Sotra Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Sotra Bridge is a suspension bridge
which crosses Knarreviksundet
between Knarrevik
in Fjell
and Drotningsvik
on the mainland of Bergen
in Hordaland
, Norway
. It carries two road lanes and two narrow pedestrian paths of National Road 555
, providing a fixed link for the archipelago
of Sotra
. The bridge is 1236 metres (4,055.1 ft) long, has a main span of 468 metres (1,535.4 ft) and a clearance of 50 metres (164 ft). In 2007, it had an average 25,494 vehicles per day.
The bridge was brought into use on 11 December 1971, although not officially opened until 1972. It cost 40 million Norwegian krone
(NOK) to build, of which NOK 23.5 million was paid for with tolls
, which were collected until 1983. When it opened, it was the longest suspension bridge in Norway, but is now the seventh longest. There exist plans to build a second bridge to either expand the road to four lanes, or carry a proposed extension of the Bergen Light Rail
. Alternatively, a subsea tunnel could be built to carry a motorway.
, part of the Sotra archipelago, from the mainland and Bergen. The western part of the bridge, on Sotra, lies in Knarrevik in Fjell, while the eastern part lies in Drotningsvik in Bergen. The bridge is 1236 metres (4,055.1 ft) long with a main span of 468 metres (1,535.4 ft). It carries two lanes of National Road 555, with a combined width of 7.5 metres (24.6 ft). In addition, it has a 0.8 metres (2.6 ft) wide sidewalk on each side. In 2009, it had an annual average daily traffic
of 25,494 vehicles. Because it is located across the sound, the bridge is vulnerable to winds from the north and south. It is closed whenever the wind speed exceeds 30 m/s.
and had worked with public relations
for various other bridge projects. The issue was discussed in the municipal councils of Fjell and Sund
, but they both concluded that there were more pressing needs on the islands' road network, so they did not want to prioritize a bridge. National Road 555 was completed in 1957, and the following years various road projects were completed.
Another person who took up the initiative in the late 1950s was Rangvald Iversen, who was plant manager at Norwegian Talc
at Knarrevik. The plant had large costs freighting their products across the sound on the Alvøy–Brattholmen Ferry. In 1958, he took the initiative to conduct a traffic count, which along with estimates of increased traffic from other places that had replaced a ferry with a bridge, would give estimates for the revenue from tolls. Norwegian Talc also paid for a draft plan for a bridge. In 1959, Iversen presented an estimate that a bridge would cost NOK 15.5 million, and on 19 December 1959, the council voted unanimously to recommend that a committee be established to continue work on the bridge plans. In 1960, the bridge was included in the road plan for Hordaland.
There were also some plans for the future which would remove the last ferries within the Sotra and Øygarden
archipelagos, meaning that the entire twin archipelago would have ferry-free access to the mainland, should the Sotra Bridge be built. The plans had been spurred by a large decrease in fishing during the late 1950s, and the need for increased tax revenue from new industries. The framework for the plan started in 1961 with the creation of an inter-municipal cooperation, which in 1964 resulted in the merger of the municipalities of Hjelme
and Herdla
to create Øygarden. On 8 May 1962, an inter-municipal road committee was established, which recommended that a limited company
be established to finance the bridge. In Bergen, Bro og Tunnelselskapet had similarly built the Puddefjord Bridge
and Eidsvåg Tunnel, and the inter-municipal council recommended a similar model. However, they wanted a separate company for Sotra and Øygarden, so extra tolls could be used to help finance road projects on the archipelago.
On 29 June 1962, Fjell Municipality sent an official application to the County Governor to start planning, and this was sent onwards to the Directorate for Public Roads. They concluded that it would be possible to finance the bridge with tolls collected over 13 to 14 years, with the state paying for one-third of the bridge. The plans called for the bridge to run south of Norwegian Talc, but it was later routed slightly north, so that the span could be reduced from 520 metre. The optimal location would be within the Norwegian Talc plant, and by placing the western pylon on a skerry
, it was possible to reduce the span to 468 metres (1,535.4 ft).
The plans from 1959 called for a height of 60 metres (196.9 ft), but the Public Roads Administration stated that a height of 50 metres (164 ft) would be sufficient, and also help to reduce the construction costs. In 1962, the extra costs for the higher height were estimated at NOK 4 million. Bergen Port Authority
stated in 1963 that they required a height of 66 metres (216.5 ft), while the local newspapers felt that 50 metres (164 ft) was sufficient. Bergen City Council voted in favor of the shortest proposal. The Royal Norwegian Navy
supported a taller bridge, but were more willing to reduce the height than the port authority. The port authority reduced its preferred height to 62 metres (203.4 ft), with the road authority responding that such a clearance only existed in a very few places in the world, and that the extra costs could result in the whole project being abandoned.
