Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel - Cape Charles, Virginia

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The Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Gives Scenic Shortcut. Traveling north and south, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel connects Virginia Eastern Shore with the Virginia mainland at Virginia Beach near Norfolk and provides a captivating attraction and an important travel convenience. From the early 1930's to 1954, a private corporation managed scheduled ferry service between Virginia's Eastern Shore and the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area. The Virginia General Assembly stepped in to create the Chesapeake Bay Ferry District and the Chesapeake Bay Ferry Commission as the governing body of the District. It later became the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel District and Commission.  

The Commission was approved to purchase the private ferry corporation through bond financing, improve existing ferry service and implement a new service between Virginia's Eastern Shore and the Hampton/Newport News area. The Ferry Commission then began to explore the construction of a fixed crossing, which resulted in a study that recommended a series of bridges and tunnels to connect the areas.

The Bridge-Tunnel project is a toll crossing across the lower Chesapeake Bay that provides four-lanes that span 20 miles to assist vehicles with crossing the area. In addition to the four-lanes are two tunnels that are approximately one-mile long. The four lane highway is US 13, which is the main north-south highway on Virginia's Eastern Shore. It provides the only direct link between Virginia's Eastern Shore and south Hampton Roads, Virginia.

The manmade islands are located on both ends of the two tunnels. Each one is just over 5 acres big in size. The North Channel Bridge and Fisherman Inlet Bridge are two high level bridges that are located over other navigation channels. In between the North Channel Bridge and the Fisherman Inlet Bridge is a facility that crosses at-grade over Fisherman Island. Fisherman Island is a barrier island which includes a National Wildlife Refuge.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel’s four manmade islands gives travelers and birding enthusiasts the opportunity to observe birds and waterfowl, including the Northern Gannet, Brant, Harlequin duck, Peregrine Falcon, the American White Pelican, the American Oystercatcher, and many more. The Bridge-Tunnel, which is located around concrete, steel, asphalt, rocks, and open water, gives an appealing area for birds to rest during their migration routes.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel creates a unique tourist attraction as well as a location for local residents to enjoy watching birds, visiting the islands, or traveling from one area to the next.

U.S. 13, 32386 Lankford Highway
Cape Charles, VA 23310
Phone: (757) 331-2960
Fax: (757) 331-4565