CHESAPEAKE
State transportation officials now know what caused flooding that shut down the westbound Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel for eight hours last week and hobbled motorists throughout the region. But they’re still studying how to keep it from happening again.
Officials said Friday the initial investigation has concluded that a half-century-old fire water main encased in concrete burst inside the westbound section of the bridge-tunnel. The break went undetected for hours as millions of gallons of water partially filled a large chamber under the roadway, eventually seeping onto the road just before the morning rush and causing all traffic to stop.
Initial repairs have been made, and a more detailed investigation will be done over several weeks to find the causes of the July 2 system failure and to recommend changes aimed at preventing a recurrence, said David Ekern, commissioner of the Virginia Department of Transportation.
“I take this responsibility very seriously. We will work to get all the facts on the table,’’ Ekern told a crowd of about 100 officials and residents.
“I intend that we conduct this review in full public view,” he said.
Ekern and other officials said many issues won’t be resolved until they complete their review. They could not say whether anyone is at fault for the incident and resulting gridlock. They don’t know yet whether proper procedures were followed.
Ekern acknowledged that “procedures did not work properly to identify the flood and keep it from significantly impacting traffic.”
No monitoring equipment is in place that would have detected the flooding before it reached the road. The cast-iron pipeline, which stretches the length of the tunnel, is tested every five years, most recently in 2006.
VDOT officials said they will examine whether that frequency is sufficient to ensure the pipe’s integrity. The timing of the test follows guidelines established by the National Fire Protection Association, they said.
Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim said that a test every five years is unacceptable.
“Because tunnels are vital to the local, regional and national economies and to our national defense, it is imperative that these facilities are properly maintained and inspected to ensure the safe passage of the traveling public,” he said.
Ekern said the review panel will include state and federal transportation, emergency preparedness and law enforcement agencies. It will examine all records and activities at the time of the shutdown, he said.
Fraim told VDOT officials that he doesn’t want to rush to blame anyone but he wants quick action to ensure that the tunnels won’t have more problems.
“We don’t have the luxury of time today. In a real sense, this is the lull before the storm. We are in a hurricane season,” Fraim said. “Whether it’s weather-driven or age-related – whatever the issues are with the tunnels – we need some answers pretty quickly.”
While earlier reports suggested that a failure of pumps may have caused the flooding, VDOT officials said that was not the core problem.
At some point – exactly when was uncertain Friday – the 8-inch pipe that supplies water to fire hydrants in the tunnel burst open near an air flue that ventilates a large chamber beneath the tunnel roadway. The chamber is large enough to allow a person to walk inside. Workers later found a large chunk of pipe in the bottom of the chamber.
About 2 million gallons of water poured into the chamber, overwhelming pumps that were designed to handle a much smaller volume of storm water.
The flooding went undetected until 6:15 a.m. July 2, when the tunnel control room notified the maintenance staff that standing water was detected at the lowest point of the westbound traffic lanes. Eleven minutes later, all westbound traffic was stopped.
Almost seven hours later, VDOT workers were able to reopen one lane. It wasn’t until 7:37 p.m. that both lanes were open.
Outside the tunnel, which carries 95,000 vehicles a day, the shutdown spawned a traffic jam that stretched for miles, well into the night.
The congestion was compounded by unrelated problems at other water crossings caused in part by a thunderstorm. The James River Bridge was closed for a time because of a downed power line, the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel had a power outage, and a tractor trailer overturned on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
Pierce Homer, the state Secretary of Transportation, said after the hearing that while there may be procedural and other changes needed, the problem is not a shortage of money for maintenance.
The department has struggled with funds for secondary road maintenance around the state, he said, but maintenance for the bridge-tunnels is not being shortchanged.
When asked about whether VDOT has a public relations problem because of incidents like the tunnel flooding, Ekern said: “I don’t comment on what my customers may or may not perceive about us. What I do stand on is the department’s record in the last eight years … when we implemented over 1,000 findings, recommendations and changes in the department.”
A handful of state delegates and senators spoke out during the hearing, some blaming each other’s chamber for failing to take action to address the region’s growing transportation problems. All said major changes are needed.
“If we have a hurricane in this area and all the tunnels are closed, we won’t be able to get out,” said State Sen. Yvonne Miller, D-Norfolk.
