PROJECT CONNECT
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
Parallel Thimble Shoal Tunnel Project
November 2018
Mission: The Parallel Thimble Shoal Tunnel Project will construct a new two-lane tunnel under Thimble Shoal Channel.
When complete, the new tunnel will carry two lanes of traffic southbound and the existing tunnel will carry two lanes of traffic northbound.
Project Facts
Design-Build Contractor : Chesapeake Tunnel Joint Venture (CTJV), a joint venture comprised of Dragados USA and Schiavone Construction Company, LLC
Construction Cost: $755,987,318
Construction Method: Bored tunnel
Tunnel Length: approximately one mile
Tunnel Boring Machine: Chessie
Estimated Project Completion : 2023
What's New?
One Island
On One Island, CTJV has been reworking the slurry plant on the northeast side of the island near the ventilation building. This slurry plant is part of the slurry wall construction, which resumed production on the west side of the island in August.

Preparations are underway to install the first part of a temporary dock. This dock will be located on the west side of the island in an area near the former location of the restaurant building. The pile driving template has been constructed and the area is being prepared for pile driving.

Temporary sheet pile has been installed and some of the large armor stone was temporarily relocated to allow for the installation of the 36-inch diameter pipe piles, which is underway. After the piles are installed, the contractor will restore the armor stone around the pile, and in some cases, place large concrete blocks to prevent damage from waves.

CTJV will be mobilizing two new subcontractors on site. One contractor will be responsible for the jet grouting work and the other will be responsible for the deep foundation work on Two Island. The installation of test jet grout columns will be carried out initially to determine methodologies for the production work.
Two Island
On Two Island, a temporary support of excavation (SOE) has been installed. This SOE system will allow excavation and removal of the original SOE that was used to construct the original open approach structure in the 1960s. Removal of the original SOE is necessary to allow construction of the new open approach structure. Once complete, the contractor will move to One Island in order to remove the SOE from original construction there as well.
Little Creek Property
At the Little Creek property, stone deliveries for the engineering berms continue. These large boulders, weighing on average 30,000 pounds each, will be used when the islands are expanded to facilitate tunnel construction.
Chesapeake Concrete Plant
Work continues on the plant that will produce the individual tunnel segments in Chesapeake, VA. To date, the steel skeleton for the structure that will cover the tunnel segments as they move through the production process has been erected and the foundation is in place for the steam kiln building, which will be constructed next.