HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — A groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday to mark the start of the $3.8 billion Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion Project.

Gov. Ralph Northam and state officials stressed how the major project, the largest in Virginia’s history, will both improve the quality of life for residents and help increase economic activity.

“For too long, traffic in the Hampton Roads region has bottlenecked at the tunnel,” Northam said. “Folks in this region deserve an easier, more reliable commute. This is the largest project in our history, and it will ensure that people can move around faster, that commerce flows more easily, and that we finally connect the Peninsula and the Southside. This project will make everyone’s lives easier when it is completed.”

The $3.8 billion expansion is expected to be complete by Nov. 2025 and will widen the current four-lane segments of the 1-64 HRBT corridor in Norfolk and Hampton, as well as bore new twin tunnels. It carries a hefty price tag, but is expected to pay off in the long run, with a projected $5 billion-plus economic impact for the state.

The expansion will increase capacity, ease major congestion, and enhance travel time reliability.

In addition to remarks from Northam and the event premiered a concept video that takes viewers on a visual tour of the I-64 widening project between Hampton and Norfolk, including the new twin tunnels.

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