NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Westbound traffic is open again at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel a day after a tractor-trailer hauling an excavator crashed into the tunnel, causing a traffic backup late into Monday evening and leaving behind a long-term repair project for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).
At 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 14, the truck crashed into the tunnel, shutting down all westbound traffic for almost four hours. The shutdown sent traffic into a frenzy across Hampton Roads as southside travelers were forced to find another way to get to the peninsula.
Emergency roadwork caused delays in westbound lanes of I-64 at HRBT
Over-height detection sensors are installed on both sides of the HRBT according to VDOT. Drivers are signaled to pull away from the tunnel entrance if they set these sensors off, but it is possible for them to disregard these warnings. VDOT is figuring out if additional warning methods are needed.
VDOT crews found that the hit damaged multiple ceiling panels at the tunnel entrance. Right around 2:15 p.m., one lane of westbound traffic was shut down to carefully remove the heavy panels and replace them with temporary wood paneling…