Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel

Yesterday we crossed the Chesapeake Bay via its bridge-tunnel.

The above photo was stolen from the bridge’s website at http://www.cbbt.com/history.html.

Dave first read about this bridge-tunnel in Popular Mechanics back when he was a kid so he already knew this very weird construct was designed to allow vehicles to cross the bay entrance without blocking ships. After all, the US Navy’s Atlantic Fleet is based in Norfolk, Virginia, and they were concerned that a bridge could collapse blocking their access to the Atlantic. So they built it with alternating sections of bridges and tunnels. Later they added a second bridge to handle increased traffic. In the pictures you can see both bridges and where they come together at the tunnels. I wonder why they didn’t build a second set of tunnels?

Dave took these photos from the rest area just north of the bridge as you travel south.

I took these pictures while Dave drove which is why you can see the bugs on our windshield.

What are you supposed to do if the light turns red? Remove your seat cushion and hope it has straps on the bottom of it?

Here’s one tunnel. The other one looks just like it. The tunnels have two way traffic. Brace yourself for passing semi-trucks if you want to stay in your lane.

And here’s the bridge as seen from our campsite at First Landing State Park in Virginia.

So, now we can cross that item off Dave’s bucket list. I think he waited long enough, don’t you?

TTYL,

Linda