Lærdalstunnelen
Encyclopedia
Lærdal Tunnel is a 24.51 kilometres (15.2 mi) long road tunnel connecting Lærdal
and Aurland
in Sogn og Fjordane
, Norway
. It is the longest road tunnel in the world, and carries two lanes of European Route E16
, the main road between Oslo
and Bergen
. In 1975, the Parliament of Norway decided that the main road between Oslo and Bergen would run via Filefjell
, and in 1992 passed legislation to build the tunnel. Construction started in 1995, and the tunnel opened in 2000. It cost 1,082 million Norwegian krone
, although unlike most tunnels in Norway was not subject to tolls
.
It is located approximately 175-200 km north-east of Bergen
. In June 1992, the Norwegian Parliament decided that the road between Bergen
and Oslo
should be built via Aurland, to Lærdal, and over Filefjell
. The 24.51 kilometres (15.2 mi) long road tunnel between Aurland and Lærdal represents the final link on the new main highway connecting Oslo and Bergen without ferry connections and difficult mountain crossings during the winter. On completion this tunnel succeeded the Gotthard Road Tunnel
as the longest road tunnel in the world. The tunnel is a part of the highway route.
in Aurland
and goes through a mountain range and ends 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) south of Lærdalsøyri
in Lærdal
. The design of the tunnel takes into consideration the mental strain on drivers, so the tunnel is divided into four sections, separated by three large mountain caves at 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) intervals. While the main tunnel has white lights, the caves have blue lighting with yellow lights at the fringes to give an impression of sunrise. The caves are meant to break the routine, providing a refreshing view and allowing drivers to take a short rest. The caverns are also used as turn around points and for break areas to help lift claustrophobia
during a 20-minute drive through the tunnel. To keep drivers from being inattentive or falling asleep, each lane is supplied with a loud rumble strip
toward the center.
" every 250 metres (820.2 ft) which can contact the police
, fire department
s, and hospital
s. Fire extinguisher
s have been placed every 125 metres (410.1 ft). Whenever an emergency phone in the tunnel is used, stop lights and electronic signs reading: snu og køyr ut (turn and drive out) are displayed throughout the tunnel. There are 15 turning areas which were constructed for buses and semi-trailers. In addition to the three large caverns, emergency niches have been built every 500 metres (1,640.4 ft). There are photo inspections and counting of all vehicles that enter and exit the tunnel at security centers in Lærdal
and Bergen
. There is also special wiring in the tunnel for the use of radio
and mobile phone
s.
and purification
. Large fans draw air in from both entrances, and polluted air is expelled through the ventilation tunnel to Tynjadalen. The Lærdal Tunnel is the first in the world to be equipped with an air treatment plant, located in a 100 metres (328.1 ft) wide cavern about 9.5 kilometres (5.9 mi) northwest of Aurlandsvangen
. The plant removes both dust and nitrogen dioxide
from the tunnel air. Two large fans draw air through the treatment plant, where dust and soot are removed by an electrostatic filter. Then the air is drawn through a large carbon filter which removes the nitrogen dioxide.
Lærdal
Lærdal is a municipality in the southwestern part of Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Lærdalsøyri...
and Aurland
Aurland
Aurland is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center is the village of Aurlandsvangen. Other villages include Bakka, Flåm, Undredal, and Gudvangen....
in Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
, 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 is the longest road tunnel in the world, and carries two lanes of European Route E16
European route E16
European route E 16 is the designation of a main west-east road through Northern Ireland, Scotland and Norway, from Derry to Oslo, via Glasgow, Edinburgh, previously by ferry to Bergen, Voss, through the Gudvanga Tunnel, Lærdal, through the Lærdal Tunnel, over Filefjell to Fagernes, Hønefoss,...
, the main road between Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
. In 1975, the Parliament of Norway decided that the main road between Oslo and Bergen would run via Filefjell
Filefjell
Filefjell is a mountainous area between Lærdal and Valdres in Norway.It is the historical, as well as modern, main route, linking West Norway and Østlandet.-Etymology:...
, and in 1992 passed legislation to build the tunnel. Construction started in 1995, and the tunnel opened in 2000. It cost 1,082 million Norwegian krone
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"...
, although unlike most tunnels in Norway was not subject to tolls
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
.
It is located approximately 175-200 km north-east of Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
. In June 1992, the Norwegian Parliament decided that the road between Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
and Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
should be built via Aurland, to Lærdal, and over Filefjell
Filefjell
Filefjell is a mountainous area between Lærdal and Valdres in Norway.It is the historical, as well as modern, main route, linking West Norway and Østlandet.-Etymology:...
