Overview | |
---|---|
Location | Rogaland, Norway |
Coordinates | 59°04′26″N5°27′19″E / 59.07389°N 5.45528°E |
Status | Under construction |
Route | E39 |
Start | Randaberg |
End | Bokn |
Operation | |
Work begun | 4 January 2018, halted October 2019, restart autumn 2021 (by Nov 2020 plan) |
Opens | 2033 |
Operator | Norwegian Public Roads Administration |
Toll | yes |
Technical | |
Length | 27 kilometres (17 mi) |
Lowest elevation | −392 metres (−1,286 ft) |
Rogaland Fixed Link or simply the Rogfast is a project, constructing a sub-sea road tunnel between the municipalities of Randaberg (near the city of Stavanger) and Bokn in Rogaland county, Norway. The tunnel will be called the Boknafjord tunnel; it will be a world record with respect to its 27-kilometre (17 mi) length and its maximum depth of 392 metres (1,286 ft) below sea level. This will be a part of the main European route E39 highway along the west coast of Norway and it will link the cities of Kristiansand – Stavanger – Haugesund – Bergen. [1] It is currently slated for a 2033 opening. [2]
The tunnel is planned as a 27-kilometre (17 mi) long roadway which will run below the Boknafjorden and Kvitsøyfjorden. A 4.1-kilometre (2.5 mi) spur connection tunnel, called the Kvitsøy tunnel, going to the island municipality of Kvitsøy is included in the project.
The project was approved by the Storting (Norwegian Parliament) in May 2017, and it was planned to be finished in 2025–26. [3] At that time, the project was projected to cost NOK16.8 billion (about €1.73 billion), [4] with financing set at NOK11 billion from a loan to be paid by tolls, and 6 billion directly from the government.
Construction began in January 2018, with a ceremony for the initial rock blasting for one future entrance to the tunnel. [5]
In October 2019, due to cost overruns predicted in budgetary updates, the project was halted, with all plans for issuing of contracts (the project was being contracted out in stages) cancelled. In December 2019, the government requested a full review and revised budget update. [6]
The first public awareness of higher costs had occurred in July 2019, when the Norwegian Public Roads Administration announced that it had received only two bids on the contract for the spur connection tunnel to Kvitsøy, the lowest of which was NOK1 billion higher than the amount approved by the Storting in 2017. [7] In September 2019, the Kvitsøy bidding process was closed without granting a contract. [7] An update in November 2019 suggested that the earliest possible completion of the project would be in 2029. [8]
By April 2020, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration's revised update estimated that the cost of the total project (including the Kvitsøy spur) had increased to NOK25 billion, an increase of NOK6.4 billion, but stated it believed there were savings of up to NOK4 billion to be found before it would submit a revised funding request to the government. [9]
In October 2020, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration brought its revised plan to the government for consideration. [10] Included was the intention to divide the entire project into four contracts, with the comprehensive bidding process for the first three contracts to start in 2021, for work to commence in late 2021 and early 2022. [10] These three contracts will cover: the Kvitsøy tunnel segment; the long tunnel segment building north from Randaberg; and the long tunnel segment building south from Bokn. [10] The fourth contract, completing the interchange tunnels connecting the Kvitsøy tunnel to the other two, will go to bidding when the Kvitsøy tunnel is completed. [10] The interconnection, allowing the Rogfast to open, is now forecast to be completed in 2031. [10]
In late November 2020, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration received new approval from the government for a revised budget of NOK24.8 billion (€2.55 billion) (contrary to the April 2020 "hope" of reducing it to NOK21 billion), an increase of roughly NOK8 billion from the budget approved in 2017. [11] The government agreed to increase its direct contribution to NOK9.9 billion, with the remaining NOK14.9 billion to be financed by borrowing that would be repaid by tolls charged to vehicles using the Rogfast; this constituted matching NOK3.9 billion increases on both the government contribution and the toll-based loan. [11]
As of March 2022 the estimated opening date has further been delayed to 2033, with more recent delays due to gaining successful contractor bids. [12]
On December 12, 2022, the first main contract was signed with Skanska for the construction of the northern part of the 26.7-kilometer tunnel, valued at nearly 5 billion NOK. [13] The second main contract, signed on January 9, 2023, with Implenia Norge, focuses on the southern part of the tunnel, amounting to 4 billion NOK. [14] The final main contract, signed June 11, 2024, also with Implenia/Stangeland for the middle part of the tunnel is valued at 6.2 billion NOK [15] .
