Tromsø Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Tromsø Bridge is a cantilever
road bridge in the city of Tromsø
, Norway
. It crosses the strait of Tromsøysundet
between Tromsdalen
on the mainland and Tromsøya
. Construction began in 1958, and the bridge was opened in 1960. At the time of its opening, it was the longest bridge in Northern Europe
, with a length of 1036 meters. The 1036 metres (3,399 ft) long bridge has 58 spans, of which the longest is 80 metres with a maximum clearance to the sea of 38 metres (125 ft). At a cost of 14.5 million NOK
, the bridge replaced an inefficient ferry connection between the two sides of the strait, and helped boost the growth and development of Tromsø. Due to severe congestion issues, the mainland connection was later reinforced by the construction of the Tromsøysund Tunnel
in the 1990s. Unlike the tunnel, located almost 3 km further north, the Tromsø Bridge leads directly to the city centre of Tromsø.
The Tromsø Bridge was the first cantilever bridge to be built in Norway. Since then, many bridges of this type have been built. The bridge is one of the most important landmarks of Tromsø, and forms part of a motif composed of the Arctic Cathedral
, the Tromsdalstinden
mountain, and the Tromsø Bridge. In 2000, the Directorate for Cultural Heritage
protected the bridge against modifications.
Cantilever bridge
A cantilever bridge is a bridge built using cantilevers, structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end. For small footbridges, the cantilevers may be simple beams; however, large cantilever bridges designed to handle road or rail traffic use trusses built from...
road bridge in the city of Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
, 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 crosses the strait of Tromsøysundet
Tromsøysundet
Tromsøysundet is a strait located in the municipality of Tromsø in Troms county, Norway. It separates the island of Tromsøya from the mainland east of the island. The strait is crossed by the Tromsøysund Tunnel and the Tromsø Bridge. The strait is about long and it is about wide....
between Tromsdalen
Tromsdalen
Tromsdalen is a village area and valley in the municipality of Tromsø in Troms county, Norway. It is located just to the east of the city of Tromsø on the mainland along the coast of the Tromsøysundet. The population of Tromsdalen is 4,589....
on the mainland and Tromsøya
Tromsøya
Tromsøya is a small island in the strait between the mainland and Kvaløya island in Tromsø municipality, Troms county, Norway. It contains the city centre and several residential areas of the city of Tromsø and has given the city its name. The island's area is roughly and has a population of...
. Construction began in 1958, and the bridge was opened in 1960. At the time of its opening, it was the longest bridge in Northern Europe
Northern Europe
Northern Europe is the northern part or region of Europe. Northern Europe typically refers to the seven countries in the northern part of the European subcontinent which includes Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland and Sweden...
, with a length of 1036 meters. The 1036 metres (3,399 ft) long bridge has 58 spans, of which the longest is 80 metres with a maximum clearance to the sea of 38 metres (125 ft). At a cost of 14.5 million NOK
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"...
, the bridge replaced an inefficient ferry connection between the two sides of the strait, and helped boost the growth and development of Tromsø. Due to severe congestion issues, the mainland connection was later reinforced by the construction of the Tromsøysund Tunnel
Tromsøysund Tunnel
The Tromsøysund Tunnel is an undersea highway tunnel under the Tromsøysund sound, connecting the island of Tromsøya with the mainland in Tromsø, Norway....
in the 1990s. Unlike the tunnel, located almost 3 km further north, the Tromsø Bridge leads directly to the city centre of Tromsø.
The Tromsø Bridge was the first cantilever bridge to be built in Norway. Since then, many bridges of this type have been built. The bridge is one of the most important landmarks of Tromsø, and forms part of a motif composed of the Arctic Cathedral
Arctic Cathedral
The Tromsdalen Church , which is more commonly known as The Arctic Cathedral , is a church in Tromsø, Norway, built in 1965. The church is a parish church and not, in fact, a cathedral.The church was designed by Jan Inge Hovig, and its building materials consist mainly of concrete...
, the Tromsdalstinden
Tromsdalstinden
Tromsdalstinden is a mountain east of the city Tromsø, Norway. The summit measures 1,238 meters above sea level. Snowfall varies from one year to another, but the peak is usually snow free only for a few months in the summer. The mountain is easily spotted from the city centre of Tromsø...
mountain, and the Tromsø Bridge. In 2000, the Directorate for Cultural Heritage
Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage
The Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage is a government agency responsible for the management of cultural heritage in Norway. Subordinate the Norwegian Ministry of the Environment, it manages the Cultural Heritage Act of June 9, 1978....
protected the bridge against modifications.