Bjorøy Tunnel
The Bjorøy Tunnel (Norwegian: Bjorøytunnelen) is a 2,012-metre-long (6,601 ft) subsea road tunnel in Vestland county, Norway. The tunnel is part of the Norwegian County Road 5236 which connects the island of Bjorøy in the municipality of Øygarden to the mainland near Håkonshella and Hilleren in the city-municipality of Bergen. It crosses underneath the Vatlestraumen strait, reaching 88 metres (289 ft) below mean sea level. It serves as a fixed link for the 900 residents of the islands of Bjorøy and Tyssøy as well as a large number of cottage owners who vacation on the islands. The first proposal was launched in 1980, and construction started on 29 September 1993. There were severe problems because the tunneling encountered an area of sandstone, causing a year's delay. The total construction cost was 59 million kr. It opened on 7 May 1996 and remained a toll road until 29 January 2005.
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Øygarden and Bergen, Norway |
| Coordinates | 60°20′15″N 5°11′03″E |
| Status | In use |
| Route | Fv 5236 |
| Start | Håkonshella |
| End | Bjorøy |
| Operation | |
| Work begun | 29 September 1993 |
| Opened | 7 May 1996 |
| Operator | Norwegian Public Roads Administration |
| Toll | Until 29 January 2005 |
| Technical | |
| Length | 2,012 m (6,601 ft) |
| No. of lanes | 2 |
| Lowest elevation | −88 m (−289 ft) |
| Grade | 18% |