Norway is building one of the longest underwater car tunnels in the world, with a length of 26.5 km, which will be located at a depth of several hundred meters.
According to Oxu.Az, The Daily Telegraph reported about it.
The Boknafjord tunnel will connect the regions of Randaberg and Bokn, between which there is currently a ferry service, and will reduce the travel time on the E39 coastal road from Kristiansand in the south to Trondheim in central Norway by 11 hours. This journey currently takes 21 hours for drivers.
According to the project director, Oddvar Kaarmo, drivers will no longer have to depend on the weather conditions, considering that, in case of bad weather, the ferry service is suspended.
The tunnel, which will have four lanes, will cost about $38 for a 35-minute trip. The tunnel is dug into the rock, and the total cost of the project exceeds 2 billion dollars. Its completion is expected to boost tourism and increase the volume of goods transported along Norway’s west coast.
The construction of the Boknafjord tunnel is part of a mega-project to modernize the entire E39 highway, the cost of which is estimated at almost 45.5 billion dollars. The project includes the construction of floating underwater tunnels. It is assumed that such a tunnel will consist of two curved concrete tubes, one for each direction, which will be located at a depth of 20-30 m. They will be suspended on pontoons on the surface of the sea.
