Bridge-Tunnel Is D.Ed.Ica Ted
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VIRGINIA HIGH'NAV BULLETIN Issued monthly by the Virginia Department of Highways as a medium of departmental news and educational information. commi ssione, J. A. ANDERSON chief engineer F. A. DAVIS editor FLOYD H. MIHILL editorial assistant SYLVIA JUSTA vori-typi st VIRGINIA HIRSHBERG J. L. AILSTOCK photographers W. T. HEATH art JAY RDSE multigraphed by CHARLES HOLMES, JR. Published under the direction of the Public Information Office. Cover: The Hampton Roads Bridge• Tunnel, Photo by TV & Motion Picture Productions, Inc, bridge-tunnel is d.ed.icated. The elements did their best co proach, the official party stopped upstage the November 1 dedication just long enough for Mrs. Anderson ceremomes of the Hampton Roads to cut the ribbon stretched across Bridge-Tunnel, turning Willoughby the roadway. Here a speakers' stand Spic into a Wagnerian setting of wind had been erected, but its fate and lashing rain chat forced the seemed precarious as the strong speakers to retire to the comparative winds whipped through its dec quiet of television studios in Hamp· orations of red, white, and blue ton. Nevertheless, the dedication bunting, tearing them to shreds. Be was carried out in fine style, with sides, there were few p e op I e on predictions chat the area not only hand to witness what was certainly will receive enormous benefits one of the most significant economically, but will eventually occasions in Virginia's history. merge into one huge metropolis. A cavalcade of about 100 cars High waves buffeted the ferry then proceeded over the bridge, Hampton Roads as it made its last which was only 16 feet above the trip across the waterway before whitecaps because of the high tide. being decommissioned. Aboard it As they passed through the 8,674- were Governor and Mrs. Stanley and fooc tunnel, many persons expressed members of the official party. The a feeling of eeriness, for it was hard boat, which crossed from Old Point to believe that chis white-tiled, Comfort, docked at Willoughby on well-ventilated passageway lay the Norfolk side at 11: 10 a. m. beneath the raging waters they had Commissioner Anderson, standing on just seen. the forward main deck, then gave the Only ten min u c es after Mrs. word to Captain J. E. Hall on the Anderson had cue the ribbon at bridge to lower the ferry's flags. Willoughby, Mrs. Stanley· cut the Both the national ensign and the ribbon at the toll plaza on the Hamp· Virginia state flag were promptly ton side. The remaining dedication lowered as a symbol of the de ceremonies were then held at tele I commissioning of the 10-boac fleet, vision studios in Hampton. Begin which has plied the waters of Hamp ning at noon, the ceremonies lasted ton Roads for more than 40 years. an hour and fifteen minutes, after At the Willoughby bridge ap· which the official party and guests '. Above: Mrs, Anderson cuts the ribbon on the Norfolk side, Photo by TV and Motion Picture Productions, Inc, Below: Mrs, Stanley cuts the ribbon on the Hampton side, Photo by Virginia Chamber of Commerce, moved to the Chamberlin Hotel for a Harry 0. Nichols, president of the reception and luncheon, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Mayor George C. Bentley, of Nichols said chat such a merger Hampton, who was one of the would create a city of more than speakers at the ceremony, suggested 600,000 persons, which would, with eventual consolidation of the Hamp- the exception of Miami, be the ton Roads area under a borough plan largest city south of Washington, of government-a recommendation Commissioner Ander son accepted also expressed by another speaker, the bridge-tunnel facility from 2 William Denny, vice-president of nom1c advancement of this entire Merritt-Chapman and Scott Corpora region." tion, the general contractor for the Both the Governor and Com project. Summing up the benefits m1 ss10ner Anderson paid tribute to that will derive from the $60,000,000 the many people who had a part in crossing, the Commissioner said: making the ceremonies possible, "With this bridge-tunnel we have Both pointed out the problems other de strayed distance and conquered than those of engineering that time.'' made the project d i ff i c u 1 t to Sp e akin g in a similar vein, achieve, and they cited the coopera Governor Stanley said: "The magni tion and understanding by which tude of this project, the intricate these problems were surmounted. engineering skills required for its In conclusion, the Governor said: design and construction, and the "I cannot refrain from expressing a importance of its place 1n our word of appreciation to our dis transportation system are factors tinguished commissioner, General which make this occasion today a James A. Anderson, and to the fine