<P> The Chesapeake Bay Bridge -- Tunnel ( CBBT ) is a 23 - mile ( 37 km ) fixed link crossing at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay , the Hampton Roads harbor and nearby mouths of the James and Elizabeth Rivers in the American state of the Commonwealth of Virginia . It connects Northampton County on the Delmarva Peninsula and Eastern Shore with Virginia Beach , Norfolk , Chesapeake , and Portsmouth on the Western Shore and South side / Tidewater which are part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of eight close cities around the harbor 's shores and peninsula . The Bridge - Tunnel originally combined 12 miles ( 19 km ) of trestle , two 1 - mile - long ( 1.6 km ) tunnels , four artificial islands , four high - level bridges , approximately 2 miles ( 3.2 km ) of causeway , and 5.5 miles ( 8.9 km ) of northeast and southwest approach roads -- crossing the Chesapeake Bay and preserving traffic on the Thimble Shoals and Chesapeake dredged shipping channels leading to the Atlantic . It replaced vehicle ferry services that operated from South Hampton Roads and from the Virginia Peninsula since the 1930s . Financed by toll revenue bonds , the Bridge -- Tunnel was opened on April 15 , 1964 , and remains one of only ten bridge -- tunnel systems in the world , three of which are located in the water dominated Hampton Roads area of Tidewater Virginia . </P>
<P> The Chesapeake Bay Bridge -- Tunnel ( CBBT ) is a 23 - mile ( 37 km ) fixed link crossing at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay , the Hampton Roads harbor and nearby mouths of the James and Elizabeth Rivers in the American state of the Commonwealth of Virginia . It connects Northampton County on the Delmarva Peninsula and Eastern Shore with Virginia Beach , Norfolk , Chesapeake , and Portsmouth on the Western Shore and South side / Tidewater which are part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of eight close cities around the harbor 's shores and peninsula . The Bridge - Tunnel originally combined 12 miles ( 19 km ) of trestle , two 1 - mile - long ( 1.6 km ) tunnels , four artificial islands , four high - level bridges , approximately 2 miles ( 3.2 km ) of causeway , and 5.5 miles ( 8.9 km ) of northeast and southwest approach roads -- crossing the Chesapeake Bay and preserving traffic on the Thimble Shoals and Chesapeake dredged shipping channels leading to the Atlantic . It replaced vehicle ferry services that operated from South Hampton Roads and from the Virginia Peninsula since the 1930s . Financed by toll revenue bonds , the Bridge -- Tunnel was opened on April 15 , 1964 , and remains one of only ten bridge -- tunnel systems in the world , three of which are located in the water dominated Hampton Roads area of Tidewater Virginia . </P>
where is the tunnel that goes underwater in virginia
where is the tunnel that goes underwater in virginia
at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay , the Hampton Roads harbor and nearby mouths of the James and Elizabeth Rivers
at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay , the Hampton Roads harbor and nearby mouths of the James and Elizabeth Rivers