Bill Bartel, (757) 446-2398, bill.bartel@pilotonline.com
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the final fumble
4) The fact the something like this will happen from time to time really shows how much was wasted on the “smart traffic system” NO plan or ability to notify the public in a prompt manner to reduce some congestion get people to stay off the roads unless necessary. Just lemmings go from one tube to another with no guidance or direction. This is just a precursor to what a hurricane evacuation would be and it was a gross failure. “WE” have paid estimated 100 million for signs and cameras and the works and “tunnel blocked” is about all the information we can’t get. Set the thing on auto pilot and save some money i.e. 6 mile backup hrbt, Downtown tunnel congested bridge lift in progress, high rise 5 mile greenbrier, debris in the road way at MMBT one lane blocked. Jobs done lets all go fishing.
the fire main was the football and Vdot fumbled it over and over
Several things of note
1) The pilot got it wrong on the time line. The fire pump problem pressure started about midnight. Vdot did not due anything regarding why there was no fire main even though the pumps were running. Between 12 midnight and 6 am 2 million gallons of water filled the lower vent duct. I would also think the fan which drives the air into the tunnel would start having a problem or monitor show abnormal reading. 6 hours went by with apparently nobody awake enough or caring to check out the problem.
2) Andy Fox was the only reporter who got the time line right from the beginning it right grandstanding or not.
3) I was also involved in the meeting and spoke. Lets be real the more roads you build the more to maintain. The older they get the more “health care” they need. The state has done nothing to properly adjust the amount available for health care of roads FOR OVER 18 YEARS. The wacko jacko bill that place a burden on a very few was a failure to stand up and take responsibility for the problem BY THE STATE. How many pay raise's have the House of Delegates gotten over the past 18 years for their well being and services. We all have a responsibility
NO PRAISE REQUIRED
Horace1105 complains: "When things flow right no one praises the city/state for anything." The reason for this is that the city or state in question is the employee of the Taxpayer. We pay them and expect them to do the job they are being paid to do. When they do not do the job we are paying them to do, we are not getting what we are paying for; we are thus upset, and rightly so. If Horace's car breaks down right after a costly repair, does he complain to the dealer? You betcha!
I read a lot of complaints that state and municipal agencies are understaffed and under-funded. When have you ever heard of a bureaucrat asking for a smaller budget than the prior year or letting personnel go because he/she is overstaffed? It's a given: Public agencies have been, are, and will forever be, "understaffed" and "under-funded" - every time a really foreseeable and preventable screw-up like this occurs.
Fire and Water Don't Mix
Do some more digging and you just might find some holes in VDOT’s smoke screen. It appears we are dealing with what is considered a “private” fire line/standpipe/system owned by a public entity. Here are a few questions that just might reveal some surprising answers: 1) Who is the “Authority Having Jurisdiction” for the fire system in the tunnel? 2) What testing does the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) require or recommend for testing? 3) Does NFPA’s testing involve a physical inspection of the pipe? 4) Does NFPA’s testing deal with the leakage, hydrostatic pressure testing, or pipeline integrity of existing fire systems on a regular basis? 5) If a rising water level has the potential to impact the operation of the tunnel, what measures/systems were in place to alert tunnel operators/maintenance personnel of an unacceptable water level in the “lower ducts?”
Based on the information and photo(s) revealed thus far, it would be my guess they are dealing with an unlined (concrete lining) cast iron lead-joint pipe commonly used for buried water lines during the time this pipe was installed. For buried fire pipes, NFPA commonly defers to the
blame
When things flow right no one praises the city/state for anything. Look at how long this equipment has held up with no problems. There is nothing more frustrating than siting in traffic stop and go for several hours. Everything needs maintenance this is a good indicator for them to look for further problems. Imagine if it were flooded completely , I would not be able to hold my breath for that long. The tunnels are a modern marvel and still amaze me, just think of how much water they are holding back. What if it were a draw bridge and you had to wait for a large ship or aircraft carrier to pass under. Things get old, things will break at the worst possible moment. I have nothing but praise for the way these roadways have held up for so many years. It just proves to me that the US has the best engineers in the world. Problems will arise as problems do. don't let anger fuel your comments. I have lived in this area for many years, and have been in a few delays in the hot August sun. If you commute through the tunnels keep your radio tuned in for tunnel traffic that helps to plan for a re-rout.
Preventive maintenance would have prevented the problem.
The headline is misleading. Preventive maintenance would have prevented the problem. A float valve or camera would have minimized the damage. The Navy has the right idea about ship overhauls and routine maintenance for its ships. Virginian’s should expect no less for its bridges and tunnels. Tim Kaine is to blame with his ideas, ineffective policies and priorities.
Ridiculous!
So now Tim Kaine is to blame for a system that is 50 years old? It makes as much sense as blaming Dwight Eisenhower for creating the interstate highway system that resulted in the building of I64. Get real!
If you thought the flood was bad...
What happens when a terrorist hijacks a gas truck and detonates it in the HRBT? What would happen if they did it in ALL the tunnels? Do you have any IDEA how vulnerable those tunnels are to a terrorist attack? It would be devastating to the economy AND the local miliary operations which would have world-wide consequences--and the local government is oblivious to this type of thing. Imagine what life would be like with even just the HRBT tunnels destroyed.....then think about what would happen if it were the HRBT, the MMBT and the downtown tunnels gone. It would make the WTC events of 9-11 pale in comparison!!
