Studies

A summation of significant studies and reports undertaken by VDOT in support of procurement of the project to date is briefly described below.   Links are available to all completed studies, reports, and documents.

Environmental/Location Study

Downtown Tunnel

• 2009 Programmatic Exclusion Completed for NFPA 502 (76 KB) 

Midtown Tunnel 

• 1996 Route 58/Midtown Tunnel Final EIS (19 MB)
• 1996 Route 58/Midtown Tunnel 1997 Record of Decision  (555 KB)
• Revised Midtown Record of Decision, July 2007  (1.7 MB)
• 2009 Midtown Tunnel Programmatic Exclusion for NFPA 502 (75 KB)

Route 58 - Martin Luther King Freeway Extension Environmental Assessment

VDOT, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) completed an Environmental Assessment (EA) on April 7, 2008 for the proposed Martin Luther King extension. FHWA issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on February 26, 2009. VDOT completed a Programmatic Exclusion for the Brambleton Avenue Interchange on May 22, 2009 for ITS and signalization improvements.
 

• MLK Finding of No Significant Impact, Section 4(f) Evaluation and Revised Environmental Assessment (4 MB) 
• Study area map (509 KB)

• 2009 Brambleton Programmatic Exclusion for ITS (75 KB)

   

Downtown Tunnel/Midtown Tunnel/MLK Extension Project Environmental Assessment

VDOT, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) completed an Environmental Assessment (EA) on March 24, 2011 inclusive of the  Downtown Tunnel, Midtown Tunnel and MLK Extension Project segments. 

• Environmental Assessment: Downtown Tunnel/Midtown Tunnel/MLK Extension Project, March 2011  (7 MB)

Interstate Justification Report (IJR)  (PDF, 42 MB) 

During the course of several planning studies performed in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a preferred alternative was developed for the configuration of the I-264/Martin Luther King Freeway Extension interchange. VDOT commissioned an Interchange Justification Report (IJR) to evaluate potential design configurations and operational issues for the MLK Freeway and I-264. The full IJR, completed in February 2007, is available at the link provided above.

Value Engineering Study (PDF, 991 KB)

The Value Engineering (VE) approach used for this project involved multiple disciplines within VDOT, representatives from the cities of Portsmouth and Norfolk, the Hampton Roads area engineer and the senior tunnel engineer from FHWA and the Hampton Roads Planning Commission District.

The VE approach included the essential steps of gathering pertinent information, brainstorming for creative ideas, evaluating the promising alternatives, and proposing more cost effective alternatives and the incorporation design features. These VE recommendations were intended to more readily accommodate future needs or retrofits for the tunnel and transportation facilities under consideration. Full details of the study are available at the link provided above.

Value Pricing Pilot Program (Congestion Pricing) Survey

This research documents a multi-phased research project designed to examine and assess potential public response to the introduction of new tolls, generally, in Hampton Roads and on specific facilities in the Hampton Roads area, potential response to variable priced tolling or congestion pricing and response to electronic tolling.

In total, three phases of research were conducted.  The initial phases of this project (Phases I and II) were designed specifically to examine public response to proposed implementation of congestion priced tolling at two tunnels in Hampton Roads: the Midtown Tunnel and the Downtown Tunnel.  The third phase of the research focused on response to potential new tolls in Hampton Roads, use and willingness to use E-ZPass, awareness and familiarity with advanced electronic tolling (i.e., open road tolling), and potential support for High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes in Hampton Roads. Full details of this study are available at the link provided above.

Toll Feasibility Study (PDF, 30 KB)

This update provides details on the status of the Downtown Tunnel/Midtown Tunnel/MLK Extension Toll Feasibility Study.

Marine Geotechnical Exploration and Subsurface Characterization Study (PDF, 31 KB)

This update provides details of preliminary findings of the marine geotechnical subsurface exploration and environmental sampling and testing program in support of the proposed second parallel tunnel to the existing Midtown Tunnel.

If you need this content in an accessible (federal section 508) format, call 804-371-0128.