Virginia Department of Transportation officials are progressing on schedule with the Midtown Tunnel expansion despite a threatened lawsuit over tolls and an unresolved state budget that could inject more money in the deal.

State leaders are so confident the Chesapeake-Bay crossing project will move forward that on Wednesday they looked to expedite plans to create a network of retail outlets to sell E-ZPass transponders before the tolling starts, which could be as early as July.

(More on Hampton Roads tunnel project . . . )