Transportation 2024: RYAN BANAS

Banas oversees the $3.9 billion Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion, the largest highway construction project in Virginia’s history and one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country.

Milestones this year included one on April 17 when the tunnel boring machine, nicknamed Mary, completed its much-anticipated journey to North Island, broke through the headwall and created Virginia’s first bored roadway tunnel and the third of its kind in the nation. Vehicles traversing the new structure marked the first new bridge crossing the harbor at the HRBT in nearly 50 years. As of June, estimated completion for the expansion project is February 2027, a six-month improvement on the previously anticipated August 2027 finish date. Still, the end of the project is about a year later than originally scheduled.

A project manager with HNTB for more than 10 years, Banas also has worked on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel expansion, the Arlington National Cemetery Southern Expansion and the Elizabeth River Tunnels project. Prior to HNTB, he spent five years as assistant construction manager with Parsons Brinckerhoff (now WSP USA) working on projects, including the Gilmerton Bridge replacement in Chesapeake and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Alexandria.