Oslofjordtunnel
Encyclopedia
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
under the Oslofjord
Oslofjord
The Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, connecting Hurum
Hurum
Hurum is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village Klokkarstua. The municipality of Hurum was established on 1 January 1838 . The small village of Holmsbu was granted town status in 1847, but it did not become a municipality of its own...
, in Buskerud
Buskerud
is a county in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark, and Vestfold. The county administration is located in Drammen.-Geography:...
in the west to Frogn
Frogn
Frogn is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Follo traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Drøbak. Frogn was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
, in Akershus
Akershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
in the east.
The Oslofjord Tunnel is one of the longest undersea tunnel
Undersea tunnel
An undersea tunnel is a tunnel which is partly or wholly constructed under a body of water. They are often used where building a bridge or operating a ferry link is impossible, or to provide competition for existing bridges or ferry links...
s of its kind in Northern Europe; it is 7.2 km long and reaches a depth of 134 metres below sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, with a maximum gradient of 7%. The tunnel was opened by King Harald V
Harald V of Norway
Harald V is the king of Norway. He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991...
on June 29, 2000, providing an alternative method of transport between the east and west side of the Oslofjord, replacing the former Drøbak–Storsand Ferry operated by Ferjeselskapet Drøbak–Hurum–Svelvik
Ferjeselskapet Drøbak–Hurum–Svelvik
AS Ferjeselskapet Drøbak–Hurum–Svelvik is a Norwegian company that operates the car ferry from Svelvik to Verket. The service is the only crossing of the Drammen Fjord, and is provided half-hour services on their ferry with capacity for 20 cars. The company is based in Drøbak....
.
The tunnel has one lane in each direction with an extra lane in the inclining direction on the slopes. The speed limit of 80 km/h is enforced by road rule enforcement cameras. The tunnel is partially toll financed
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
with a toll plaza on the east of the tunnel.
The first suggestions for construction of a tunnel came with the suggestion of building a new main airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
for Eastern Norway at Hurumlandet
Hurumlandet
Hurumlandet is a peninsula in Buskerud county, Norway. It is situated west of the Oslofjord and east of the Drammensfjord. It comprises the municipalities Røyken and Hurum. Hurumlandet is located south of Asker. It is connected to Follo through the subsea Oslofjord Tunnel. Before 1990, Hurumlandet...
. Although Gardermoen
Gardermoen
Gardermoen may refer to:* Gardermoen, Norway* Oslo Airport, Gardermoen* Gardermoen Air Station* Gardermoen Line* Gardermoen Station...
was chosen instead as the location for the new airport, the plans for the tunnel were allowed to continue, and on December 13, 1996 the Norwegian Legislature authorized the project. Construction began on April 14, 1997. There have been some closings of the tunnel due to unstable geological activities.