About this project

The Downtown Tunnel/Midtown Tunnel/Martin Luther King Freeway (MLK) Extension, formerly known as the Midtown Tunnel Corridor Project (Project), is located in the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia. The project is comprised of a new two-lane tunnel under the Elizabeth River parallel to the existing Midtown Tunnel; maintenance and safety improvements to the existing Midtown Tunnel; minor modifications to the interchange at Brambleton Avenue/Hampton Boulevard in Norfolk; maintenance and safety improvements to the existing Downtown Tunnel; and extending the MLK from London Boulevard to Interstate 264 (I-264), with an interchange at High Street.

Midtown Tunnel

The Midtown Tunnel is located northeast from the southerly approach of the MLK (US Route 58) and the Western Freeway in Portsmouth to Brambleton Avenue/Hampton Boulevard in Norfolk. The project consists of modifications to the existing tunnel and construction of a new immersed tube tunnel under the Elizabeth River, running parallel to the existing Midtown Tunnel. This will provide for east-west travel, linking US Route 58 and the Western Freeway in Portsmouth to Brambleton Avenue/Hampton Boulevard in Norfolk.

Martin Luther King (MLK) Freeway Extension

The MLK Freeway Extension consists of extending the freeway south from London Boulevard, with a new interchange at Interstate 264 (a four-lane, limited access freeway) to provide a direct connection from I-264 to the Midtown Tunnel.

Downtown Tunnel

The Downtown Tunnel on I-264 crosses the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River in the South Hampton Roads area. It links the City of Portsmouth with Norfolk. Along with the Berkeley Bridge, the Downtown Tunnel connects to Interstate 464 to Chesapeake and a continuation on I-264 to the downtown and Waterside areas of Norfolk, and on to Virginia Beach.

The project consists of fire, life and safety modifications and upgrades to the existing tunnel.