Farø Bridges
Encyclopedia
The Farø Bridges are two road bridges that connect the islands of Falster
and Zealand in Denmark
by way of the small island of Farø
which is approximately mid-way across the Storstrømmen
sound. A smaller bridge from Farø provides access to Bogø
and thence to the island of Møn
.
on 4 June 1985. They were built because of the increasing congestion problems on the old Storstrøm Bridge
from 1937.
between Falster and Farø
. It is a cable-stayed bridge
. The bridge is 1726 metres long, the longest span is 290 metres, and the maximum clearance to the sea is 26 metres strung up on 95.14 meters high suspension towers, which was finished in 1984. It was one of the first cable-stayed bridge in Scandinavia
(the first was the Strömsund Bridge
). The two towers supporting the span are of 'diamond' shape construction, rising from a single point to either side of the roadway, then combining to one point above the centre of the bridge. There is only one row of suspension cables, along the centre of the roadway.
and Helsingør
, both of which continue to mainland Europe by ferry. A further crossing from Lolland, the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link may carry traffic to Germany
, replacing the ferry.
The low (north) bridge crosses Kalvø Strøm between Farø and Zealand. It is a beam bridge
. The bridge is 1596 metres long, the longest span is 40 metres, and the maximum clearance to the sea is 20 metres.
Falster
Falster is an island in south-eastern Denmark with an area of 514 km² and 43,398 inhabitants as of 1 January 2010. Located in the Baltic sea, it is part of Region Sjælland and is administered by Guldborgsund Municipality...
and Zealand in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
by way of the small island of Farø
Farø
Farø is an island in Denmark, located between the islands of Sjælland and Falster. It has an area of 0.93 km² and has a population of four people . Administratively it is part of Vordingborg Municipality....
which is approximately mid-way across the Storstrømmen
Storstrømmen
Storstrømmen is a strait in Denmark separating the island Falster from the island Zealand. Its maximum depth is approximately 36 metres and the length is around 10 km. Smålandsfarvandet sound is situated to the west and Grønsund lies to the east. Storstrøm Bridge crosses Storstrømmen between...
sound. A smaller bridge from Farø provides access to Bogø
Bogø
Bogø is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea, just west of Møn. The population is 1,135 with 873 living in the largest town, Bogø By. The island is approximately 7 km long by 3 km wide at the largest points, with a total area of 13 km²...
and thence to the island of Møn
Møn
-Location:Møn is located just off the south-eastern tip of Zealand from which it is separated by the waters of the Hølen strait between Kalvehave and the island of Nyord, at the northern end of Møn. Further south is Stege Bugt...
.
History
The Farø Bridges were opened by Queen Margrethe IIMargrethe II of Denmark
Margrethe II is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1375-1412 during the Kalmar Union.-Early life:...
on 4 June 1985. They were built because of the increasing congestion problems on the old Storstrøm Bridge
Storstrøm Bridge
Storstrøm Bridge is a road and railway arch bridge that crosses Storstrømmen between the islands of Falster and Masnedø in Denmark....
from 1937.
Design
The high (south) bridge crosses StorstrømmenStorstrømmen
Storstrømmen is a strait in Denmark separating the island Falster from the island Zealand. Its maximum depth is approximately 36 metres and the length is around 10 km. Smålandsfarvandet sound is situated to the west and Grønsund lies to the east. Storstrøm Bridge crosses Storstrømmen between...
between Falster and Farø
Farø
Farø is an island in Denmark, located between the islands of Sjælland and Falster. It has an area of 0.93 km² and has a population of four people . Administratively it is part of Vordingborg Municipality....
. It is a cable-stayed bridge
Cable-stayed bridge
A cable-stayed bridge is a bridge that consists of one or more columns , with cables supporting the bridge deck....
. The bridge is 1726 metres long, the longest span is 290 metres, and the maximum clearance to the sea is 26 metres strung up on 95.14 meters high suspension towers, which was finished in 1984. It was one of the first cable-stayed bridge in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
(the first was the Strömsund Bridge
Strömsund Bridge
The Strömsund Bridge is a cable-stayed road bridge, bringing road E45 over Ströms vattudal, in Strömsund, Jämtland, Sweden.The bridge is 332 m long, with a 182 m long span...
). The two towers supporting the span are of 'diamond' shape construction, rising from a single point to either side of the roadway, then combining to one point above the centre of the bridge. There is only one row of suspension cables, along the centre of the roadway.
Routes
The Bridges carry the combined E47 route to Lolland and E55 route to Falster, from CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
and Helsingør
Elsinore
Helsingør is a city and the municipal seat of Helsingør municipality on the northeast coast of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. Helsingør has a population of 46,279 including the southern suburbs of Snekkersten and Espergærde...
, both of which continue to mainland Europe by ferry. A further crossing from Lolland, the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link may carry traffic to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, replacing the ferry.
The low (north) bridge crosses Kalvø Strøm between Farø and Zealand. It is a beam bridge
Beam bridge
Beam bridges are the most simple of structural forms being supported by an abutment at each end of the deck. No moments are transferred through the support hence their structural type is known as simply supported....
. The bridge is 1596 metres long, the longest span is 40 metres, and the maximum clearance to the sea is 20 metres.
See also
- List of bridges in Denmark
- List of bridges in Denmark by length
- Storstrøm BridgeStorstrøm BridgeStorstrøm Bridge is a road and railway arch bridge that crosses Storstrømmen between the islands of Falster and Masnedø in Denmark....
- Masnedsund BridgeMasnedsund BridgeMasnedsund Bridge is a road and railway bascule bridge that crosses Masnedsund between the islands Masnedø and Zealand in Denmark....