By james art 
January 29, 2025
The parallel project for the Thimble Shoal tunnel on the Bay Bay Bay Bay Bay Tunnel bridge reached a significant moment on January 27, when Tunnel Boring Machine’s chassis reached its final destination, piercing the host pit of two islands on Thimble Shoal Channel. After temporary reinforcing supports and steel beam are removed from the receiving wall, SSI will complete its last hours of extraction.
Fred Stan, chairman of the CBBT Commission, said: “Today it celebrates a proud moment for the whole team participating in this project. The parallel tunnel is a key component for increasing the safety and efficiency of this vital transport connection and demonstrates the CBBT committee commitment to increase infrastructure and ensure the long -term resistance to the Bay Bay Bay Bridge. ”
The yield for this two-band, approximately one mile long tunnel begins in February 2023. In May 2023, the Shssito struck an obstacle, later definitely an anchor on a large ship produced in England in the early 20th century. Meeting obstacles during tunnel is not uncommon, but this impact has led to an additional eight months of construction to safely eliminate the obstacle. Tunnel resumed almost a year later in May 2024, an average of 50 feet per day.
According to Jeff Holland, CBBT CEO, “this breakthrough represents the culmination of extensive planning, the precision of engineering and complex construction work during the planned and unplanned tunnel extraction phases. We are especially welcomed work crews that have operated in a high -risk environment to eliminate anchor obstruction without injury or loss of life. This engineering achievement marks a major step forward to increase safety, connectivity and infrastructure for many passengers who rely on CBBT. ”
The boring tunnel used for this project was designed and built by Herrenknecht from Germany. With a 43 -foot cutter with a diameter and a total length of 308 feet, this giant machine was appropriately called Chessie from the then 6th grade Grace Bentley from Nandua Secondary School in a naming competition throughout the region. In the course of the yield, approximately 500,000 cubic yards soil and install nearly 10,000 concrete segments, each weighing 10 tonnes.
The design contractor for this project is a joint venture Chesapeake Tunnel (CTJV), a team consisting of Dragados USA and Schiavone Construction Company, LLC. The two sister companies are part of ACS Dragados from Spain, the world leader in underground construction, which has received more than 550 underground projects and have completed more than 940 miles of tunnels through all types of geological conditions.
John Helman, CEO of the Dragados USA project, says: “Today it was a monumental day for the JV Tunnel Chesapeake team, A Dragados and Schiavone joint venture. Our TBM ‘Chessie,’ 43.5-foot diameter Herrenknecht TBM, broke through the main wall to finish the tunnel driven with a mileage length for the parallel tunnel of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel tunnel. This new tunnel will help to ensure a less congested and more favored driving experience for travelers directed between Virginia Beach and the east coast of Virginia. Thank you and congratulations to everyone involved in this incredible project. ”
Looking forward, the CTJV will start constructing the roadway inside the tunnel, installing electrical/mechanical systems and constructing supporting buildings. Once completed, the new tunnel will wear two lanes to the south and the existing tunnel will wear two lanes of movement to the north. The current project completion forecast is in early 2028.
Click here to see a short breakthrough video that happened on Monday, January 27, 2025.