Pinners Point Interchange Construction Photos

Pinners Point Interchange Construction Photos - October 2004

Here are 22 photos of the Pinners Point Interchange (Port Norfolk Connector) project under construction, taken on October 2, 2004. Click the thumbnail photo for a larger photo (they range in size from 69 to 154 kilobytes, with most being less than 100 kilobytes).

Martin Luther King Freeway under construction, driving northbound, approaching the overpass over Cleveland Street. One lane each way is open during construction, and the 4-lane MLK Freeway is being reconstructed to 6 lanes, and the sound barrier on the right was just constructed.

Martin Luther King Freeway under construction, driving northbound, approaching the overpass over Cleveland Street. One lane each way is open during construction, and the 4-lane MLK Freeway is being reconstructed to 6 lanes.

Martin Luther King Freeway under construction, driving northbound, crossing the overpass over Cleveland Street. The MLK Freeway northbound splits, with 2 lanes (this roadway) heading to the Midtown Tunnel, and with 2 lanes (the left roadway that is temporarily being used for southbound traffic from the Midtown Tunnel) heading to the VA-164 Western Freeway.

Temporary roadway for northbound MLK Freeway to Midtown Tunnel. Pinners Point Interchange bridges are under construction ahead. The bridge beginning in the center of the photo will carry the high-speed 2-lane roadway that will connect the MLK Freeway to the VA-164 Western Freeway.

Temporary roadway for northbound MLK Freeway to Midtown Tunnel. Pinners Point Interchange bridges are under construction ahead. The bridge crossing the middle of the photo will carry the high-speed 2-lane roadway that will connect the VA-164 Western Freeway to the Midtown Tunnel approach highway.

Temporary roadway for northbound MLK Freeway to Midtown Tunnel. Pinners Point Interchange bridges are under construction ahead. The bridge in the middle of the photo will carry the high-speed 2-lane roadway that will connect the VA-164 Western Freeway to the Midtown Tunnel approach highway.

Midtown Tunnel approach highway (MLK Freeway). One lane each way is open during construction. The 4-lane highway (2 each way) is being reconstructed to a modern 4-lane highway. This construction will provide the necessary 4-lane highway up to the beginning of the south depressed approach to the 2-lane Midtown Tunnel, to accommodate a future parallel 2-lane Midtown Tunnel tube just to the north of the existing tunnel, so that each tube will carry one-way 2-lane traffic.

Midtown Tunnel southern portal. This tunnel has 2 lanes (one each way) and it was opened to traffic in 1962. Notice the high intensity orange lights that help motorists' eyes transition from the outdoors to the standard fluorescent lighting in most of the tunnel.

Midtown Tunnel northern portal. This tunnel has 2 lanes (one each way) and it was opened to traffic in 1962. Notice the high intensity orange lights that help motorists' eyes transition from the outdoors to the standard fluorescent lighting in most of the tunnel. Brighter image.

MLK Freeway 2-lane southbound roadway from Midtown Tunnel, with one lane currently open to traffic. The unopened ramp to the right will carry the 2-lane high-speed 2-lane roadway that will connect the Midtown Tunnel to the VA-164 Western Freeway.

MLK Freeway 2-lane southbound roadway from Midtown Tunnel, with one lane currently open to traffic. The bridge to the right will carry the 2-lane high-speed 2-lane roadway that will connect the VA-164 Western Freeway to the MLK Freeway.

Martin Luther King Freeway under construction, driving southbound, after passing the overpass over Cleveland Street. One lane each way is open during construction, and the 4-lane MLK Freeway is being reconstructed to 6 lanes.

Extension of VA-164 Western Freeway, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new 2-lane eastbound bridge that will connect VA-164 to the MLK Freeway, driving westbound, passing over the Portsmouth Marine Terminal, approaching the point where the completed 3-lane eastbound VA-164 roadway will split into a 2-lane roadway to the Midtown Tunnel and a 2-lane roadway to the US-58 MLK Freeway southbound.

Extension of VA-164 Western Freeway, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new 3-lane eastbound Port Norfolk Connector bridge that will connect VA-164 to the MLK Freeway and the Midtown Tunnel.