As of November 2023, in the Kvitsøy tunnel, contractor Hæhre/Risa completed the blasting phase, conducting around 800 blasts over 3.5 kilometers, and initiated groundwork for water and sewage systems, targeting completion of their contract by spring/summer next year. [16] In Mekjarvik, Implenia/Stangeland has excavated 1.3 kilometers of the tunnel, with the aim to reach daylight by early 2024. [17] Construction has also commenced at the other end. [18]
The name Rogfast is an abbreviation for the Norwegian name Rogaland fastforbindelse which is translated to English as the "Rogaland fixed link". Boknafjord tunnel refers to the Boknafjord and Kvitsøy tunnel to the Kvitsøy island.
Rogaland is a county in Western Norway, bordering the North Sea to the west and the counties of Vestland to the north, Telemark to the east and Agder to the east and southeast. Per 1. January 2024, it had a population of 499,417 people.
Bokn is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Haugaland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Føresvik, the only urban area in Bokn. Other villages in Bokn include Arsvågen, Trosnavåg, and Loten. The island municipality is mostly located on the three islands of Ognøya, Vestre Bokn, and Austre Bokn. All three main islands are connected to the mainland via a network of bridges.
Randaberg is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Jæren, at the northern end of the Stavanger Peninsula. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Randaberg.
Kvitsøy is an island municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. At only 6.29-square-kilometre (2.43 sq mi), it is the smallest municipality in Norway by area and one of the smallest by population. Kvitsøy is located in the traditional district of Ryfylke. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ydstebøhamn on the island of Kvitsøy. The municipality is an archipelago located at the entrance to the large Boknafjorden. It sits about 2 nautical miles northwest of the mainland Stavanger peninsula.
Tysvær is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. It is part of the Haugalandet region. The municipality is located on the Haugalandet peninsula on the northern side of the Boknafjorden, just east of the towns of Kopervik and Haugesund. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Aksdal. Other villages in the municipality include Dueland, Førre, Grinde, Hervik, Hindaråvåg, Nedstrand, Skjoldastraumen, Susort, Tysvær, and Yrke.
Boknafjord or Boknafjorden is a fjord located in Rogaland county, Norway. The huge fjord lies between the cities of Stavanger and Haugesund and dominates the central part of the county. The main part of the fjord is shared between the municipalities of Kvitsøy, Stavanger, Tysvær, Bokn, and Karmøy. There are dozens of smaller fjords that branch off the main part of the fjord, reaching most municipalities in the county. At its longest, the Boknafjord reaches about 96 kilometres (60 mi) into the mainland at the innermost point of the Hylsfjorden. Other notable branches include the Saudafjorden, Sandsfjorden, Vindafjorden, Hervikfjorden, Førresfjorden, Erfjorden, Jøsenfjorden, Årdalsfjorden, Idsefjorden, Høgsfjorden, Lysefjorden, and Gandsfjorden.
European route E39 is the designation of a 1,330 kilometres (830 mi) north–south road in Norway and Denmark from Klett, just south of Trondheim, to Aalborg via Bergen, Stavanger and Kristiansand. In total, there are nine ferries, more than any other single road in Europe.
Ydstebøhamn or Ystabøhamn is the administrative centre of Kvitsøy municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located on the southern shore of the island of Kvitsøy. The village has a ferry quay which receives regular ferries from the town of Skudeneshavn on the island of Karmøy across the Boknafjorden to the north, and to the village of Mekjarvik in Randaberg municipality across the Kvitsøyfjorden on the mainland to the south. The planned Rogfast undersea tunnel will connect Kvitsøy to the mainland to the north and south as part of the government's goal of providing a ferry-free European route E39 highway along the west coast of Norway.
Ryfast is a subsea tunnel system in Rogaland county, Norway. The tunnel system is part of the Norwegian National Road 13, and it runs between the city of Stavanger in Stavanger Municipality, under a large fjord, and the area of Solbakk in the municipality of Strand.
The Ringerike Line is a proposed 40-kilometre (25 mi) extension of the Bergen Line from Jong, Sandvika to Hønefoss, Norway. In 2022, the project was postponed; the government has no commitment to any timeframe.
