Eiksund Bridge
Encyclopedia
Eiksund Bridge is a cantilever bridge
in the municipality of Ulstein
in the Sunnmøre
region of Møre og Romsdal
county, Norway
. The bridge is connected to the Eiksund Tunnel
as part of the Eiksund Sambandet which joins several islands in the municipalities of Ulstein, Herøy
, Sande
, and Hareid
to the mainland, without the use of ferries.
The bridge runs from the village of Eiksund
on Hareidlandet
island to the western part of the island of Eika. The bridge is 405 metres (1,328.7 ft) long and 9.3 metres (30.5 ft) wide. It has 5 span
s, of which the longest is 132 metres (433.1 ft). The sailing space underneath is 20 metres (65.6 ft) across, with a maximum height of 16 metres (52.5 ft).
The bridge was finished in 2005, but connections with the Eiksund Tunnel
were not available until it officially opened in February 2008. Until then, only local traffic between Hareidlandet and Eika could use the bridge.
In February 2006, the Mechanical Contractors Association union stated that Eiksund Bridge had been built too small, and was dangerous to use, especially in the snow.
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...
in the municipality of Ulstein
Ulstein
Ulstein is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The commercial and administrative centre of Ulstein is Ulsteinvik, population 5,251 . The municipality occupies the western half of the island of Hareidlandet, as well as about 30 or more smaller...
in the Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre is the southernmost traditional district of the western Norwegian county of Møre og Romsdal. Its main city is Ålesund. The region comprises the municipalities of Giske, Hareid, Herøy, Norddal, Sande, Skodje, Haram, Stordal, Stranda, Sula, Sykkylven, Ulstein, Vanylven, Volda, Ørskog,...
region of Møre og Romsdal
Møre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
county, 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...
. The bridge is connected to the Eiksund Tunnel
Eiksund Tunnel
The Eiksund tunnel is an undersea tunnel between the municipalities of Ørsta and Ulstein in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The Eiksund Bridge joins Hareidlandet island and the village of Eiksund with the nearby island Eika. The Eiksund Tunnel begins at the south end of the bridge and connects...
as part of the Eiksund Sambandet which joins several islands in the municipalities of Ulstein, Herøy
Herøy, Møre og Romsdal
Herøy is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is the town of Fosnavåg on the island of Bergsøya. The industrial area of Eggesbønes is located south of Fosnavåg on the same island...
, Sande
Sande, Møre og Romsdal
Sande is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Larsnes on the island of Gurskøya.-General information:...
, and Hareid
Hareid
Hareid is a village and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Hareid...
to the mainland, without the use of ferries.
The bridge runs from the village of Eiksund
Eiksund
Eiksund is a village in the municipality of Ulstein in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located on the southern tip of the island of Hareidlandet...
on Hareidlandet
Hareidlandet
Hareidlandet is an island in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the municipalities of Hareid and Ulstein. The island has a population of 11,687. The island is mentioned by Snorri in his reports about the Battle of Hjörungavágr in 986 where Haakon Jarl defeated Bue Digre and the...
island to the western part of the island of Eika. The bridge is 405 metres (1,328.7 ft) long and 9.3 metres (30.5 ft) wide. It has 5 span
Span (architecture)
Span is the distance between two intermediate supports for a structure, e.g. a beam or a bridge.A span can be closed by a solid beam or of a rope...
s, of which the longest is 132 metres (433.1 ft). The sailing space underneath is 20 metres (65.6 ft) across, with a maximum height of 16 metres (52.5 ft).
The bridge was finished in 2005, but connections with the Eiksund Tunnel
Eiksund Tunnel
The Eiksund tunnel is an undersea tunnel between the municipalities of Ørsta and Ulstein in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The Eiksund Bridge joins Hareidlandet island and the village of Eiksund with the nearby island Eika. The Eiksund Tunnel begins at the south end of the bridge and connects...
were not available until it officially opened in February 2008. Until then, only local traffic between Hareidlandet and Eika could use the bridge.
In February 2006, the Mechanical Contractors Association union stated that Eiksund Bridge had been built too small, and was dangerous to use, especially in the snow.