It was the Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs who had the final word in the matter. A national committee was established in 1963 to make guidelines for clearances, and it recommended that 60 metres (196.9 ft) be used in fjords and sounds where very large ships, in particular cruise ship
s, would pass, while 50 metres (164 ft) would permissible for minor and inner parts of fjords, as well as passages where alternatives were available. The clearance of the Sotra Bridge would only be applicable for ships coming from the south, and even these had the option of sailing around Øygarden, a increased distance of 83 kilometres (51.6 mi). For ships from the east, the distance would be the same, while from the north they would not pass through the sound. The port authority stated on 11 November 1963 that they were willing to allow a smaller clearance, which was back up by Bergen City Council on 27 November. The ministry finalized the decision on 16 December, supporting a height of 50 metres (164 ft).
. The company was established as A/S Sotrabrua on 16 October 1965, with the head office located in Fjell. The company was given authority by its owners to apply for a 20-year concession
to collect tolls on a new bridge; if the tolls gave a profit beyond covering the debt of the bridge, it was to be used for further construction of roads on Sotra and Øygarden. The company was formally registered on 12 January 1966.
To get satisfactory conditions for the loan, the company was recommended by banks to increase the ownership equity
to 10% of the loan. The share capital was insufficient, so the company started issuing preferred shares to individuals and the companies, and managed to secure NOK 1.7 million. An exception to the rules was made, and the company was allowed to start detailed planning before the loans had been finalized. An estimate from 1966 showed that the bridge itself would cost NOK 27 million, while the auxiliary roads would cost NOK 4 million, excluding inflation and interest during construction. On 23 November 1966, the county council supported a proposal that one third of the construction costs be covered by national road funds. On 10 August 1967, the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Norway
gave permission that the company could borrow up to NOK 25 million. The loan was a bond
sold by Bergens Privatbank
and Samvirke Forsikring, consisting of one series valued at NOK 15 million issued in 1968, and one valued at NOK 10 million issued in 1970, with an interest of 5.5% and 6.0%, respectively. There was a five years interest-only period, followed by ten years of repayment. The mortgage deed was secured in the right to collect tolls, supported by guarantees from the municipalities of Bergen, Fjell, Sund and Øygarden, and the county municipality. In addition, the company was granted loans from Bergens Privatbank, Bergens Sparebank
and Vestlandsbanken
for NOK 3 million, although these were never used. The state's part of the financing was through a loan from the Regional Development Fund
.
The bridge was approved by the Parliament of Norway on 5 June 1968. An agreement regarding financing was made between A/S Sotrabrua and the Ministry of Transport and Communications on 1 July 1968. The construction of the road would be done by Hordaland Public Road Administration, who would receive two-thirds of the financing of costs up to NOK 34 million from the company. The company would also advance the state's part of the costs, which would be repaid to the company as NOK 1 million per year, for an estimated advance of NOK 8.3 million. The company would be responsible for any interest, including that which would be accumulated during construction, and would have the right to collect tolls on all traffic on the bridge.
The optimal crossing point ran over Norwegian Talc's plant, and would involve placing the western pylon in the middle of their area. The company offered the authorities free land on the condition that they received a satisfactory intersection with the bridge. A formal agreement was reached in mid-1970. On the eastern side, an area development plan had to be made, which was approved on 19 May 1967. The necessary land not already owned by the municipalities was expropriated.
Initial plans had called for the bridge to be completed by October 1972. On 28 December 1968, the company asked the road administration if construction could be quickened. They estimated that the bridge could be completed by December 1971 for a price increase of NOK 750,000. This gave the company NOK 2 million more in profits, as it could more quickly start collecting toll revenue. The company chose to accept this extra cost. The start of construction was delayed, first by the parliamentary decision coming right before the holidays, followed immediately by a national strike by engineers. The contract for the foundation and concrete work was won by Selmer, who started work in March 1969. The steel-work contracts were issued to Høsveis, Bofa and Alfred Andersen; despite them not having the lowest bid, the road administration chose to use the largest companies.
On 11 December 1971, the bridge opened for traffic, and on the same day, the Alvøy–Brattholmen Ferry was terminated. In February 1972, there were twice as many cars as there had been on the ferry in February 1971. The official opening by King Olav V
took place on 25 May 1972. The bridge cost NOK 39.8 million to construct. This included NOK 650,000 for the county road between Knarrevik and Brattholmen, which had been paid for by the state. The cost the company had to pay was NOK 23.45 million. The final estimates for the project were for NOK 34 million, and the whole cost above this was covered by the state. When it opened, the bridge was the longest in Norway.
employees. From 1972, the bookkeeping of the company was transferred from the company's secretary to Bergens Privatbank's branch in Sotra, while the auditing was placed at Hordaland County Auditing.
In 1972, the company collected NOK 3.07 million in tolls, 21% more than estimated. By 1977, the annual income had reached NOK 5.03 million, which was up 28% from the estimates. From 1978, the tolls for people were removed, resulting in about NOK 1 million less revenue per year. One of the reasons for the removal of passenger tolls was the extra time used to count passengers, which increased the queues at the toll plaza, and that the company's debt would be covered anyway, even without the extra revenue. From 1 January 1981, scheduled buses were also exempt from tolls, under the condition that the funds saved were used by the bus companies to strengthen public transport on Sotra. From 1980, there was disagreement within the company as to whether the toll period should be extended to increase the subsidies to projects on Sotra and Øygarden, or if an as short as possible collection period was desirable. The board decided to terminate toll collections from 31 December 1983. A minority of the owners wanted to extend the period for another two years, which would have given an estimated additional NOK 20 million.
