THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 18, 1995 TAG: 9502180445
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
Camillus Albert ``Al'' Nash Jr., the Department of Transportation's top administrator in Southeastern Virginia for the last dozen years and overseer of a myriad of the region's major road projects, has announced his retirement.
Nash, 61, who began his career in 1959 in the engineering training program of the Virginia Highway Department in Richmond, made the decision this month.
He is taking advantage of an early-retirement incentive offered to state employees by Gov. George F. Allen.
Nash is awaiting approval of his retirement, which he said he expected next month.
As to when he will leave the job, Nash said: ``That's another thing I have to think about.''
Nash, an engineer by training, moved to Suffolk in January 1973 as a construction engineer, responsible for all construction in the Suffolk District, an area covering the Eastern Shore and nine counties in Southeastern Virginia. The district contains 150 miles of interstate highways and 748 miles of primary highways.
Nash arrived here as the Transportation Department was planning the second tube of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel.
``I guess it was kind of ironic,'' said Nash, adding that he previously had worked as a consultant for the first tunnel.
Nash was later named division engineer. In September 1982, he became the district's administrator.
During his time in Suffolk, Nash oversaw some of the largest road projects ever in Hampton Roads. He considers the second tube of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel to be one of his career highlights.
Other highlights include the second tube of the Downtown Tunnel and the construction of Interstate 664 and the Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel, his last major project.
He also was responsible for overseeing the building of some of this area's major bridges, including the new James River Bridge, the Berkley Bridge and the Campostella Bridge. The Coleman Bridge is currently under construction.
Nash oversaw all of the upgrades on the Virginia Beach-Norfolk Expressway, which went from four lanes to as many as 13 lanes under his direction.
He also helped make safer a once-dangerous portion of Route 58 between Suffolk and Emporia known as ``the Suicide Strip.''
``I don't know how many millions of dollars in construction that is,'' Nash said of his 12 years of supervision, ``but it'd sure be nice for someone to find that out.''
Nash began his highway department career in Fredericksburg, where he was the engineer in charge of building 13 bridges along Interstate 95.
He later became an assistant resident engineer for the Bristol District in Lebanon in March 1963. He remained there until he was promoted to resident engineer in Lexington in September 1965.
During his tenure there, Nash oversaw the construction of Interstate 81 as well as Interstate 64, which was under construction in the mountains of Allegheny County.
Nash is unique among district administrators in that he oversaw the construction of so many tunnels in the region. ``Most engineers,'' he said, ``don't have the opportunity to be involved in one.'' by CNB