memorable one in the history of personnel of the Highway Depart Virginia. The project is the most ment. Their able and loyal service costly unit in our revenue bond is a credit to the Commonwealth and system, and that in itself attracts sets an example to be emulated considerable interest and attention; everywhere. To them, to the but I am s at is fie d that the designers and builders of this $60,000,000 expended in its con project, to the people of the Hamp struction not only will be rapidly ton Roads area, and to the citizens repaid by the users, but that the of all Virginia, I extend my warm establishment of this crossing will congratulations as we now dedicate accelerate the industrial and eco- this great facility," Banquet scene at the Hotel Chamberlin, following the dedication, Photo by Photo Craftsmen, Inc, A DREAM FULFILLED by James A, Anderson Stace Highway Commissioner "· For more than 40 years, far· both sides of Hampton Roads: sighted men and women of Hampton First, there is the all-important Roads have lent their support to the factor of ttrne. The: approach roads, idea of a rapid and safe means of bridges, and tunne I will cut approx• communication between the Penin imately 45 minutes from a trip from sula and the Norfolk areas, The Norfolk to Hampton: 30 minutes of $60,000,000 Hampton Roads Bridge· driving time, and perhaps 15 min Tunnel, the longest trench-type utes of waiting time, if a ferry is tunnel in the world, is the culmina· missed, Travel time between other tion of their efforts. points also has been reduced. ~I any groups were involved in Second, the tunnel should be a planning and constructing this toll big selling point in bringing new facility, The agencies of the federal industry into the area, When you government and the cities of Hamp touch traffic you touch an economic ton Roads have had important roles. nerve, The bridge-tunnel will mean The partnership that led to the that incoming anJ outgoing ship• successful completion of this pro· ments by highway can be made ject once again has proven that a faster and more easily. Business highway does not and should not and indu~try will be able to draw dead-end at a political boundary. employees from the entire area. The bridge-tunnel system will aid effective, realistic, long-range Experience also has shown that planning by the local governments, highway facilities are improved, business leaders, and private The bridge-tunnel, the Rappahan• citizens in the Hampton Roads area. nock River Bridge, George P. Cole Let us consider what the tunnel man Memorial Bridge at Yorktown, will mean to the people living on and the James River Uridge are 4 important links rn an integrated Approximately 6, iOO vehicles are system that affords rapid and con expected to use the project dail} venient travel between the Hampton during its first years. By 1980, daily Roads area and Baltimore, Washing travel is expected to have increased ton, Richmond, and points south. to 10,000 per day. The increase in In event of a national emergency, the tunnel's use will be the direct the bridge-tunnel system would aid result of the tunnel itself: without in handling the huge flow of military it, continued growth of the port area traffic that would flood the Hampton undouutedly would be serious I y Roads area. liampered. THE ENGINEERING JOB Over 72 years of continuous of the underwater tunnel, for the engineering practice and consider placement of these tubes rn the able experience with projects in the tunnel trencli, and for the construc Norfolk area preceded the work of tion of the porrnl islands were the consulting engineers-Parsons, awarded in the fall of 1954. Despite Brinckerhoff, llall & \1acdonald-in the hurricanes experienced in the their design of the llampton Roads Norfolk area in 1954 and 1955, the Bridge-Tunnel crossing. Since late tubes were set smoothly and in good 1n May, 195.3, c;iis fir.., has been alignment without encountering any responsible for both the clesign and major problems. However, the storms the supervision of construction of prompted the deve loprncnt of greater this unusual 3' 2-mile-long water protective measures for the portal crossing. islands, and the installation of tide The first stage of the work was gates at both portals of the tunnel. the engineering report, which sum• These gates provide for the tunnel's marized the initial studies and closing in case of emergency. presented rireliminary plans, cost Concurrent with the design of the estimates, and a schedule for con· tunnel and portal islands, contract struction. It was submitted to the plans were prepared for the tre stlc Department of Highways in August, bridges from Willoughby ::irit to the 195·1, and was followed in closely south island and from the north spaced stages by the submission island to the Hampton shore.