History buffs, rejoice! (But not too much.)

Last year, construction began on an expansion to the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) to create four lanes in each direction and two more tunnels heading eastbound. Of course, if you go anywhere near the HRBT then you knew that already. 

But what you might not know is that Hampton Roads' rich history is being dug up during all of this construction. The Virginian-Pilot reported that workers have found six Civil War-era cannonballs so far, and other objects like sunken ships are blocking the projected path and will have to be removed.

The cannonballs have ranged from 8 to 9 1/2 inches and caused equipment to get stuck on them. Some are made completely from iron and some still with gunpowder inside. Firstly, they were inspected by the Navy’s explosive ordinance division and experts from Langley Air Force Base to determine whether or not they were considered "live munitions."

Larissa Ambrose, VDOT's environmental manager, then contacted the Department of Historic Resources (DHR) to determine if the artifacts could be considered historically significant. It was concluded that they aren't.

Well, they are. But not really.

The problem is that the cannonballs were not found in their original location. In 1976, when the bridge-tunnel was expanded for the first time, sand was dredged from Willoughby Bank to create what is now the South Island of the HRBT. The cannonballs must have some historical significance but there's no way to know what it is without knowing exactly where they came from. Since the islands are man-made and were not created with original sand or dirt, they do not have any historical context. If any other items are found on the islands, a consultation from the DHR will not be required. 

And as for the sunken ships, we already knew they were there. Well, somebody did anyway. Ships had been placed in the area long ago to protect the weather and erosion vulnerable Willoughby Spit from waves. One such vessel, the USS Stringham (a US Navy torpedo ship), can be seen during low tide but it is not impeding the expansion. However, another ship—this one a 19th to early 20th-century merchant vessel—is in the way of where the new trestles are to be built. Parts of the hull are currently being removed to make way for the project.

Did you know about cannonballs and sunken ships? What do you think about the new HRBT expansion? Want to just complain about the traffic? Let us know in the comments!