RELEASE: CONTACT:

IMMEDIATE Tamara Neale 804-840-2813 erika.johnson@virginiadot.org Erika Johnson 757-925-2584

HRO-0338 Oct. 30, 2003

VDOT CONDUCTS TUNNEL SAFETY REVIEW AND FLOOD GATE TESTING Fire and safety protection issues addressed

NORFOLK - The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is conducting a review of safety and fire protection systems in all tunnel facilities in the Hampton Roads region. The purpose of the review is to prioritize key problems with these systems and recommend timely and reasonable solutions.

“VDOT’s tunnel review is being done to improve the safety and ensure the proper maintenance of the facilities,” said VDOT Commissioner Philip Shucet. “I want to get to the bottom of tunnel safety issues once and for all, and this review will serve that purpose. From this review, VDOT will take decisive action on safety issues and improve the testing of critical equipment. The agency has already taken action to test all the flood gates.”

The review is being conducted by Earth Tech, a VDOT contractor. Earth Tech is taking an independent review of detailed tunnel inspection reports and will visit the tunnel facilities. From this information, the review will prioritize critical needs and recommend repairs. The review will be completed in March 2004. VDOT will take decisive action on the recommendations.

The review’s primary focus is on the tunnels’ fire protection systems, emergency back-up power systems, emergency lighting, fire detection and alarm systems, emergency response plans and emergency ventilation operational procedures.

“As promised earlier this month, VDOT is moving forward on addressing critical safety issues with the tunnels,” said VDOT Hampton Roads District Administrator Jane Wimbush. “This review will set the course to keep our tunnels operating safely.”

In December, VDOT will have a plan to repair the water line that is used in the fire protection system for the Monitor-Merrimac Bridge Tunnel. The current water line is prone to leaking when high water pressure is used. The tunnel has a reliable water supply for fire-fighting efforts. The standard procedure is for fire companies to hook into the tunnel’s water supply and firefighters use the pressure from their pumpers to put out the fires.

VDOT has completed testing the flood and tidal gates at both the Midtown and Hampton Roads Bridge tunnels. The Midtown Tunnel flood gate was successfully deployed – lowered, locked and raised – in October.

Three of the four flood gates at the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel were tested successfully as well this month. The south gate on the westbound side did not work properly during its test. The gate can be lowered until it reaches about three inches from the ground. At that point, the gate’s tracking mechanism doesn’t work properly. The tracking system will be replaced by next June. Until the track is replaced, there are contingency plans in place to fully seal the gate by using sandbags should there be an immediate need to close the gate due to a hurricane.