Hampton Roads Express Lanes Get $310M Federal Loan

Hampton Roads Express Lanes Project Gets $310.2 Million Federal Loan

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has announced a $310.2 million loan to help advance the Hampton Roads Express Lanes project in southeastern Virginia, a major highway improvement designed to reduce congestion on one of the state’s busiest freight corridors.

According to Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy, the project will help improve travel for both commuters and truck drivers while supporting freight movement through the Hampton Roads region. The financing is being provided through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan program.

Why the Hampton Roads Project Matters to Truck Drivers

The Hampton Roads region is home to the Port of Virginia, one of the nation’s busiest container ports. Thousands of commercial trucks travel through the area each day to move freight between the port, distribution centers, and major interstate highways.

Congestion along I-64 has long been a challenge for both local and long-haul trucking operations. Heavy traffic, recurring backups, and delays near bridges, tunnels, and interchanges can increase operating costs and reduce delivery reliability.

USDOT says the project is intended to ease those bottlenecks by expanding express lane capacity and improving traffic flow through the corridor. Officials said the improvements are expected to provide more reliable travel times for motorists and commercial vehicles.

What the Hampton Roads Express Lanes Project Includes

The project is part of Virginia’s larger Hampton Roads Express Lanes (HREL) program.

According to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the current phase includes:

• Converting portions of the existing inside shoulder on I-64 into a high-occupancy toll (HOT) express lane.
• Maintaining three existing general-purpose travel lanes.
• Rehabilitating and widening several bridges.
• Installing new roadway barriers, pavement markings, and overhead signs.
• Building infrastructure that will eventually become part of a continuous 45-mile express lane network connecting Newport News to Chesapeake.

Current Construction Timeline

Construction on the Norfolk segment began during the summer of 2023 and continues through 2026.

VDOT recently announced a long-term traffic shift on eastbound I-64 near the I-564 interchange to allow continued roadway work, bridge rehabilitation, striping, barrier installation, and new signage. The temporary traffic pattern is expected to remain in place until late summer 2026, although schedules may change depending on weather and construction progress.

Truck drivers traveling through the area should expect periodic lane shifts and work zones while construction continues.

Freight Corridor Handles Significant Truck Traffic

Virginia has identified dozens of freight bottlenecks across the state, including several in the Hampton Roads region.

VDOT’s statewide freight planning has identified 37 truck freight bottlenecks, with congestion affecting freight reliability and supply chain efficiency. The agency uses traffic counts, truck volume data, and travel delay information to prioritize improvement projects throughout the state.

The Hampton Roads corridor serves freight moving to and from marine terminals, warehouses, military facilities, and interstate highways connecting Virginia with the Southeast and Northeast.

VDOT Resources for Drivers Traveling Through Hampton Roads

As construction continues, VDOT encourages motorists and commercial drivers to monitor travel conditions before entering the corridor.

Truck drivers can use Virginia’s 511 system, which provides:

• Live traffic conditions
• Construction updates
• Lane closures
• Traffic cameras
• Incident reports
• Travel times

VDOT also maintains an interactive Hampton Roads Express Lanes map showing long-term lane closures and traffic impacts throughout the project corridor.

What Comes Next

The new federal loan will help continue construction of the Hampton Roads Express Lanes project as Virginia works toward completing a continuous express lane network along I-64.

While construction may continue to affect traffic in the near term, transportation officials say the long-term goal is to reduce congestion, improve travel reliability, and support freight movement through one of Virginia’s busiest transportation corridors.