. The 24.51 kilometres (15.2 mi) long road tunnel between Aurland and Lærdal represents the final link on the new main highway connecting Oslo and Bergen without ferry connections and difficult mountain crossings during the winter. On completion this tunnel succeeded the Gotthard Road Tunnel
Gotthard Road Tunnel
The St. Gotthard Tunnel in Switzerland runs from Göschenen in the Canton of Uri at its northern portal, to Airolo in Ticino to the south, and is just under in length below the St. Gotthard Pass...
as the longest road tunnel in the world. The tunnel is a part of the highway route.
Design
A total of 2500000 cubic metres (3,269,876.5 cu yd) of rock was removed from the tunnel during its construction from 1995 to 2000. The tunnel begins just east of AurlandsvangenAurlandsvangen
Aurlandsvangen is the administrative center of the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The village is located on the east side of the Aurlandsfjord where the Aurlandselvi river flows into the fjord. The village of Undredal and the famous Nærøyfjord are located just a few...
in Aurland
Aurland
Aurland is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center is the village of Aurlandsvangen. Other villages include Bakka, Flåm, Undredal, and Gudvangen....
and goes through a mountain range and ends 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) south of Lærdalsøyri
Lærdalsøyri
Lærdalsøyri is the administrative centre of the municipality of Lærdal in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The village is located along the Lærdalselvi river where it empties into the Lærdalsfjord, a branch of the Sognefjord. The village is located about north of the east end of the Lærdal Tunnel...
in Lærdal
Lærdal
Lærdal is a municipality in the southwestern part of Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Lærdalsøyri...
. The design of the tunnel takes into consideration the mental strain on drivers, so the tunnel is divided into four sections, separated by three large mountain caves at 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) intervals. While the main tunnel has white lights, the caves have blue lighting with yellow lights at the fringes to give an impression of sunrise. The caves are meant to break the routine, providing a refreshing view and allowing drivers to take a short rest. The caverns are also used as turn around points and for break areas to help lift claustrophobia
Claustrophobia
Claustrophobia is the fear of having no escape and being closed in small spaces or rooms...
during a 20-minute drive through the tunnel. To keep drivers from being inattentive or falling asleep, each lane is supplied with a loud rumble strip
Rumble strip
Rumble strips, also known as sleeper lines, are a road safety feature that alert inattentive drivers to potential danger by causing a tactile vibration and audible rumbling, transmitted through the wheels into the car body...
toward the center.
Safety
The tunnel does not have emergency exits. In case of accidents and/or fire, many security precautions have been made. There are emergency phones marked "SOSSOS
SOS is the commonly used description for the international Morse code distress signal...
" every 250 metres (820.2 ft) which can contact the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, fire department
Fire department
A fire department or fire brigade is a public or private organization that provides fire protection for a certain jurisdiction, which typically is a municipality, county, or fire protection district...
s, and hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s. Fire extinguisher
Fire extinguisher
A fire extinguisher or extinguisher, flame entinguisher is an active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergency situations...
s have been placed every 125 metres (410.1 ft). Whenever an emergency phone in the tunnel is used, stop lights and electronic signs reading: snu og køyr ut (turn and drive out) are displayed throughout the tunnel. There are 15 turning areas which were constructed for buses and semi-trailers. In addition to the three large caverns, emergency niches have been built every 500 metres (1,640.4 ft). There are photo inspections and counting of all vehicles that enter and exit the tunnel at security centers in Lærdal
Lærdal
Lærdal is a municipality in the southwestern part of Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Lærdalsøyri...
and Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
. There is also special wiring in the tunnel for the use of radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s.
Air quality
High air quality in the tunnel is achieved in two ways: ventilationVentilation (architecture)
Ventilating is the process of "changing" or replacing air in any space to provide high indoor air quality...
and purification
Air purifier
An air purifier is a device which removes contaminants from the air. These devices are commonly marketed as being beneficial to allergy sufferers and asthmatics, and at reducing or eliminating second-hand tobacco smoke...
. Large fans draw air in from both entrances, and polluted air is expelled through the ventilation tunnel to Tynjadalen. The Lærdal Tunnel is the first in the world to be equipped with an air treatment plant, located in a 100 metres (328.1 ft) wide cavern about 9.5 kilometres (5.9 mi) northwest of Aurlandsvangen
Aurlandsvangen
Aurlandsvangen is the administrative center of the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The village is located on the east side of the Aurlandsfjord where the Aurlandselvi river flows into the fjord. The village of Undredal and the famous Nærøyfjord are located just a few...
. The plant removes both dust and nitrogen dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula it is one of several nitrogen oxides. is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year. This reddish-brown toxic gas has a characteristic sharp, biting odor and is a prominent...
from the tunnel air. Two large fans draw air through the treatment plant, where dust and soot are removed by an electrostatic filter. Then the air is drawn through a large carbon filter which removes the nitrogen dioxide.