The company collected NOK 73.5 million in tolls, in addition to accumulating NOK 16.3 million in interest. Costs, mostly for running of the toll plaza, were NOK 7.6 million, in addition to financial costs of NOK 20.0 million. This gave a profit of NOK 62.4 million, including the necessary repayments of the initial loan. Because the debt had been financed with bonds, the company chose to place revenue in the bank with a higher interest instead of paying off the bonds faster. The preferred shares were repaid in 1980, while all bonds had been repaid by 1985. A/S Sotrabrua was formally liquidated on 9 February 1989.
Among the company's other goals was that of helping finance road projects on Øygarden. The most pressing issue was the section from Kolltveit
on Store Sotra to the bridge, part of National Road 555. In 1976, the company issued NOK 5 million in an interest-free loan to the project, which was repaid in 1982 and 1983. Similar conditions were imposed for NOK 2 million for National Road 561 to Nordra Straumsundet and NOK 1.2 million for the establishment of the Solsvik–Rong Ferry in 1974. The rest of the subsidies were given as grants. The main project was National Road 561, which ran from Kollveit northwards through Øygarden, for which the company paid NOK 28.6 million. It paid a further NOK 9.3 million for other projects in Sotra and Øygarden, including connections to Turøy
and Misje
.
In 2005, 8,000 people commuted between Sotra and Bergen, and the bridge had an average daily traffic of 22,000 vehicles. On National Road 555 between Straume
, the municipal center of Fjell, and Storavatnet
, where National Road 555 becomes a motorway, there are long queues during rush hour
. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration has proposed a four-lane motorway along National Road 555 from Stoavatnet to Straume. This will require a new crossing across Knarreviksundet. Such a motorway extension is estimated to cost between NOK 3 and 4 billion, and the government has allocated NOK 400 million in National Transport Plan 2010–2019 for the project. It is presumed that most of the project will be financed as a toll road.
Four main proposals were suggested for the new fixed link. One involved a four-lane subsea tunnel, one involved building a second, two-lane bridge immediately adjacent to the current one, which would give the impression of a single bridge, another involved a new four-lane bridge slightly to the south, and the last involved a new bridge considerably further to the south, which would connect to County Road 557.
A tunnel would consist of two sections, one from Kolltveit to Arefjord, where there would be an intersection, and one from Arefjord to Storavatnet. Both would be subsea tunnels, where the western-most would be 4.7 kilometres (2.9 mi) long and reach 80 metres (262.5 ft) below mean sea level (BMSL), while the eastern tunnel would be 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) long and reach 140 metres (459.3 ft) BMSL. This would involve the current National Road 555 being reclassified as a local road. A tunnel would be 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) longer than a bridge, which would give higher costs of roughly NOK 1000 per year for an average commuter. The tunnel would catch long-distance travel (Straume and westwards), while the bridge would be used for local traffic. An alternate tunnel proposal was to build it roughly 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of the current bridge, between Brattholmen and Håkonshella. This would connect to County Road 557 about 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) south of Liavatnet.
The company Sotrasambandet AS has been established to lobby for and potentially debt-finance the construction, which potentially could include other parts of National Roads 555 and 561. In 2008, the company estimated that it might be possible to start construction in 2013, and complete the project by 2016. On 21 April 2009, State Secretary Geir Pollestad
stated that the government would support a bridge, but did not indicate if a two-lane or four-lane solution would be chosen. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration has recommended a four-lane bridge, while the Institute of Transport Economics
has recommended the two-lane bridge. It is largely up to the city councils of Bergen and Fjell to determine which of the bridge alternatives will be chosen.
A four-lane bridge is estimated to cost NOK 2 billion. It could either be located immediately north of the current bridge, or south of Norwegian Talc. The traffic from Askøy
, along County Road 562
, connects with National Road 555 at Storavatnet. Without a bypass, the increased capacity from Sotra would not be achieved without expanding the motorway from Storavatnet to the city center. In 2010, an alternative was launched whereby a four-lane bridge would be built south of Norwegian Talc, and would immediately run into a tunnel and connect to the current motorway at Liavatnet. This is the planned intersection between National Road 555 and County Road 557 (Ring Road West), which would result in traffic from Sotra towards southern Bergen would not take up capacity on the current 555 motorway until after traffic from both Sotra and Askøy heading towards southern Bergen have had a possibility to head onto County Road 557.
In June 2010, Hordaland County Council decided that an extension of the Bergen Light Rail
to Sotra was to be made part of the extension plans in the period until 2040. For the light rail to use existing infrastructure, a bridge would have to be chosen. The road project has been criticized by environmentalists because it uniformly bases growth in transport to the archipelago based on cars, and lacks any plans for inclusion of public transport, whether by light rail or as bus lane
s. Criticism has also been raised against the Norwegian Public Roads Administration being responsible for planning the public transport, as they have failed to produce efficient public transport systems in Bergen.
