Route I‑77 Length 4,229 ft (1,289.00 m) Opened 1972 Number of lanes 4 | Toll None No. of lanes 4 Phone +1 202-366-4000 | |
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Official name Big Walker Mountain Tunnel Address I-77, Dublin, VA 24084, USA Owner Virginia Department of Transportation Similar East River Mountain Tunnel, Blue Ridge Mountains, Hampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel, Wolf Creek Indian Village a, Edith Bolling Wilson Bi | ||
Big walker mountain tunnel
The Big Walker Mountain Tunnel is a vehicular tunnel in the Appalachian Mountains of Southwest Virginia that carries Interstate 77 through/under Big Walker Mountain. It is located at 37°2.316′N 81°7.818′W, a few miles south of the town of Bland and a segment of the Appalachian Trail, and about 20 miles (32 km) south of its longer cousin, the East River Mountain Tunnel.
Contents
- Big walker mountain tunnel
- Interstate 77 north as we roll through big walker mountain tunnel in virginia
- History
- References
Interstate 77 north as we roll through big walker mountain tunnel in virginia
History
The 4,229-foot (1,288 m) tunnel was first opened in 1972 after five years of construction labor. It carried a price tag of $50 million, which at the time was the most expensive single project undertaken on Virginia's interstate system.[1] The opening of the tunnel reduced the travel time from Wytheville to Bland County by 30 minutes.[2]
Preliminary engineering studies for the project were made by Brokenborough & Watkins, consulting engineers of Richmond, Virginia, and the final design of the roadway and tunnel was by Singstad & Kehart, consulting engineers of New York City.
The tunnel approaches and surrounding area can be viewed from the Big Walker Lookout, a 100-foot observation tower built on a nearby peak.