H.R.B.T. Trouble
July 2nd, 2009 at 12:50 pm by Cheryl Tan under Personalities, Traffic
How many of you are wishing right now you didn’t have to depend on a tunnel to get out of town?
And, quite honestly, this morning’s mess (that has stretched into this afternoon) has affected people who didn’t even need to go in the direction of the Peninsula.
Feel free to vent, by the way.
The job was already busy this morning. Last night’s storm had caused problems at the James River Bridge. The JRB was running smoothly by showtime, though. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel was another story. I chatted with the Sergeant on duty who told me that a tractor trailer had overturned during the bad weather last night in the southbound lanes. The driver was taken to the hospital, by the way. The accident had a lasting effect on the roads, though. Traffic could only travel in one direction at a time. Not a big deal really at that time of the morning. But folks who travel the C.B.B.T. that early in the morning don’t expect trouble, so we were hearing about delays between 15 and 30 minutes.
That cleared up.
Then, boom.
I was watching the WAVY Traffic Jamcams just after 6:30 a.m. I just happened to look at the camera on the Norfolk side of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. The Westbound lanes looked a little slow, which is unusual for this time of the morning. I checked a feed that I get on traffic troubles in the area, and it said there were problems at the H.R.B.T. Sure enough, I caught up with VDOT just as they stopped the Westbound I-64 lanes. I was able to get it on the air at 6:37 a.m.
Unfortunately, those drivers waiting to make it through the tunnel were stuck–for quite a while. We first thought the standing water in the tunnel would cause a delay of about thirty minutes. Nope.
About 7:15 a.m. or so, we started seeing cars being detoured off the I-64 exits, to 1st View. Those cars were then brought around through Norfolk streets and pushed to I-64 Eastbound to make their way to the Peninsula via the DOWNTOWN TUNNEL, then the Monitor Merrimac Bridge Tunnel. We were told then the Westbound tube would be closed for awhile.
Madness.
So, BIG, BIG problems for people heading to the Peninsula (I bet flights got missed at the Newport News airport), then those folks who were expecting to encounter normal Downtown Tunnel traffic were hit with a double dose (there were a couple of accidents as well throughout the morning I-264 Westbound). Then, wait, there’s more. I-664 Northbound at the Monitor Merrimac looks like a parking lot.
I know some of you may be trying to get out of town, ahead of the Fourth of July travelers. What an exercise in frustration!
So, this is what happened, according to VDOT. A water pump inside the Westbound tube malfunctioned, causing the traffic headed from the Southside to the Peninsula to come to a full stop. We’re hearing word it may be related to the severe storm from last night that resulted in a power outage. It may take several hours for the Westbound tube to be reopened.
Hopefully, it will be up and running later in the afternoon, for another frustrating ride home.
Tags: H.R.B.T., Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, power outtage, stopped traffic, Travel
WAVY News 10/Fox 43 News
This is another example of the Incompetent manner VDOT operates in this state. I for one don’t buy into the explaination in what happened at the HRBT. I hope there is an investigation into why this happened. Likewise, I was listening to Eagle 97.3 for information and they were being told by VDOT that the tunnel would be open in 2 hours. 2 hours later the same thing. Then around 8:30 they were told it would be all day.
Why couldn’t they have said that at the beginning, oh well, I already answered that, VDOT.
OK How many time dose it take for VDOT to fix the H.R.B.T a power surge lol . Someone need to let them know there is a phase monitor for motors ,pumps,ect… It will cut pumps, motors off if a spike or loss of power before it take out the motor or pump ect… come on VDOT dot the preventive maintenance on the pumps.
My husband got off at 1 today and is still in traffic 5 1/2 hours later. He hasn’t even reached the tunnel yet people keep riding in the left lane and the folks in the right lane can’t move cause of people from the left cutting in on the right.
I left work Thursday afternoon at 3:30, and I knew westbound HRBT traffic would be bad. But I was not prepared for what I met. I exited the Mason Creek gate of the Norfolk Navy base at 3:40, and creeped for 2 hours and 10 minutes, just to reach the 4th view on-ramp. I was two cars away from making the left turn to get on the ramp, when a Norfolk Police Officer closed the ramp RIGHT IN FRONT ME!! I asked him why he closed the ramp, and he said “because there is heavy traffic”. I said “In case you didn’t know, there is also a 14 mile back-up at the MMMBT, and it makes no sense for you to close this ramp” He then said; “talk to your local representative” What was that supposed to mean?
I called the Norfolk PD, and the dispatcher told me it was the State Police who dictated the ramp closures. WHY? I called the State Police, and the dispatcher said he would get a supervisor to call me back, but I didn’t believe anyone would. I was right.
I have been here since 1988, and that was by far the worst traffic I have ever seen in this area. God forbid we have evacuate the area, it will be devastating.
The HRBT absolutely is the worst designed and worst operated tunnel in the world.It is not even rush hour traffic when I leave work in Newport News and head to Virginia Beach. I travel east about 2:00p.m. and I still get stuck in tunnel traffic. I don’t get home most of the time until close to 4:30p.m. Two hours to travel what 20 to 30 miles and not even during rush hour traffic. Now tell me does that make sense? No, I didn’t think so. When are they going to do something about it????????