Norway has begun building a four-lane undersea passage in Norway that is set to become the world’s longest and deepest road tunnel.
At a predicted cost of £36 billion, the record-breaking “Rogfast” project will finally connect the districts of Randaberg and Bokn, which are separated by a 16-mile-wide body of water.
By removing the need for ferries, the tunnel will cut 11 hours off a 21-hour journey on Norway’s E39 coastal highway, which runs from Trondheim in the far north to Kristiansand in the south.
It will also help millions of people commute to the cities of Stavanger and Bergen, which are situated on the 680-mile-long road that is interrupted seven times by the need for ferries to cross fjords.
Rogfast’s project manager said the current ferry service can also be delayed by bad weather, prolonging journeys further, which is something that will not affect the tunnel.
Oddvar Kaarmo said: “The port at Mortavika is quite exposed and in the winter, ferries sometimes have to divert to another port.
“Once the tunnel is finished, we will not have to rely on good weather to keep the roads open.
“About half a year after the last drill and blast, we have to deliver the project, so we have to get a lot of work done simultaneously. It’s more about logistics than tunnelling.”
The mega-tunnel will be carved through a layer of rock underneath the water and will take 35 minutes to drive through. It will have a four-lane dual tunnel design with a maximum depth of 1,300 ft and length of 16.5 miles.
Norway has said the project’s budget will be roughly £1.6 billion but construction experts claim the total cost could be up to £36 billion.
It is hoped the ambitious venture will improve the exporting of goods and encourage tourism along the country’s west coast.
The Norwegian government will pay for around 40 per cent of the project, with the rest covered by a £30 toll imposed on drivers to use the passage.
It will overtake Norway’s Lærdal tunnel – which spans 15 miles between Lærdal and Aurland – as the world’s longest sub-sea road when it opens.
The project is slated for completion in 2033 after plans were originally approved by Norway’s parliament in 2017.
