Local Impact: Michelle Martin on the HRBT Expansion

Decades in the making, the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) Expansion Project in Virginia is the largest infrastructure development in the Commonwealth’s history. Michelle Martin, project manager, discusses the work’s impact on her career and the region she calls home.

United States | Thursday, November 13, 2025
Reading Time : 3:49 minutes

The $3.9 billion Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion Project will provide congestion relief to citizens of Hampton Roads by nearly doubling I-64 capacity along a 10-mile stretch by adding two 46-foot-diameter two-lane bored tunnels, replacing marine bridges, and widening existing sections of the interstate. Having grown up in the region, Michelle is acutely aware of the regional economic, military logistics, and local mobility impacts relying on this complex project’s timely completion.

What inspired you to a career in program management?

I love the fast-paced challenge of mega projects, working with global experts across disciplines to deliver complex engineering solutions. The role provides comprehensive involvement with all facets of project development, allowing me to collaborate with specialists from diverse fields with global perspectives. Together, we strive to deliver engineering solutions to make meaningful contributions to communities.

What’s been the biggest milestone of this project to date?

This is the first tunnel in Virginia's history and the second-largest vehicular tunnel in the United States constructed with a tunnel-boring machine (TBM). The first significant milestone was the TBM breakthrough for the first tunnel on April 17, 2024, followed closely by the second tunnel breakthrough on September 24, 2025, marking the completion of all mining operations for the project.

How do you spend a typical day as the Project Manager on the HRBT Expansion Project?

My primary focus is to identify factors that may influence the successful delivery of the project and proactively address associated challenges or risks. I regularly collaborate with a team of technical experts to anticipate potential issues. I engage with the commercial and project controls teams to monitor project progress and analyze emerging trends. This enables the team to effectively coordinate project activities, to ensure appropriate personnel assignments, resolve problems efficiently, and maintain forward momentum for the project.

Michelle Martin

Senior Vice President, Program Management

United States

Contact

Related themes and tags

What prepared you for success in a program management role on a project of this scale?

My commitment to continuous improvement and my extensive experience with previous projects prepared me for a leadership position on this project. Prior to joining HRBT Expansion Project, I contributed to the Midtown Tunnel project in this region as well as Denver’s Central Interstate 70 tunnel initiative. Within the HRBT Expansion project, I have held several key roles, including commercial manager, engineering task manager, and deputy project manager before assuming my current role as project manager. Each of these experiences played a crucial role in developing my skills and expanding my knowledge base, preparing me for this role.

You’re from Hampton Roads. What does the successful delivery of this project mean to the region and to you?

Once the tunnels are opened and a substantial part of the roadway projects are complete, mobility in the region will improve dramatically. Today, for example, I my commute can range from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours, just because of the inconsistent traffic in the project corridor. Greater consistency and reliability will mean so much to locals like me and everyone traveling through the region to the beach, other parts of the region, or the Outer Banks. Also, we have one of the nation’s largest ports and all branches of the military represented in Hampton Roads, including Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval base in the world. It is imperative for our country’s security and economy that access to and through the region be reliable.

At WSP, I've consistently found opportunities to pursue ambitious goals and turn them into reality. It's inspiring to work for an organization that encourages personal growth and provides the resources needed to achieve success.

Michelle Martin Senior Vice President, Program Management

Michelle Martin Senior Vice President, Program Management

With your skills and experience you could probably work anywhere, so why WSP?

I’ve always felt empowered to reach for my goals and beyond at WSP. WSP supports my growth and lets me pay it forward to my colleagues. I’ve been provided significant opportunities for personal and professional growth and I appreciate being part of an organization that encourages individuals to advance and expand their skill sets. In turn, WSP enables me to contribute positively to my team by supporting their professional journeys.

When not on the job, how do you escape its pace and demands?

I'm a mom busy following my kids in sports, homework, and those things. But when I do get a free moment, the beach is my happy place. I go to a very remote part of the beach in the Outer Banks to decompress and relax.