bridge bridge norwegian suspension bridge crosses mainland bergen norway carries road lanes narrow pedestrian paths national road providing fixed link archipelago bridge metres long main span metres clearance metres average vehicles day bridge brought use december officially opened cost million norwegian nok build nok million paid tolls collected opened longest suspension bridge norway seventh longest exist plans build second bridge expand road lanes carry proposed extension alternatively tunnel built carry motorway specifications concrete bridge crosses separates island mainland bergen western bridge lies eastern lies bergen bridge metres long main span metres carries lanes combined width metres addition meter wide annual average daily traffic vehicles located sound bridge vulnerable winds north south closed wind speed exceeds metres second history planning discussion bridge public forum proposed bridge major municipal engineer lived oslo worked public relations bridge projects issue discussed municipal councils concluded pressing needs islands road network want bridge national road completed following years road projects completed person took initiative late 1950s plant manager norwegian plant large costs products sound ferry took initiative conduct traffic count estimates increased traffic places replaced ferry bridge estimates revenue tolls norwegian paid draft plan bridge presented estimate bridge cost nok million december council voted unanimously recommend committee established continue work bridge plans bridge included road plan plans future remove ferries meaning entire twin archipelago ferry free access mainland bridge built plans spurred large decrease fishing late 1950s need increased tax revenue new industries framework plan started creation inter municipal cooperation resulted merger municipalities create inter municipal road committee established recommended limited company established finance bridge bergen similarly built inter municipal council recommended similar model wanted separate company extra tolls help finance road projects archipelago june sent official application county governor start planning sent onwards concluded possible finance bridge tolls collected years state paying bridge plans called bridge run south norwegian later routed slightly north span reduced meters optimal location norwegian plant placing western possible reduce span metres plans called height meters stated height metres sufficient help reduce construction costs extra costs higher height estimated nok million stated required height metres local newspapers felt metres sufficient voted favor shortest proposal supported taller bridge willing reduce height port authority port authority reduced preferred height metres road authority responding clearance existed places world extra costs result project abandoned final word matter national committee established guidelines recommended meters sounds large ships particular cruise ships pass meters minor inner parts passages alternatives available clearance bridge applicable ships coming south option sailing increased distance kilometres ships east distance north pass sound port authority stated november willing allow smaller clearance november ministry finalized decision december supporting height metres financing construction january bridge committee recommended limited company established finance bridge archipelago municipalities purchase shares nok nok purchased mainland municipalities company established october head office located company given authority owners apply year concession collect tolls new bridge tolls gave profit covering debt bridge construction roads company formally registered january satisfactory conditions loan company recommended banks increase ownership equity loan share capital insufficient company started issuing preferred shares individuals companies managed secure nok million exception rules company allowed start detailed planning loans finalized estimate showed bridge cost nok million auxiliary roads cost nok million excluding inflation interest construction november county council supported proposal construction costs covered national road funds august gave permission company borrow nok million loan bond sold consisting series valued nok million issued valued nok million issued interest respectively years interest period followed years mortgage deed secured right collect tolls supported guarantees municipalities bergen county municipality addition company granted loans nok million state financing loan bridge approved agreement financing july construction road receive thirds financing costs nok million company company advance state costs company nok million year estimated advance nok million company responsible interest including accumulated construction right collect tolls traffic bridge optimal crossing point ran norwegian plant involve placing western middle area company offered authorities free land condition received satisfactory intersection bridge formal agreement reached eastern area development plan approved necessary land owned municipalities initial plans called bridge completed october december company asked road administration construction estimated bridge completed december price increase nok gave company nok million profits quickly start collecting toll revenue company chose accept extra cost start construction delayed parliamentary decision coming right holidays followed immediately national strike engineers contract foundation concrete work won started work march steel work contracts issued despite having lowest bid road administration chose use largest companies december bridge opened traffic day ferry terminated february twice cars ferry february official opening king took place bridge cost nok million construct included nok county road paid state cost company pay nok million final estimates project nok million cost covered state opened bridge longest norway tolls auxiliary projects bridge road mainland archipelago tolls collected direction tolls set nok nok buses nok trucks nok cars nok nok nok adults children available rates ferries people worked longest ferry offered job toll plaza employees company transferred company secretary branch placed company collected nok million tolls estimated annual income reached nok million estimates tolls people removed resulting nok million revenue year reasons removal passenger tolls extra time count passengers increased toll plaza company debt covered extra revenue january scheduled buses exempt tolls condition funds saved bus companies strengthen public transport disagreement company toll period extended increase subsidies projects short possible collection period desirable board decided terminate toll collections december minority owners wanted extend period years given estimated additional nok million company collected nok million tolls addition accumulating nok million interest costs running toll plaza nok million addition financial costs nok million gave profit nok million including necessary initial loan debt financed bonds company chose place revenue bank higher interest instead paying bonds faster preferred shares bonds formally february company goals helping finance road projects pressing issue section store bridge company issued nok million interest free loan project similar conditions imposed nok million nok million establishment rest subsidies given grants main project national road ran northwards company paid nok million paid nok million projects including connections future people bergen bridge average daily traffic vehicles national road municipal center national road motorway long rush hour proposed lane motorway national road require new crossing motorway extension estimated cost nok billion government allocated nok million project presumed project financed toll road main proposals suggested new fixed link involved lane tunnel involved building second lane bridge immediately adjacent current impression single bridge involved new lane bridge slightly south involved new bridge considerably south connect county road tunnel consist sections intersection tunnels western kilometers long reach meters mean sea level eastern tunnel kilometers long reach metres involve current national road reclassified local road tunnel kilometers longer bridge higher costs roughly nok year average commuter tunnel catch long distance travel westwards bridge local traffic alternate tunnel proposal build roughly kilometers south current bridge connect county road kilometer south company established lobby potentially debt finance construction potentially include parts company estimated possible start construction complete project april state secretary stated government support bridge indicate lane lane solution chosen recommended lane bridge recommended lane bridge largely city councils bergen determine bridge alternatives chosen lane bridge estimated cost nok billion located immediately north current bridge south norwegian traffic county road connects national road bypass increased capacity achieved expanding motorway city center alternative launched lane bridge built south norwegian immediately run tunnel connect current motorway planned intersection national road county road ring road west result traffic southern bergen capacity current motorway traffic heading southern bergen possibility head county road june decided extension extension plans period light rail use existing infrastructure bridge chosen road project criticized uniformly bases growth transport archipelago based cars lacks plans inclusion public transport light rail bus lanes criticism raised responsible planning public transport failed produce efficient public transport systems bergen
Sotra Bridge