VDOT: Westbound HRBT reopens early as rain cuts repaving work short

NORFOLK, Va. — The westbound lanes of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel reopened ahead of schedule Saturday evening after crews completed part of the planned repaving work.

The Interstate 64 HRBT had been scheduled to remain closed westbound toward Hampton until 5 a.m. Monday as part of a full weekend closure for tunnel repaving.

VDOT said crews worked from Friday night through Saturday to mill, pave and add pavement markings to one of the tunnel's two westbound travel lanes.

However, the second lane will have to wait.

VDOT said the amount and duration of rain forecast for Sunday would make conditions unsuitable to complete the remaining work to the expected quality. With one lane finished and weather preventing crews from continuing Sunday, VDOT decided to reopen the tunnel early and restore the major connection between the Southside and Peninsula for the remainder of the weekend.

While much of the paving work itself happens inside the tunnel, VDOT said weather outside can still affect the operation.

Heavy rain can lower the temperature of asphalt as it is transported to the tunnel and can create excessive moisture at the tunnel approaches, entrances and pavement surface. The asphalt must remain within a certain temperature range, and the roadway needs to be free of standing water for the pavement to properly bond and compact.

The unfinished westbound repaving work is expected to be completed during another directional closure weekend.

The next scheduled westbound closure toward Hampton is set to begin Friday, Oct. 9 at 9 p.m. and continue through Monday, Oct. 12 at 5 a.m.

VDOT had previously planned for up to two full weekend closures in each direction to complete the repaving project.

Eastbound closures toward Norfolk are also scheduled to begin later in October. Additional backup weekends are scheduled for Nov. 6-9 and Nov. 13-16 if they are needed.

VDOT said any changes to the closure schedule will be announced through its official channels.

Drivers are encouraged to check 511 Virginia for the latest traffic and closure information before traveling. VDOT cautions that third-party navigation apps may not always reflect the most up-to-date HRBT closure information.

This is a developing story, so check back with WTKR.com for updates. Email News 3 if you have info, photos or videos to share.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.