The Cumberland Gap Tunnel is a tunnel that carries U.S. Highway 25E under Cumberland Gap National Historical Park near the intersection of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. The east portal of the tunnel is in Tennessee and the west portal is in Kentucky; according to United States Geological Survey maps of the area, the tunnel does not enter Virginia. It is one of only two mountain tunnels in the United States that crosses a state line, the other being the East River Mountain Tunnel on Interstate 77 between Virginia and West Virginia. Image File history File links CGTunnel. ... A disused railway tunnel now converted to pedestrian and bicycle use, near Houyet, Belgium A tunnel is an underground passage. ... U.S. Highway 25 is a north-south US highway in the eastern United States of America that now connects Cincinnati, Ohio at the Ohio River to Brunswick, Georgia near the Atlantic Ocean. ... Established on June 11, 1940, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located in southeastern Kentucky. ... State nickname: Bluegrass State Other U.S. States Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Governor Ernie Fletcher (R) Senators Mitch McConnell (R) Jim Bunning (R) Official languages English Area 104,749 km² (37th)  - Land 102,989 km²  - Water 1,760 km² (1. ... State nickname: Volunteer State Official languages English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Governor Phil Bredesen (D) Senators Bill Frist (R) Lamar Alexander (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 36th 109,247 km² 2. ... State nickname: Old Dominion Official languages English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Governor Mark R. Warner (D) Tim Kaine (D-Governor Elect) Senators John Warner (R) George Allen (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 35th 110,862 km² 7. ... The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. ... The East River Mountain Tunnel near Bluefield, West Virginia carries Interstate 77 under East River Mountain. ... Interstate 77 is an interstate highway in the eastern United States. ... State nickname: Old Dominion Official languages English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Governor Mark R. Warner (D) Tim Kaine (D-Governor Elect) Senators John Warner (R) George Allen (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 35th 110,862 km² 7. ... State nickname: Mountain State Official languages English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Governor Joe Manchin (D) Senators Robert Byrd (D) Jay Rockefeller (D) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 41st 62,809 km² 0. ...

Data

The tunnels consist of two tubes, each 4,600 feet (1,402 m) long. Each tube carries two lanes of traffic. An "illumination zone" is included at each portal to allow drivers' vision to adjust to the lower light level in the tunnel. The speed limit in the tunnel is 45 mph (72 km/h); lane changes are prohibited. Trucks carrying hazardous cargo are prohibited from using the tunnels. The overall construction cost was USD 280 million. A speed limit is the maximum speed allowed by law for vehicles on a road. ... USD redirects here. ...

The tunnel replaced a 2.3-mile (3.7 km) stretch of U.S. 25E between Middlesboro, Kentucky and Cumberland Gap, Tennessee that became known as "Massacre Mountain" due to the large number of travelers killed on the twisting mountain road. Middlesborough, also spelled Middlesboro, is a city located in Bell County, Kentucky. ... Cumberland Gap is a town located in Claiborne County, Tennessee. ...

Project history

Even in the late 1970s, road traffic through the park had increased to the point of being unmanageable, and the project to replace the surface road began in 1980. However, construction did not begin until 1991. Early on, it was decided that widening the existing surface road to four lanes would adversely affect the historically sensitive areas in the park, making a tunnel the only viable choice. As a part of the plan, the existing road through Cumberland Gap has been removed and restored as a wagon path similar to that used by early nineteenth century travelers. The 1970s in its most obvious sense refers to the decade between 1970 and 1979. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Construction was administered by the Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division of the Federal Highway Administration for the National Park Service, with funding provided by both agencies as well as the states of Kentucky and Tennessee. While the project was in the planning phases, Kentucky and Tennessee both began widening their portions of US 25E leading to Cumberland Gap to four lanes. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation that specializes in automobile transportation. ... The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ...

The first step in construction was the boring of a pilot tunnel underneath the mountain, which revealed some unexpected construction challenges. The boring revealed underground springs and streams that would result in leakage of 450 gallons (1,700 L) per minute of water into the tunnel, regardless of outside weather conditions. To eliminate leakage into the tunnel, the tubes were lined with a thick PVC layer. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a widely-used plastic. ...

Construction of the actual tubes began on June 21, 1991. Excavation continued simultaneously from both sides, and the tunnels were joined on July 9, 1992. The tunnels opened to traffic on October 20, 1996. June 21 is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 193 days remaining. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 9 is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 175 days remaining. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... October 20 is the 293rd day of the year (294th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 72 days remaining. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

External links

• Federal Highway Administration
• Roads to the Future
• National Park Service