Extension of VA-164 Western Freeway, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new 3-lane eastbound Port Norfolk Connector bridge that will connect VA-164 to the MLK Freeway and the Midtown Tunnel.

Extension of the VA-164 West Norfolk Bridge, the Port Norfolk Connector bridge, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new 3-lane eastbound bridge, driving westbound. The 2 lanes that are open transition from the new eastbound bridge to the new westbound bridge, in this photo.

Extension of the VA-164 West Norfolk Bridge, the Port Norfolk Connector bridge, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new westbound bridge, driving westbound. The original 4-lane West Norfolk Bridge that opened to traffic in 1979, is visible in the distance, and 2-lane 2-way traffic is temporarily using the 2-lane westbound roadway of the original bridge, with the 2-lane eastbound roadway temporarily closed.

Extension of the VA-164 West Norfolk Bridge, the Port Norfolk Connector bridge, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new westbound bridge, driving westbound. This point is approaching where the original bridge transitions to the new bridge. The eastern 1,200 feet of the 3,630-foot-long West Norfolk Bridge is being reconstructed and realigned slightly northward so that it will make a seamless freeway connection with the new Port Norfolk Connector bridge.

VA-164 Western Freeway, eastbound, approaching the West Norfolk Bridge. The 4-lane freeway is temporarily reduced to 2-lane 2-way traffic on the westbound roadway, with the 2-lane eastbound roadway temporarily closed.

Extension of the VA-164 West Norfolk Bridge, the new Port Norfolk Connector bridge, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new westbound bridge, driving eastbound.

Extension of the VA-164 West Norfolk Bridge, the Port Norfolk Connector bridge, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new eastbound bridge, driving eastbound. The 2 lanes that are open transitioned from the new westbound bridge to the new eastbound bridge, between the previous photo and this photo. The gantries at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal are visible ahead.

Extension of VA-164 Western Freeway, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the 2-lane bridged roadway that connects eastbound VA-164 to the Midtown Tunnel approach highway (US-58 MLK Freeway). The temporary configuration connects both directions of VA-164 to the Midtown Tunnel.

Lead article Parallel Midtown Tunnel / Pinners Point Interchange / Martin Luther King Freeway Extension

All photos by Scott Kozel.

Copyright © 2005 by Scott Kozel. All rights reserved. Reproduction, reuse, or distribution without permission is prohibited.

Back to top

By Scott M. Kozel, Roads to the Future

(Created 3-1-2005)

