Contractor crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation are scheduled to implement a long-term traffic split on I-64 east at Tidewater Drive (exits 277A and 277B) in Norfolk starting as early as overnight May 29, as part of construction for the Hampton Roads Express Lanes Norfolk Segment.
Under the new pattern, the inside lane of I-64 east will be closed and shifted left onto the inside shoulder to serve as a temporary travel lane. The two remaining eastbound lanes will continue on the right side of the work zone, maintaining three eastbound travel lanes through this area. Motorists seeking access to Tidewater Drive via exits 277A or 277B must use the outside right travel lanes. The traffic split is expected to remain in place through mid-to-late summer 2026, with all work subject to weather and scheduling changes.
The implementation will occur over several nights and involve overnight lane and ramp closures from approximately 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The full closure of the on-ramp from southbound Tidewater Drive to I-64 east will also remain in effect through late summer 2026, with alternate access available via a new left turn at Thole Street.
Motorists are advised by VDOT to use caution near work zones, follow posted speed limits and lane markings, observe digital message signs, and avoid distractions while driving. For updated road conditions and construction information, drivers can use VDOT’s free 511 Virginia traffic tools or Waze GPS app integrated with real-time updates. Additional resources including construction details, incident reports, congestion information, traffic cameras, and weather impacts are available on VDOT’s website and mobile app.
This project is part of Phase 1A of HREL Norfolk Segment construction that began in summer 2023. It includes converting an existing inside shoulder along I-64 into a high-occupancy tolled express lane running alongside three general-purpose lanes between Patrol Road and Tidewater Drive for two miles. The project also involves widening and rehabilitating several bridges along I-64.
The HREL Norfolk Segment will ultimately become part of a continuous forty-five-mile high-occupancy toll express lanes network extending from west of Denbigh Boulevard in Newport News to the I-264/I-664 Bowers Hill interchange in Chesapeake. According to the official website, the Virginia Department of Transportation manages one of the nation’s largest state highway systems covering tens of thousands of lane-miles across Virginia; its responsibilities include building, maintaining, and operating roads as well as providing services such as highway maintenance and traffic management.
