Big Walker Mountain Tunnel
Detailed shot of northbound entrance
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|
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Big Walker Mountain Tunnel |
| Location | Bland County, Virginia, USA |
| Coordinates | 37°2′18.96″N 81°7′49.08″W / 37.0386000°N 81.1303000°WCoordinates: 37°2′18.96″N 81°7′49.08″W / 37.0386000°N 81.1303000°W |
| Route |
 I‑77
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| Operation | |
| Opened | 1972 |
| Toll | None |
| Technical | |
| Length | 4,229 ft (1,289.00 m) |
| No. of lanes | 4 |
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 / 37.038600°N 81.130300°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.
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.
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Wikipedia