Norðoyatunnilin

Norðoyatunnilin (The Northern Isles Tunnel) is a two-lane road tunnel under the Leirvíksfjørður in the Faroe Islands. It connects the islands of Eysturoy and Borðoy. The tunnel is 6.2 km long and goes down to a depth of 150 metres below sea level. The maximum gradient is approximately 6%. The tunnel entrances are near the towns of Leirvík on Eysturoy, and Klaksvík on Borðoy. Until the Eysturoyartunnilin opened in December 2020, Norðoyatunnilin was the longest tunnel in the Faroe Islands.

Light art by Tróndur Patursson
Stamp of 2006 by Postverk Føroya.
Norðoyatunnilin seen from the western (Leirvík) side
Norðoyatunnilin
Overview
LocationKlaksvík and Leirvík, Faroe Islands
StatusIn operation
Operation
Work begun2003
Opened2006
OperatorTunnil P/f
TrafficAutomotive
TollYes
Vehicles per day3,585[1]
Technical
Length6,186 m (20,295 ft)
No. of lanes2
Operating speed80 km/h (50 mph)
Highest elevation19.5 m (64 ft)
Lowest elevation−150 m (−490 ft)
Tunnel clearance4.6 m (15 ft)
Width7.0 m (23.0 ft)
Grade5.9%

History

In 1988 Landsverkfrøðingurin (the national office of public works) carried out a number of seismic investigations in Leirvíksfjørður (the strait between Eysturoy and Borðoy). A year earlier, an engineer had drawn up an overall plan showing alternative sites for constructing tunnels. Further surveys in 1988 confirmed that the tunnel plans were considered to be economically viable. In 2003, after the 1990s Faroese economic crisis, work began on boring the tunnel between Eysturoy and Borðoy. The official opening of the tunnel was on April 29, 2006.[2] Traffic has steadily increased from 662,828 vehicles in 2007 to 1,308,519 in 2019 (3,585 per day).[3] The project cost 395 million Danish kroner and is expected to be repaid by 2021.

See also

References
  1. "Tunnilin í tølum". tunnil.fo.
  2. "Norðoyartunnilin í tølum". Tunnel.fo (in Faroese).
  3. "Árlig ferðsla íalt". tunnil.fo.
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62.208°N 6.682°W / 62.208; -6.682


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