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
which crosses Knarreviksundet
Knarreviksundet
Knarreviksundet is a sound between Litlesotra in Fjell and Drotningsvik in Bergen, Norway. The Sotra Bridge crosses Knarreviksundet....
between Knarrevik
Knarrevik
Knarrevik is a village in Fjell, Norway. It is located on the island of Litlesotra. Straume and Knarrevik had a combined population 9,409 in 2009....
in Fjell
Fjell
Fjell is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. The parish of Fjæld was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
and Drotningsvik
Drotningsvik
Drotningsvik is a neighborhood of Bergen, Norway, located west of Loddefjord....
on the mainland of Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
in Hordaland
Hordaland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen...
, 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...
. It carries two road lanes and two narrow pedestrian paths of National Road 555
Norwegian National Road 555
National Road 555 is a long national road which runs from the city center of Bergen to Kolltveit in Fjell, Norway.-Route:In Bergen, the road has two branches, one two-lane from Nøstet via O.J. Brochs gate and on four-lane from Nygårdstangen, an the interchange with E16 and E39...
, providing a fixed link for the archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
of Sotra
Sotra
Sotra is the name of an archipelago in Hordaland, Norway, just west of Bergen. The largest island is Store Sotra, while the second-largest and most populated is Litlesotra. The latter and part of Store Sotra are part of Fjell, while southern Sotra is part of Sund. Roughly 25,000 people live on Sotra...
. The bridge is 1236 metres (4,055.1 ft) long, has a main span of 468 metres (1,535.4 ft) and a clearance of 50 metres (164 ft). In 2007, it had an average 25,494 vehicles per day.
The bridge was brought into use on 11 December 1971, although not officially opened until 1972. It cost 40 million Norwegian krone
Norwegian krone
The krone is the currency of Norway and its dependent territories. The plural form is kroner . It is subdivided into 100 øre. The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr. The name translates into English as "crown"...
(NOK) to build, of which NOK 23.5 million was paid for with tolls
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...
, which were collected until 1983. When it opened, it was the longest suspension bridge in Norway, but is now the seventh longest. There exist plans to build a second bridge to either expand the road to four lanes, or carry a proposed extension of the Bergen Light Rail
Bergen Light Rail
Bergen Light Rail is a light rail system in Bergen, Norway. The first stage of the project is a fifteen-station, stretch between the city center and Nesttun, which opened on 22 June 2010...
. Alternatively, a subsea tunnel could be built to carry a motorway.
Specifications
The concrete bridge crosses Knarreviksundet, which separates the island of LitlesotraLitlesotra
Litlesotra, or sometimes Lille Sotra, is an island in Fjell, Norway. Part of the Sotra archipelago, it has about 10,000 residents, with the main settlement being Straume. Other settlments include Knarrevik. The island is connected to the mainland via the Sotra Bridge....
, part of the Sotra archipelago, from the mainland and Bergen. The western part of the bridge, on Sotra, lies in Knarrevik in Fjell, while the eastern part lies in Drotningsvik in Bergen. The bridge is 1236 metres (4,055.1 ft) long with a main span of 468 metres (1,535.4 ft). It carries two lanes of National Road 555, with a combined width of 7.5 metres (24.6 ft). In addition, it has a 0.8 metres (2.6 ft) wide sidewalk on each side. In 2009, it had an annual average daily traffic
Annual average daily traffic
Average Annual daily traffic, abbreviated AADT, is a measure used primarily in transportation planning and transportation engineering. It is the total volume of vehicle traffic of a highway or road for a year divided by 365 days. AADT is a useful and simple measurement of how busy the road is...
of 25,494 vehicles. Because it is located across the sound, the bridge is vulnerable to winds from the north and south. It is closed whenever the wind speed exceeds 30 m/s.
Planning
The first discussion of a bridge in a public forum was in 1954, when Anton P. Torsvik proposed a bridge to the major and municipal engineer of Fjell. Torsvik lived in OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and had worked with public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
for various other bridge projects. The issue was discussed in the municipal councils of Fjell and Sund
Sund, Norway
Sund is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Sund covers the southern part of the island of Store Sotra, west of Bergen, and many smaller, surrounding islands. The history of the municipality dates back to 1838, when Sund was first established as a formannskapsdistrikt, the precursor...
, but they both concluded that there were more pressing needs on the islands' road network, so they did not want to prioritize a bridge. National Road 555 was completed in 1957, and the following years various road projects were completed.
Another person who took up the initiative in the late 1950s was Rangvald Iversen, who was plant manager at Norwegian Talc
Norwegian Talc
Norwegian Talc AS is a manufacturer of talc located in Knarrevik in Fjell, Norway. It is owned by Omya.-History:In 1989, the company, which at the time had plants in Knarrevik, Altermark in Mo i Rana and in Framfjord in Vik, was sold to the Engstrøm Group of Sweden. Previously, the company had been...
at Knarrevik. The plant had large costs freighting their products across the sound on the Alvøy–Brattholmen Ferry. In 1958, he took the initiative to conduct a traffic count, which along with estimates of increased traffic from other places that had replaced a ferry with a bridge, would give estimates for the revenue from tolls. Norwegian Talc also paid for a draft plan for a bridge. In 1959, Iversen presented an estimate that a bridge would cost NOK 15.5 million, and on 19 December 1959, the council voted unanimously to recommend that a committee be established to continue work on the bridge plans. In 1960, the bridge was included in the road plan for Hordaland.
