Hvalfjörður Tunnel
The Hvalfjörður Tunnel (Icelandic: Hvalfjarðargöng pronounced [ˈkʰvalˌfjarðarˌkœyŋk] ⓘ) is a road tunnel under the Hvalfjörður fjord in Iceland and a part of Route 1. It is 5,770 meters (18,930 ft) long and reaches a depth of 165 meters (541 ft) below sea level. Opened on 11 July 1998, it shortens the distance from Reykjavík to the western and northern parts of the island by 45 kilometers (28 mi). Passing the fjord now takes 7 minutes instead of about an hour.
South entrance | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Western Region and Capital Region, Iceland |
| Route | 1 |
| Operation | |
| Work begun | 1996 |
| Opened | 1998 |
| Operator | Spölur (until 2018), Icelandic Road Administration (from 2018) |
| Traffic | Automotive |
| Vehicles per day | Summer: 8,900 Winter: 5,100 |
| Technical | |
| Length | 5,770 m (18,930 ft) |
| No. of lanes | 2-3 |
| Operating speed | 70km/h |
| Highest elevation | 15 m (49 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | −165 m (−541 ft) |
| Grade | 8.1% (max.) |
The tunnel was constructed by the company Spölur, while the Verkís company handled almost all of the design. Spölur was also the owner and operator of the tunnel until 2018, when ownership and administration of the tunnel were transferred as planned to the Icelandic Road Administration (Vegagerðin). This project was a milestone in Icelandic construction as it was the first private finance initiative without direct funding by the state treasury.