Norway building world’s longest, deepest undersea road tunnel

Norway is building a four-lane undersea tunnel that is set to become the world’s longest and deepest, Report informs via The Telegraph.

The record-breaking project – known as Rogfast – will connect the districts of Randaberg and Bokn, which are separated by a 16-mile wide body of water.

By removing the need for ferries, the tunnel will slash 11 hours from a 21-hour journey on Norway’s E39 coastal highway, which runs from Trondheim, in the far north, to Kristiansand, in the south.

It will help millions of people commute to the cities of Stavanger and Bergen on the 680-mile road, which is interrupted seven times by the need for ferries to cross fjords.

Rogfast is part of an ambitious £36 billion upgrade project of the entire highway, which also includes plans for tunnels “floating” within the sea.

The Rogfast project manager said the current ferry service can be delayed by bad weather, prolonging journeys further – a problem that will not affect the tunnel.

“The port at Mortavika is quite exposed and, in the winter, ferries sometimes have to divert to another port,” said Oddvar Kaarmo.

“Once the tunnel is finished, we will not have to rely on good weather to keep the roads open. About half a year after the last drill and blast, we have to deliver the project, so we have to get a lot of work done simultaneously. It’s more about logistics than tunnelling.”

The mega-tunnel will be carved through a layer of rock underneath the water, and will take 35 minutes to drive through. It will have a four-lane dual tunnel design, with a maximum depth of 1,300 ft and length of 16.5 miles.

Norway has said the project’s budget will be roughly £1.6 billion. It is hoped it will make the export of goods easier and encourage tourism along the country’s west coast.