7th Annual Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel

"Family Fun Day" Bike/Hike Photos

The Drive Home

After an hour and a half of bicycling, plus stops, I was ready to pack up and head home.  Prior to leaving, I stopped and picked up a commemorative T-shirt and also donated $10 to the Foodbank of SE Virginia (as the grocery items I'd originally planned on donating were accidentally left at home).

Immediately noticeable as I was leaving the parking area was a rapid deterioration in northbound travel.  One potential sore spot from the outset was at the Rest Area parking entrance, where law enforcement was directing traffic, alternating between traffic on US 13 and bicyclists wishing to cross between the parking area and the bike event (as well as traffic wanting to go to and from the parking area).  Traffic was mostly fine through here for the first part of the morning with minimal delay up through the time when I finished my ride (~9:10am).  Less than 15 minutes later, as I started heading south and back home, a long line of northbound traffic had formed, stretching back almost to the scenic overlook about 3/4 mile away.  With the way traffic was being directed, this translated into a roughly 5-10 minute delay for northbound traffic at that time.

Unfortunately, due to the traffic control situation and the sheer amount of traffic, things got rapidly worse instead of better.  There were reports that this backup stretched back almost to the Chesapeake Channel tunnel at one point (over 8 miles), and other reports that it was taking up to an hour-and-a-half to cross the CBBT.  Some comments to the CBBT website indicate that the shuttle buses and bicyclists were being given priority over the regular traffic.  My own experience was that vehicle traffic on US 13 was getting about 2/3 of the traffic control time by the cops.  I had to wait about 3 minutes before they would let me cross US 13 to get back to the parking lot.

One suggestion that was made for next year is to not use that Rest Area parking lot, and instead have all the bicyclists park near Days Inn.  There would be some benefit to this idea, as bicyclists would no longer need to cross US 13 (unless they were coming down SR 600), and that would result in less need for traffic control.  However, even with reduced cross-travel and less traffic control, I still think there would have been delays with such a setup this year.  There was simply too much vehicle traffic going northbound for there to not be delays, given a combination of traffic going to the bike event, traffic heading home from the hike event, and traffic just wanting to pass through and up US 13 through the Eastern Shore.

Near the bottom of this page are some photos of the walk/hike event I took as I drove past.

All photos were taken by the webmaster (Adam Froehlig) on October 2, 2004.

Driving Home



Coming out of the North Toll Plaza and where traffic shifted to the 2-lane/2-way operation.  Another no passing sign was posted at the north end, as there was at the South Toll Plaza.
The northbound backup was just starting to reach this point, next to the scenic overlook, as I headed home (~9:20am).  About 10 minutes previously, there had been no backup at all.



Lots of southbound bicyclists as I crossed Fisherman's Island.  Northbound traffic ranged from heavy to light, with most vehicles traveling in platoons.


Northbound traffic was somewhat lighter as I crossed the North Channel, but this was only temporary.
This large group of bicyclists was heading north as I made my way home.


Occasional DO NOT PASS signs were posted along the guardrail.  Also, as with the northbound approach to Thimble Shoals, the southbound approach to the Chesapeake Channel was reduced to 45 MPH with additional signs posted as needed.

Passing the bicycle turnaround point on the north island and going into the Chesapeake Channel tunnel.

Coming through the Thimble Shoals Channel tunnel.




These 5 photos were taken of the walk/hike event on the northbound trestle between the Thimble Shoals Channel tunnel and the South Toll Plaza on the Virginia Beach side of the bay.
Approaching the south end as everyone gets squeezed in near the South Toll Plaza.

Here was the other noticeable traffic problem.  As with the North Toll Plaza, the far right tollbooth at the South Toll Plaza was cordoned off to accommodate the walkers and hikers, leaving three tollbooths available for traffic.  Due to the large amount of traffic, both those going to the bike event, heading home from the walk event, and those just trying to go to the Eastern Shore, there was a noticeable backup approaching the toll booth, about 1/2 mile, coming close but not quite to the US 60/Shore Dr interchange.

Additional Pages:

Main Page
The Bike Ride South
The Return Bike Ride

Related Links:

Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel

 

Page last modified 26 September, 2005


(C) 2004  Adam Froehlig