The T-Link is a road/bridge/tunnel project in Rogaland, Norway which took four years to build. It consists of the 8.9-kilometer (5.5 mi) long Karmøy Tunnel, which connects the island of Karmøy with European Route E39 in Tysvær, and a 9.8-kilometer (6.1 mi) section of road from a roundabout in the tunnel north to Haugesund. The project includes the 50-metre (160 ft) long Tuastad Bridge, the 687-metre (2,254 ft) long Husafjell Tunnel and the 260-metre (850 ft) long Spannavarden Tunnel.
The Byfjord Tunnel is a subsea road tunnel in Rogaland county, Norway. The 5,875-metre-long (19,275 ft) tunnel runs between the village of Grødem on the mainland in Randaberg municipality and the island of Sokn in Stavanger municipality, running underneath the Byfjorden. The tunnel was built as part of the Rennesøy Fixed Link project which opened in 1992 with the goal of connecting all the islands of Rennesøy to the mainland. The tunnel was a toll road from 1992 until 2006. The tunnel is part of European route E39 highway. With a maximum 8% grade, the tunnel reaches a depth of 223 metres (732 ft) below sea level at its lowest point. The tunnel was Europe's longest and the world's deepest tunnel upon its completion, it was surpassed by a deeper tunnel in 1994 and a longer tunnel in 1999. The tunnel had an average daily traffic of 9,717 vehicles in 2018.
Stavanger District Court was a district court in Rogaland county, Norway. The court was based in the city of Stavanger. The court existed until 2021. It had jurisdiction over the central part of the county which included the municipalities of Hjelmeland, Kvitsøy, Randaberg, Sola, Stavanger, and Strand. Cases from this court could be appealed to Gulating Court of Appeal. The court was led by the chief judge Tor Christian Carlsen. This court employed a chief judge, 18 other judges, and 24 prosecutors.
Ryfylke District Court was a district court in Rogaland county, Norway. The court was based in the city of Stavanger. The court existed from 1591 until 2007. It had jurisdiction over the Ryfylke area of the county which included the municipalities of Finnøy, Forsand, Hjelmeland, Kvitsøy, Randaberg, Rennesøy, Sauda, Strand, and Suldal. Cases from this court could be appealed to Gulating Court of Appeal.
Jon Georg Dale is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party. He served as Minister of Transport and Communications from 2018 to 2020 and Minister of Agriculture and Food from 2015 to 2018. He was also acting Minister of Justice for 14 days in March 2019 after Tor Mikkel Wara went on sick leave.
Kvitsøy or Kvitsøya is the main island in Kvitsøy municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The 2.3-square-kilometre (0.89 sq mi) island is one of 167 islands and skerries that make up the municipality. The island is home to most of the municipal residents, as well as the majority of the municipality's land area. The main population centre on the island is the village of Ydstebøhamn on the southern coast. The Kvitsøy Church and Kvitsøy Lighthouse are both located on the island.
The Hundvåg Tunnel is a road tunnel in Stavanger municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The 5.5-kilometre (3.4 mi) long tunnel is located on the Norwegian National Road 13 highway. The tunnel goes under the Byfjorden and it connects the mainland of the city of Stavanger and the island of Hundvåg. The tunnel is part of the Ryfast tunnel network that opened in 2019. The western end of the tunnel connects to the Eiganes Tunnel in the city of Stavanger. Near the eastern end of the tunnel, there is an exit to the island of Buøy as well. The tunnel exits on the island of Hundvåg, just a short distance from the entrance to the Ryfylke Tunnel, a much longer tunnel crossing the fjord to Ryfylke.
The Farrisbrua is a major road bridge crossing the Farris lake just north of Larvik, Norway. The bridge is part of the expansion of the E18 motorway from the antiquated single carriageway to modern dual carriageway standards, enabling increased speeds and traffic volumes between the eastern and southern parts of the country. It was built between 2013 and 2018, to a cost of 718 million NOK.
The Ryfylke Tunnel is an undersea road tunnel in Rogaland county, Norway. It is part of the Norwegian National Road 13 running between Stavanger and Ryfylke (district) under the Horgefjord. The tunnel is part of the Ryfast project. It is 14.4 kilometres (8.9 mi) long and is currently the world's longest subsea road tunnel, and the deepest tunnel of any kind. Both records are expected to be surpassed by Rogfast, which is projected to open in 2033.