Drivers vent their frustration

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - "I hate it," groaned one driver who was already late to work.

"I don't even know what's going on down there," moaned another.

The traffic backup on the westbound side of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel continued to stack up all day Thursday because of a water main break. The westbound lanes were shutdown until almost 2:30 in the afternoon. That's when VDOT was finally able to open one of the two lanes.

The tunnel shutdown had some drivers pretty freaked out.

"I'm trying to get to the airport in Newport News. I'm already late and don't know any other routes," cried a woman who had been sitting in traffic for hours already. She frantically looked to a Norfolk police officer for help.

"It's crazy," said a soldier, shaking his head as he sat behind the wheel of his stationary car. "It's always crazy here though."

State Troopers and Norfolk police officers spent the day patiently advising frustrated drivers on what to do and where to go.

One woman who had just moved to Hampton Roads from Italy said in dismay, "I can't believe there are not more ways to access the peninsula and Norfolk. In the event of a disaster, God only knows what would happen."

The HRBT problem spilled over into Ocean View and even down to Wards corner as motorists tried to find alternate routes. That meant people who didn't even need to cross the HRBT were still impacted as overflow traffic clogged up other areas of Norfolk.

"It's been pretty ridiculous," cried a young woman, ringing her hands at the line of cars stacked up in front of her.

Another young man had just left his house on Tidewater Drive when he realized how bad things were on the roads. "Yeah, I'm turning around and going right back home," he said.

Finally, shortly after 2 p.m. State Troopers led a slow parade of vehicles through one re-opened westbound lane of the tunnel. The cars and trucks inched along, heading to the peninsula.
They were barely moving... but atleast they were moving.