Skanska built the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel that opened to traffic April 15, 1964 and was quickly voted one of the “Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World.” The historic bridge also earned the Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement award given by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Skanska build the 17.6 mile over-and-under water Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel after being awarded a $200 million contract. The bridge-tunnel was built over 3 1/2 years through a joint venture with four contractors, including project leader Tidewater Construction Corporation – a forerunner to Skanska. Sverdrup and Parcel, Consulting Engineers, designed the project.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel features:
· a stretch across the juncture of Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean
· more than 17 miles of concrete trestle
· two mile-long tunnels
· four man-made islands
· two steel bridges
· two miles of earth-fill causeway
· five miles of approach road on shore
Construction of the Bridge Tunnel began in October 1960 after assembling equipment for six months from throughout the world.
The construction was completed under the severe conditions imposed by nor'easters, hurricanes and the unpredictable Atlantic Ocean.
