A major highway construction project is securing more than $300 million in federal funding to enhance efficiency and upgrade safety in Virginia.
A top federal transportation official recently announced that the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission (HRTAC) will receive loan of up to $310.2 million from the Build America Bureau to construct new express lanes and a toll system along 45 miles of I-64 in Southeast Virginia near Norfolk.
The funding comes from the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) grant program, administered the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the HRTAC awarded a nearly $400 million contract to a firm for the design and manage parts of the project in February.
The purpose of the project is to improve travel efficiency by removing congestion and bottlenecks that this stretch of interstate is infamous for.
The Hampton roads area, home to cities such as Williamsburg, Norfolk and Virginia Beach, has a population of 1.7 million people with tens of thousands who rely on I-64 for their daily commutes.
Additionally, the project calls to improve and rebuild over 20 bridges in key areas near the Chesapeake Bay, home to Virginia’s port system.
The state public-private partnership announced in February, and the new slew of federal funding will allow construction to begin shortly with a relatively quick timeline for completion with estimates calling for the project to be finished by 2030. Subcontracting opportunities will likely be open for prospective firms in the near future.
Photo by Leo Lu from Pexels
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