There were also some plans for the future which would remove the last ferries within the Sotra and Øygarden
Øygarden
Øygarden is a municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Midhordland. The administrative centre is Rong.Øygarden was created as a new municipality on 1 January 1964 after the merger of Hjelme and parts of Herdla....
archipelagos, meaning that the entire twin archipelago would have ferry-free access to the mainland, should the Sotra Bridge be built. The plans had been spurred by a large decrease in fishing during the late 1950s, and the need for increased tax revenue from new industries. The framework for the plan started in 1961 with the creation of an inter-municipal cooperation, which in 1964 resulted in the merger of the municipalities of Hjelme
Hjelme
Hjelme is a former municipality in Hordaland county, Norway.The parish of Hjelme was designated to be a municipality by a split from Manger on January 1, 1910. The municipality, which was known as Hjelmen at that time, had a population of 986. On 5 November 1912 the name was changed from Hjelmen...
and Herdla
Herdla
Herdla is an island in Askøy, Norway, at the north end of the island of Askøy. The island was part of the municipality of Herdla until 1 January 1964. The island has a nature reserve with 220 registered species of birds...
to create Øygarden. On 8 May 1962, an inter-municipal road committee was established, which recommended that a limited company
Aksjeselskap
Aksjeselskap is the Norwegian term for a stock-based company. It is usually abbreviated AS or A/S, especially when used in company names. An AS is always a limited company, i.e. the owners cannot be held liable for any debt beyond the stock capital...
be established to finance the bridge. In Bergen, Bro og Tunnelselskapet had similarly built the Puddefjord Bridge
Puddefjord Bridge
The Puddefjord Bridge is an arch bridge in Bergen, Norway. It consists of two directly adjacent, near-identical bridges, the first of which was built in 1956 and the second in 1999. The bridge carries six lanes of motor vehicles and two cycle/footpaths across the Puddefjorden in central Bergen,...
and Eidsvåg Tunnel, and the inter-municipal council recommended a similar model. However, they wanted a separate company for Sotra and Øygarden, so extra tolls could be used to help finance road projects on the archipelago.
On 29 June 1962, Fjell Municipality sent an official application to the County Governor to start planning, and this was sent onwards to the Directorate for Public Roads. They concluded that it would be possible to finance the bridge with tolls collected over 13 to 14 years, with the state paying for one-third of the bridge. The plans called for the bridge to run south of Norwegian Talc, but it was later routed slightly north, so that the span could be reduced from 520 metre. The optimal location would be within the Norwegian Talc plant, and by placing the western pylon on a skerry
Skerry
A skerry is a small rocky island, usually defined to be too small for habitation. It may simply be a rocky reef. A skerry can also be called a low sea stack....
, it was possible to reduce the span to 468 metres (1,535.4 ft).
The plans from 1959 called for a height of 60 metres (196.9 ft), but the Public Roads Administration stated that a height of 50 metres (164 ft) would be sufficient, and also help to reduce the construction costs. In 1962, the extra costs for the higher height were estimated at NOK 4 million. Bergen Port Authority
Bergen Port Authority
Bergen Port Authority is an intermunicipal enterprise owned by the municipalities of Askøy, Austrheim, Bergen, Fedje, Fjell, Lindås, Meland, Os, Radøy, Sund and Øygarden as well as Hordaland county municipality. The port authority operates all seaports in the designated area, including Bergen Port...
stated in 1963 that they required a height of 66 metres (216.5 ft), while the local newspapers felt that 50 metres (164 ft) was sufficient. Bergen City Council voted in favor of the shortest proposal. The Royal Norwegian Navy
Royal Norwegian Navy
The Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 5 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support...
supported a taller bridge, but were more willing to reduce the height than the port authority. The port authority reduced its preferred height to 62 metres (203.4 ft), with the road authority responding that such a clearance only existed in a very few places in the world, and that the extra costs could result in the whole project being abandoned.
It was the Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs who had the final word in the matter. A national committee was established in 1963 to make guidelines for clearances, and it recommended that 60 metres (196.9 ft) be used in fjords and sounds where very large ships, in particular cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
s, would pass, while 50 metres (164 ft) would permissible for minor and inner parts of fjords, as well as passages where alternatives were available. The clearance of the Sotra Bridge would only be applicable for ships coming from the south, and even these had the option of sailing around Øygarden, a increased distance of 83 kilometres (51.6 mi). For ships from the east, the distance would be the same, while from the north they would not pass through the sound. The port authority stated on 11 November 1963 that they were willing to allow a smaller clearance, which was back up by Bergen City Council on 27 November. The ministry finalized the decision on 16 December, supporting a height of 50 metres (164 ft).
