Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel - Encyclopedia Virginia

Aerial View of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-TunnelENTRYSUMMARYThe Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT) connects the Virginia mainland at the city of Virginia Beach directly with the Delmarva Peninsula. Completed in 1964 and recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1965 as one of the “Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World,” the structure is comprised of bridges, tunnels, and land roads that span a total of twenty-three miles. Initially considered to be a risky financial move, the CBBT is now a profitable and expanding enterprise. Contributor: Arthur M. HolstContributor: Encyclopedia Virginia staff From the mainland, the CBBT extends U.S. highway Route 13 over the water with a pair of two-lane bridges. After a few miles, the bridges connect and dip underground into a small manmade island and tunnel to allow the passage of ships on the bay. The roadway resurfaces at a second manmade island approximately one mile after the first. It then splits again into two bridges fo...