Alternate traffic lanes on the HRBT
As long as our nation's defense includes naval ships being able to leave port, tunnels will be a way of life for Hampton Roads. While I understand that frustration is high whenever a traffic jam occurs - this time it seems to be more of a worst case scenario becoming reality. I traveled the HRBT for some time. The traffic jams stopped amazing me many years ago. What still does amaze me however is my memory of the "State of the Art" traffic system installed when the second span was built (Yep - I was crossing the tunnel that long ago). The traffic engineers touted it would allow for two way traffic to be accomodated through a single span when an event (just like this) would occur. Yet I have no memeory of it ever being used. Instead we close one side completly and let the other lane crawl with rubber-neckers. The cross over lanes are still there at both bridge approaches. I would assume the signal system still exists as well. In situations like this it isn't whether they will happen or not - it's what those in charge do when it happens.
BRIDGE OR TUNNEL -- DOES NOT MATTER
It doesn't matter what type of structure it is -- if VDOT is involved -- there will be some kind of massive failure. If its a tunnel, VDOT will let it flood. If its a bridge, VDOT will let it collapse. The blame game and the shoddy VDOT excuses as to why things went wrong will continue on and on. But then that fateful day will come where something truly disastrous happens. That fateful day will be one in which people are seriously hurt or killed. And then, only then, will something be finally done about VDOT.
Dear Leader
Obey obey all that they say
When your comrades pump and you just feel betrayed
When the empire falls
They don't return your calls
They run away
"Raging Red" by Dear Leader
No More tunnels. Build Bridges NOW!
Necessary system no more technologically advanced than my toilet
So how many hours was the lower ventillation shaft was completely blocked by flooding before enough water seeped on to the roadway for the geniuses in the control room to realize something was wrong? And really, how hard would it have been it to install a float switch that turns off the water mains when the water level gets too high? I mean, my toilet tank can do that.
We can't let anyone get away with throwing up their hands and blaming "human error" or whichever political party they oppose. It is possible to build complex systems with a very low tolerance for error and operate it safely on an ongoing basis. For instance, the Navy has been doing it every day for decades.
How about...........
We stop spending $$$ on non-essential things like the light rail to no where, fixing up the various festival locations like Waterside and Town Point for a once a year party, and the other millions the cities throughout the area spend frivolously and work on things like roads that are really needed? The whole area is falling apart. I drive all over the Southside daily and I've never seen so many holes and patches in the roads as now. Cut out waste and spending on things the cities shouldn't have their hands in and concentrate on what they should be doing.
The blame game continues.
Breaking news for VDOT and Gov. Tim Kaine: 50 year old infrastructure needs constant maintenance. The blame game continues.
Tunnel Leak.
They should have called a plumber or someone that know's what's going on. Now VDOT wants us to look at this as a act of God....yeah, sure. I believe the commissioner should do as the Japanese, "fall on their sword." I very seldom agree with Paul Fraim, but 5 years is something for "Alice In Wonderland." Not for our tunnels!
Tunnel
Keep putting the demos.in office and they keep appointing folks who know nothing about highways tunnels. It's time to put folks who know what they are doing in charge ... not political appointees.
Didn't we kinda already know
Didn't we kinda already know rather early on into the cataclysm that it was a broken pipe? And that's your headline? Pshaw.
VDOT: "It's Not OUR Fault!"
So, Sen. Y. Miller wants more taxpayer dollars for VDOT. How about some regular maintenance on what we already have. Until VDOT cleans house, any addition money thrown in their direction will only be wasted.
Must replace the Old System!
There seems to be multiple problems with the current outdated system at HRBT. Corrosion, age, and engineering of the old system (pipes encased in concrete). Why would these pipes be encased in concrete? Don't they consider how vibration from changing water flow can affect the deterioration of the pipes? It would seem the old system would be prone to failures, as happened, and will happen again in the future. Therefore, we should design and install a new system around the old one, not encased in concrete, but exposed for easy inspection, monitoring, and repair. The new system should bypass the old one, and when constructed, the old system should simply be shut down. It won't be cheap, or happen overnight, but that's what we need to do! Now let's get it done!
oh geez!
all you guys do is complain. if you don't like the tunnel so much then drive around....move elsewhere where there are no tunnels and bridges. Or here's a thought...live and work on the same side! how about 'we' ( by that I mean YOU) suck it up and drop it. or walk your happy feet to the tunnel and pitch in and help fix it. oh, and we will pay taxes for the rest of our lives from here to eternity. you might as well stop complaining about that to.