The 17.6 mile over-and-under water Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel opened to traffic April 15, 1964.  Received an award as the outstanding engineering achievement of the year.

The bridge-tunnel, which required three and a half years to construct, was built by a joint venture of four contractors with Tidewater Construction Corporation as sponsor.  The others were Merritt-Chapman and Scott Corporation, Raymond International, Inc. and Peter Kiewit Sons' Company.  Sverdrup and Parcel, Consulting Engineers, designed the project.  The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel stretches across the juncture of Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, combining more than 17 miles of concrete trestle, two mile-long tunnels, four man-made islands, two steel bridges and two miles of earth-fill causeway.  In addition, there are five miles of approach road on shore.