Financing and construction
On 2 January 1965, the bridge committee recommended that a limited company be established to finance the bridge. The three archipelago municipalities, Fjell, Sund and Øygarden, would purchase shares for NOK 500,000, while another NOK 200,000 would be purchased from the mainland municipalities and Hordaland County MunicipalityHordaland county municipality
Hordaland County Municipality is the regional governing administration of Hordaland, Norway. The main responsibilities of the county municipality includes the running of 46 upper secondary schools, with 17,000 pupils...
. The company was established as A/S Sotrabrua on 16 October 1965, with the head office located in Fjell. The company was given authority by its owners to apply for a 20-year concession
Concession (contract)
A concession is a business operated under a contract or license associated with a degree of exclusivity in business within a certain geographical area. For example, sports arenas or public parks may have concession stands. Many department stores contain numerous concessions operated by other...
to collect tolls on a new bridge; if the tolls gave a profit beyond covering the debt of the bridge, it was to be used for further construction of roads on Sotra and Øygarden. The company was formally registered on 12 January 1966.
To get satisfactory conditions for the loan, the company was recommended by banks to increase the ownership equity
Ownership equity
In accounting and finance, equity is the residual claim or interest of the most junior class of investors in assets, after all liabilities are paid. If liability exceeds assets, negative equity exists...
to 10% of the loan. The share capital was insufficient, so the company started issuing preferred shares to individuals and the companies, and managed to secure NOK 1.7 million. An exception to the rules was made, and the company was allowed to start detailed planning before the loans had been finalized. An estimate from 1966 showed that the bridge itself would cost NOK 27 million, while the auxiliary roads would cost NOK 4 million, excluding inflation and interest during construction. On 23 November 1966, the county council supported a proposal that one third of the construction costs be covered by national road funds. On 10 August 1967, the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Norway
Bank of Norway
Norges Bank / Noregs Bank is the central bank of Norway. Apart from having traditional central bank responsibilities such as financial stability and price stability, it manages The Government Pension Fund of Norway, a stabilization fund that is world's largest investment pool.On 31 December 2010,...
gave permission that the company could borrow up to NOK 25 million. The loan was a bond
Corporate bond
A corporate bond is a bond issued by a corporation. It is a bond that a corporation issues to raise money in order to expand its business. The term is usually applied to longer-term debt instruments, generally with a maturity date falling at least a year after their issue date...
sold by Bergens Privatbank
Bergens Privatbank
Bergens Privatbank was a Norwegian commercial bank based in Bergen. It was established in 1855 and built a network of branches throughout the country. Jørgen Breder Faye was the first director and held the position until 1904. The bank merged with Bergens Kreditbank in 1975 to establish Bergen Bank....
and Samvirke Forsikring, consisting of one series valued at NOK 15 million issued in 1968, and one valued at NOK 10 million issued in 1970, with an interest of 5.5% and 6.0%, respectively. There was a five years interest-only period, followed by ten years of repayment. The mortgage deed was secured in the right to collect tolls, supported by guarantees from the municipalities of Bergen, Fjell, Sund and Øygarden, and the county municipality. In addition, the company was granted loans from Bergens Privatbank, Bergens Sparebank
Bergens Sparebank
Bergens Sparebank was a Norwegian savings bank based in Bergen. It was established in 1823, making it the second-oldest savings bank in Norway and the oldest in Bergen. It merged with 25 savings banks in 1982 to become Sparebanken Vest....
and Vestlandsbanken
Vestlandsbanken
Vestlandsbanken was a bank based in Bergen, Norway. It was established in 1926 and explicitly did all its business in Nynorsk. In 1975, it merged with the Oslo-based Oslo Nye Sparebank, also it a Nynorsk-bank. In 1987, Vestlandsbanken merged with Bøndernes Bank, Forretningsbanken and Buskerudbanken...
for NOK 3 million, although these were never used. The state's part of the financing was through a loan from the Regional Development Fund
Regional Development Fund
The Regional Development Fund was a government agency and bank in Norway tasked with promoting regional development by counselling, loans and subsidies. The fund was established in 1961 and existed until 1993, when it was merged with the Industry Bank and the Industry Fund to form the Norwegian...
.
The bridge was approved by the Parliament of Norway on 5 June 1968. An agreement regarding financing was made between A/S Sotrabrua and the Ministry of Transport and Communications on 1 July 1968. The construction of the road would be done by Hordaland Public Road Administration, who would receive two-thirds of the financing of costs up to NOK 34 million from the company. The company would also advance the state's part of the costs, which would be repaid to the company as NOK 1 million per year, for an estimated advance of NOK 8.3 million. The company would be responsible for any interest, including that which would be accumulated during construction, and would have the right to collect tolls on all traffic on the bridge.
The optimal crossing point ran over Norwegian Talc's plant, and would involve placing the western pylon in the middle of their area. The company offered the authorities free land on the condition that they received a satisfactory intersection with the bridge. A formal agreement was reached in mid-1970. On the eastern side, an area development plan had to be made, which was approved on 19 May 1967. The necessary land not already owned by the municipalities was expropriated.