	Martin Luther King Freeway under construction, driving northbound, approaching the overpass over Cleveland Street. One lane each way is open during construction, and the 4-lane MLK Freeway is being reconstructed to 6 lanes, and the sound barrier on the right was just constructed.
	Martin Luther King Freeway under construction, driving northbound, approaching the overpass over Cleveland Street. One lane each way is open during construction, and the 4-lane MLK Freeway is being reconstructed to 6 lanes.
	Martin Luther King Freeway under construction, driving northbound, crossing the overpass over Cleveland Street. The MLK Freeway northbound splits, with 2 lanes (this roadway) heading to the Midtown Tunnel, and with 2 lanes (the left roadway that is temporarily being used for southbound traffic from the Midtown Tunnel) heading to the VA-164 Western Freeway.
	Temporary roadway for northbound MLK Freeway to Midtown Tunnel. Pinners Point Interchange bridges are under construction ahead. The bridge beginning in the center of the photo will carry the high-speed 2-lane roadway that will connect the MLK Freeway to the VA-164 Western Freeway.
	Temporary roadway for northbound MLK Freeway to Midtown Tunnel. Pinners Point Interchange bridges are under construction ahead. The bridge crossing the middle of the photo will carry the high-speed 2-lane roadway that will connect the VA-164 Western Freeway to the Midtown Tunnel approach highway.
	Temporary roadway for northbound MLK Freeway to Midtown Tunnel. Pinners Point Interchange bridges are under construction ahead. The bridge in the middle of the photo will carry the high-speed 2-lane roadway that will connect the VA-164 Western Freeway to the Midtown Tunnel approach highway.
	Midtown Tunnel approach highway (MLK Freeway). One lane each way is open during construction. The 4-lane highway (2 each way) is being reconstructed to a modern 4-lane highway. This construction will provide the necessary 4-lane highway up to the beginning of the south depressed approach to the 2-lane Midtown Tunnel, to accommodate a future parallel 2-lane Midtown Tunnel tube just to the north of the existing tunnel, so that each tube will carry one-way 2-lane traffic.
	Midtown Tunnel southern portal. This tunnel has 2 lanes (one each way) and it was opened to traffic in 1962. Notice the high intensity orange lights that help motorists' eyes transition from the outdoors to the standard fluorescent lighting in most of the tunnel.
	Midtown Tunnel northern portal. This tunnel has 2 lanes (one each way) and it was opened to traffic in 1962. Notice the high intensity orange lights that help motorists' eyes transition from the outdoors to the standard fluorescent lighting in most of the tunnel. Brighter image.
	MLK Freeway 2-lane southbound roadway from Midtown Tunnel, with one lane currently open to traffic. The unopened ramp to the right will carry the 2-lane high-speed 2-lane roadway that will connect the Midtown Tunnel to the VA-164 Western Freeway.
	MLK Freeway 2-lane southbound roadway from Midtown Tunnel, with one lane currently open to traffic. The bridge to the right will carry the 2-lane high-speed 2-lane roadway that will connect the VA-164 Western Freeway to the MLK Freeway.
	Martin Luther King Freeway under construction, driving southbound, after passing the overpass over Cleveland Street. One lane each way is open during construction, and the 4-lane MLK Freeway is being reconstructed to 6 lanes.
	Extension of VA-164 Western Freeway, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new 2-lane eastbound bridge that will connect VA-164 to the MLK Freeway, driving westbound, passing over the Portsmouth Marine Terminal, approaching the point where the completed 3-lane eastbound VA-164 roadway will split into a 2-lane roadway to the Midtown Tunnel and a 2-lane roadway to the US-58 MLK Freeway southbound.
	Extension of VA-164 Western Freeway, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new 3-lane eastbound Port Norfolk Connector bridge that will connect VA-164 to the MLK Freeway and the Midtown Tunnel.
	Extension of VA-164 Western Freeway, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new 3-lane eastbound Port Norfolk Connector bridge that will connect VA-164 to the MLK Freeway and the Midtown Tunnel.
	Extension of the VA-164 West Norfolk Bridge, the Port Norfolk Connector bridge, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new 3-lane eastbound bridge, driving westbound. The 2 lanes that are open transition from the new eastbound bridge to the new westbound bridge, in this photo.
	Extension of the VA-164 West Norfolk Bridge, the Port Norfolk Connector bridge, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new westbound bridge, driving westbound. The original 4-lane West Norfolk Bridge that opened to traffic in 1979, is visible in the distance, and 2-lane 2-way traffic is temporarily using the 2-lane westbound roadway of the original bridge, with the 2-lane eastbound roadway temporarily closed.
	Extension of the VA-164 West Norfolk Bridge, the Port Norfolk Connector bridge, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new westbound bridge, driving westbound. This point is approaching where the original bridge transitions to the new bridge. The eastern 1,200 feet of the 3,630-foot-long West Norfolk Bridge is being reconstructed and realigned slightly northward so that it will make a seamless freeway connection with the new Port Norfolk Connector bridge.
	VA-164 Western Freeway, eastbound, approaching the West Norfolk Bridge. The 4-lane freeway is temporarily reduced to 2-lane 2-way traffic on the westbound roadway, with the 2-lane eastbound roadway temporarily closed.
	Extension of the VA-164 West Norfolk Bridge, the new Port Norfolk Connector bridge, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new westbound bridge, driving eastbound.
	Extension of the VA-164 West Norfolk Bridge, the Port Norfolk Connector bridge, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the new eastbound bridge, driving eastbound. The 2 lanes that are open transitioned from the new westbound bridge to the new eastbound bridge, between the previous photo and this photo. The gantries at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal are visible ahead.
	Extension of VA-164 Western Freeway, open to traffic with 2-lane 2-way traffic on the 2-lane bridged roadway that connects eastbound VA-164 to the Midtown Tunnel approach highway (US-58 MLK Freeway). The temporary configuration connects both directions of VA-164 to the Midtown Tunnel.