In December 2017, local sixth graders were invited to enter name suggestions for the new machine, which will bore a 42-ft.-diameter, one-mi.-long tunnel beneath the Thimble Shoal Channel in the Chesapeake Bay, a $756 million project.

Students from the Chesapeake Bay area have been hard at work coming up with names for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel's tunnel boring machine.

In December 2017, local sixth graders were invited to enter name suggestions for the new machine, which will bore a 42-ft.-diameter, one-mi.-long tunnel beneath the Thimble Shoal Channel in the Chesapeake Bay, a $756 million project.

Vote Now!

You can vote daily for your favorite name among the ten finalists between Monday, April 2 and Friday, April 13, 2018 by clicking here. Names include:

• Bessy the Boring Bufflehead submitted by Caleb from Broadwater Academy
• Chessie submitted by Grace from Nandua Middle School
• Harriet submitted by Desmond from Occohannock Elementary School
• Katherine submitted by Nicholas from Virginia Beach Middle School
• Mary Jackson, Miracle Digger submitted by Adyana from Virginia Beach Middle School
• Ms. Taylor submitted by Shania from Kiptopeke Elementary School
• Nibi submitted by Kaitlyn from Virginia Beach Middle School
• Pocahontas submitted by Quinn from Broadwater Academy
• Soteria submitted by Sophia from Old Donation School
• Virginia submitted by Pedro from Occohannock Elementary School

Tradition dictates that a tunnel boring machine cannot begin its job until it has been named. Names given to tunnel boring machines are typically female as a good luck sign for the project. According to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel's website, the tradition dates back to early mining projects, when workers prayed to Saint Barbara, the patron saint of military engineers, miners and others who work underground, to bring them protection.

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