Initial plans had called for the bridge to be completed by October 1972. On 28 December 1968, the company asked the road administration if construction could be quickened. They estimated that the bridge could be completed by December 1971 for a price increase of NOK 750,000. This gave the company NOK 2 million more in profits, as it could more quickly start collecting toll revenue. The company chose to accept this extra cost. The start of construction was delayed, first by the parliamentary decision coming right before the holidays, followed immediately by a national strike by engineers. The contract for the foundation and concrete work was won by Selmer, who started work in March 1969. The steel-work contracts were issued to Høsveis, Bofa and Alfred Andersen; despite them not having the lowest bid, the road administration chose to use the largest companies.
On 11 December 1971, the bridge opened for traffic, and on the same day, the Alvøy–Brattholmen Ferry was terminated. In February 1972, there were twice as many cars as there had been on the ferry in February 1971. The official opening by King Olav V
Olav V of Norway
Olav V was the king of Norway from 1957 until his death. A member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Olav was born in the United Kingdom as the son of King Haakon VII of Norway and Queen Maud of Norway...
took place on 25 May 1972. The bridge cost NOK 39.8 million to construct. This included NOK 650,000 for the county road between Knarrevik and Brattholmen, which had been paid for by the state. The cost the company had to pay was NOK 23.45 million. The final estimates for the project were for NOK 34 million, and the whole cost above this was covered by the state. When it opened, the bridge was the longest in Norway.
Tolls and auxiliary projects
Since the bridge would be the only road from the mainland to the archipelago, tolls could be collected in only one direction. The tolls were set to NOK 40 for semitrailers, NOK 30 for buses, NOK 20 for trucks, NOK 12 for cars, NOK 5 for motorcycles, NOK 4 for bicycles, NOK 2 for adults and 1 for children. Discounts were available at the same rates as for ferries. The four people who had worked the longest on the ferry were offered the job as toll plazaToll house
A tollhouse or toll house is a building with accommodation for a toll collector, beside a tollgate on a toll road or canal. Many tollhouses were built by turnpike trusts in England, Wales and Scotland during the 18th and early 19th centuries...
employees. From 1972, the bookkeeping of the company was transferred from the company's secretary to Bergens Privatbank's branch in Sotra, while the auditing was placed at Hordaland County Auditing.
In 1972, the company collected NOK 3.07 million in tolls, 21% more than estimated. By 1977, the annual income had reached NOK 5.03 million, which was up 28% from the estimates. From 1978, the tolls for people were removed, resulting in about NOK 1 million less revenue per year. One of the reasons for the removal of passenger tolls was the extra time used to count passengers, which increased the queues at the toll plaza, and that the company's debt would be covered anyway, even without the extra revenue. From 1 January 1981, scheduled buses were also exempt from tolls, under the condition that the funds saved were used by the bus companies to strengthen public transport on Sotra. From 1980, there was disagreement within the company as to whether the toll period should be extended to increase the subsidies to projects on Sotra and Øygarden, or if an as short as possible collection period was desirable. The board decided to terminate toll collections from 31 December 1983. A minority of the owners wanted to extend the period for another two years, which would have given an estimated additional NOK 20 million.
The company collected NOK 73.5 million in tolls, in addition to accumulating NOK 16.3 million in interest. Costs, mostly for running of the toll plaza, were NOK 7.6 million, in addition to financial costs of NOK 20.0 million. This gave a profit of NOK 62.4 million, including the necessary repayments of the initial loan. Because the debt had been financed with bonds, the company chose to place revenue in the bank with a higher interest instead of paying off the bonds faster. The preferred shares were repaid in 1980, while all bonds had been repaid by 1985. A/S Sotrabrua was formally liquidated on 9 February 1989.
Among the company's other goals was that of helping finance road projects on Øygarden. The most pressing issue was the section from Kolltveit
Kolltveit
Kolltveit is a location in Fjell, Norway. National Road 555 reaches Kolltveit via the Kolltveit Tunnel, and intersects with the terminus of County Road 561 in a roundabout before heading south. There is a golf course in the area....
on Store Sotra to the bridge, part of National Road 555. In 1976, the company issued NOK 5 million in an interest-free loan to the project, which was repaid in 1982 and 1983. Similar conditions were imposed for NOK 2 million for National Road 561 to Nordra Straumsundet and NOK 1.2 million for the establishment of the Solsvik–Rong Ferry in 1974. The rest of the subsidies were given as grants. The main project was National Road 561, which ran from Kollveit northwards through Øygarden, for which the company paid NOK 28.6 million. It paid a further NOK 9.3 million for other projects in Sotra and Øygarden, including connections to Turøy
Turøy
Turøy is an island in Fjell, Norway. It is connected to the rest of Sotra via Turøy Bridge which connects to Toftøy. Until 1964, the island was part of Herdla. The island is a good spot for birdwatching and there is an ornithological station on the island. Before 1964, it was part of Herdla....
and Misje
Misje
Misje is an island and village in Fjell, Norway. As of 2009, it had a population of 257.Traditionally, the island was part of Herdla. When it merged to create Øygarden in 1964, Misje was made part of Fjell. The island was connected to Sotra by Solviksundet Bridge in 1982....
.
