Cumberland Gap Tunnel

The Cumberland Gap Tunnel is a tunnel that carries U.S. Route 25E under Cumberland Gap National Historical Park near the intersection of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. According to United States Geological Survey maps of the area, the tunnel does not enter Virginia. It is one of only two mountain vehicular tunnels in the United States that cross a state line, the other being the East River Mountain Tunnel on Interstate 77 between Virginia and West Virginia.OverviewThe tunnels consist of two tubes, each 4,600 feet 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 ; lane changes are prohibited. Trucks carrying Class 1 hazardous cargo are prohibited from using the tunnels, while other hazardous cargo and wide loads are directed to a pull-off area and sent through one at a time with an escort. The overall construction cost, including the four-lane approach roads at both portals, was $280 million.