Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday that Virginia has selected a contractor to build two new tunnels and widen a major highway in Hampton Roads. The $3.3 billion price tag — funded by regional gas and sales taxes, tolls and other sources — makes it one of the two biggest transportation projects in commonwealth history.
Northam (D) touted the deal, saying he is “proud of the hard work and negotiations that have taken place over this past year,” and state Sen. Frank W. Wagner (R-Virginia Beach) in return offered praise for the embattled governor.
“I want to personally thank Governor Northam and his team for making this day possible,” Wagner said in a statement.
The winning consortium, Hampton Roads Connector Partners, is led by the U.S. arm of the Spanish construction firm Dragados. Plans call for a large boring machine to dig under the soft floor of a vital commercial and military channel, a construction method transportation officials said will cut down on disruptions to shipping traffic.
A pair of two-lane tunnels will be added, and Interstate 64’s four lanes will expand to eight during rush hour. The project is slated for completion in November 2025.
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