Future
Straume, Fjell
Straume is a village in and the administrative center of Fjell, Norway. It is located on the island of Litlesotra and features among other things Sartor Senter, a shopping center. Straume and Knarrevik had a combined population 9,409 in 2009....
, the municipal center of Fjell, and Storavatnet
Storavatnet
Storavatnet is a lake near Loddefjord in Bergen, Hordaland, Norway.North of the lake, Norwegian National Road 562 to Askøy branches off from Norwegian National Road 555 to Sotra. The terminal there is proposed as the end of the Loddefjord branch of the Bergen Light Rail....
, where National Road 555 becomes a motorway, there are long queues during rush hour
Rush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration has proposed a four-lane motorway along National Road 555 from Stoavatnet to Straume. This will require a new crossing across Knarreviksundet. Such a motorway extension is estimated to cost between NOK 3 and 4 billion, and the government has allocated NOK 400 million in National Transport Plan 2010–2019 for the project. It is presumed that most of the project will be financed as a toll road.
Four main proposals were suggested for the new fixed link. One involved a four-lane subsea tunnel, one involved building a second, two-lane bridge immediately adjacent to the current one, which would give the impression of a single bridge, another involved a new four-lane bridge slightly to the south, and the last involved a new bridge considerably further to the south, which would connect to County Road 557.
A tunnel would consist of two sections, one from Kolltveit to Arefjord, where there would be an intersection, and one from Arefjord to Storavatnet. Both would be subsea tunnels, where the western-most would be 4.7 kilometres (2.9 mi) long and reach 80 metres (262.5 ft) below mean sea level (BMSL), while the eastern tunnel would be 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) long and reach 140 metres (459.3 ft) BMSL. This would involve the current National Road 555 being reclassified as a local road. A tunnel would be 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) longer than a bridge, which would give higher costs of roughly NOK 1000 per year for an average commuter. The tunnel would catch long-distance travel (Straume and westwards), while the bridge would be used for local traffic. An alternate tunnel proposal was to build it roughly 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of the current bridge, between Brattholmen and Håkonshella. This would connect to County Road 557 about 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) south of Liavatnet.
The company Sotrasambandet AS has been established to lobby for and potentially debt-finance the construction, which potentially could include other parts of National Roads 555 and 561. In 2008, the company estimated that it might be possible to start construction in 2013, and complete the project by 2016. On 21 April 2009, State Secretary Geir Pollestad
Geir Pollestad
Geir Pollestad is a Norwegian politician for the Centre Party.Hailing from Bryne, he served as a deputy representative to the Norwegian Parliament from Rogaland during the term 2001–2005. He took his higher education at the University of Bergen, graduating as cand.jur. in 2006...
stated that the government would support a bridge, but did not indicate if a two-lane or four-lane solution would be chosen. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration has recommended a four-lane bridge, while the Institute of Transport Economics
Institute of Transport Economics
The Institute of Transport Economics is a research institution working within the field of transport economics, predominantly applied research in Norway. It was founded as a government agency in 1958, and since 1964 as a subsidiary of the Royal Norwegian Council for Scientific and Industrial...
has recommended the two-lane bridge. It is largely up to the city councils of Bergen and Fjell to determine which of the bridge alternatives will be chosen.
A four-lane bridge is estimated to cost NOK 2 billion. It could either be located immediately north of the current bridge, or south of Norwegian Talc. The traffic from Askøy
Askøy
Askøy is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Since the opening of the Askøy Bridge leading to the mainland in Bergen in 1992, the population has increased rapidly. Its population growth is as of 2008 among the highest in Norway...
, along County Road 562
Norwegian County Road 562
County Road 562 runs from Storavatnet in Bergen across the western part of Askøy. Until 1 January 2010 it was called National Road 562 .-Route:...
, connects with National Road 555 at Storavatnet. Without a bypass, the increased capacity from Sotra would not be achieved without expanding the motorway from Storavatnet to the city center. In 2010, an alternative was launched whereby a four-lane bridge would be built south of Norwegian Talc, and would immediately run into a tunnel and connect to the current motorway at Liavatnet. This is the planned intersection between National Road 555 and County Road 557 (Ring Road West), which would result in traffic from Sotra towards southern Bergen would not take up capacity on the current 555 motorway until after traffic from both Sotra and Askøy heading towards southern Bergen have had a possibility to head onto County Road 557.
In June 2010, Hordaland County Council decided that an extension of the Bergen Light Rail
Bergen Light Rail
Bergen Light Rail is a light rail system in Bergen, Norway. The first stage of the project is a fifteen-station, stretch between the city center and Nesttun, which opened on 22 June 2010...
to Sotra was to be made part of the extension plans in the period until 2040. For the light rail to use existing infrastructure, a bridge would have to be chosen. The road project has been criticized by environmentalists because it uniformly bases growth in transport to the archipelago based on cars, and lacks any plans for inclusion of public transport, whether by light rail or as bus lane
Bus lane
A bus lane or bus only lane is a lane restricted to buses, and generally used to speed up public transport that would be otherwise held up by traffic congestion...
s. Criticism has also been raised against the Norwegian Public Roads Administration being responsible for planning the public transport, as they have failed to produce efficient public transport systems in Bergen.