VDOT blames flooding on rupture

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - During a public meeting Friday morning, Virginia Department of Transportation officials described a series of incidents surrounding the rupture of a 52-year-old cast iron pipe encased in concrete beneath the westbound Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel's road surface.

Approximately 2 million gallons of water from the fire hydrant supply system filled underground ducts and eventually caused the complete closure of the westbound tunnel, as water pooled in the travel lanes, VDOT officials said.

The briefing was open to the public.

5th District Senator Yvonne Miller said, "There is a severe need for funding for transportation in this area."

VDOT closed the westbound tube on July 2 after a pumping system malfunctioned and filled a pump house with water. The mouth of the tunnel on the Hampton side had as much as six inches of water.

For more than eight hours not one VDOT worker detected the leaking pipe until flooding water from below bubbled into the west bound tube.

WAVY.com questioned Dennis Heuer, VDOT's Hampton Roads District Administrator, at the hearing. "Did you go down and check to find out what was going on in the lower duct because that is where the water supply is?" Heuer responded, "As the Commissioner said, we are reviewing the incident and our procedurual stand down will help us... find that out."

The problem led to traffic delays and emergency repairs in the busy tunnel over the Independence Day weekend. Local officials voiced concerns about the tunnel's effectiveness as a hurricane escape route.

Citizens attending Friday's briefing voiced concerns about evacuation routes. VDOT said they "take evacuation routes very seriously and have a team in place to ensure evacuation routes are clear in the event an evacuation is needed."

Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim said last week's incident was a "low grade storm" and said residents need answers quickly especially since it is hurricane season.

VDOT said the incident was "unacceptable" and is asking a panel of experts to review and address any finding in VDOT's action plan to prevent a future occurrance.

Thursday, VDOT placed two motors and one pump at the HRBT and they removed the 2nd pump. Today they are repairing and replacing the 2nd pump.

On the web: Read VDOT's Initial Report on the HRBT flooding