect in Germany and should arrive in the United States late this year. The TBM is named “Mary” after Mary Winston Jackson, the NASA engineer who did manual computing which enabled the space flights. Mary Jackson was featured in the 2016 movie Hidden Figures.
“Mary” will bore twin tunnels each measuring 46 feet in diameter. Concurrently with the boring, “Mary” will lay a shell for the tunnel. Because of “Mary,” the HRBT tunnels will be 50 feet deeper than the current tunnel which should allow for years of marine traffic with keels of greater depth. Click to see a video of the TBM “Mary.”
The Meeting
- Dr. Robert Archer, the chair of psychology at EVMS and a potential club member was introduced by John Cameron.
- Sally Hartman introduced Kay Stein, the Vice President of Development for Hampton Roads Community Foundation.
- Randall Garrett, who is in modeling simulation and a former member of the Hampton Roads Rotary Club, was a guest of Brian McGuire even though Brian missed the meeting as he was getting his quarterly infusion therapy. Randall is interested in rejoining Rotary.
Visitation
Colin McKinnon’s daughter has taken a turn for the worse and your prayers are requested. She was grievously injured while walking her dog last spring.
Happy Bucks
Rotarians filled the coffers yesterday.
- Judge Joe Massey is celebrating the $100,000 grant by the Hampton Roads Community Foundation to Prime Plus; for his former neighbor, Bob Archer; and so that Rotarian Sigur wouldn’t talk about the Tar Heel victory over his Blue Devils.
- Lisa Chandler also had many things to celebrate. Her birthday was last month, her anniversary was in April, she has a new car, her daughter and son-in-law have been with them for two months as their home in California is being renovated, and that she was not wearing her Rotary pin.
- Lorna Cochrane has just returned from a visit to Canada.
- Donald Dohmann and his wife, Laura, are celebrating 21 years of wedded bliss. Even better, Laura who has battled stage 3 breast cancer is now in remission. He is also looking for two teams to participate in the upcoming Salvation Army tournament.
- Chris Bugg “outted” Konner Pritchard and Dianna Starkey at a Chamber event at the Marriott right before our meeting. Neither of them was wearing their Rotary pin.