Today at 12 noon, Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård opens the Svegatjørn-Rådal road construction. The facility consists of tunnels that cut the journey time between Bergen and Os by 17 minutes, and a major reconstruction of the road in the area between Flyplassvegen and Rådalen. The stretch is part of the main coastal road E39 which runs along the entire Westland coast from Trondheim to Kristiansand, and the new road will also reduce the driving time between Bergen and Stavanger. This is the most expensive road construction ever built in Vestland county, at a price tag of around NOK 9.4 billion. Among other things, it consists of Norway’s longest motorway tunnel at 9.2 kilometres, where Vestland will for the first time have a section with a speed limit of 100 kilometers per hour. Here you can see a video of the entire road system. Warns against increased traffic Project manager Kelly Nesheim Iversen in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration is so proud that she bursts into tears when she shows off the facility. She thinks it has become very good for those who will use vegans, but she has a clear warning to the politicians when the traffic gradually increases. – I don’t think Bergen can handle that much traffic, she says. The forecasts for traffic on the motorway show that the increase will not be particularly large after the opening. But in the longer term, the Norwegian Road Administration envisages that there could be almost twice as many cars. Last year, news reported that an average of 15,400 vehicles passed daily on the access roads south of Bergen. The Swedish Road Administration had calculated that 20 years after opening, daily traffic on the future motorway would be 28,000. – I hope they use the tunnels in a good way. That they put in a lot of public transport, including express routes. It will be a good opportunity to get to Bergen quickly. So I would encourage that, says Kelly Nesheim Iversen. – Where are the public transport lanes, then? – No, we don’t have that on a motorway. But the capacity here is so good that it is not necessary, says Iversen. New motorway between Bergen and Bjørnafjorden Project name: E39 Svegatjørn-Rådal Four-lane motorway with 100 km/h speed limit Total 18,000 meters of main road 1,300 meters of new county road with pedestrian and cycle path Planned opening: October 2022 Today’s driving time outside of peak traffic periods is approx. 35 minutes. New road gives a reduced journey time of around 17 minutes Forecast for cost: Around NOK 9.4 billion Paid with tolls and government contribution (Source: Norwegian Road Administration) Takes action to avoid chaos The county council is responsible for public transport. County mayor Jon Askeland (Sp) in Vestland is happy about the new road, but says they are aware that there may be a strong traffic jam towards Bergen. – The road system in Bergen may have challenges in meeting an increasing number of private cars. That is why we are taking action from day one, with many new bus routes and bus departures between Bergen and Os, including express buses, says Askeland. After that, Skyss and the county council will keep a close eye on developments going forward. – If necessary, we must expand the offer, says the county mayor. He asks those who travel on the route to help ensure that there are not too many cars on the road in the years to come. – Travel by public transport when you can. It’s cheap, good for the climate and helps avoid queues. Season tickets can bring ticket prices as low as NOK 12-15, says Askeland. Along the road past Søfteland, there are several businesses that look darkly at the future when the new E39 opens. Opening day postponed Work on the road project has been going on for seven years, since 2015. The opening date is ten days later than initially planned. During an important test period at the end of August, unauthorized persons entered the new Lyshorn tunnel to stand on roller skates. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration broadcasts live from the opening ceremony, which lasts from 12.00 to 1.30 p.m. The entire program for the opening ceremony The opening event takes place at Kontrollplassen (Kolskogen) from 12.00 to 1.30 p.m. Here is the full programme: Fanfare Welcome v/Director of Development Kjell Inge Davik Official opening and cord cutting by Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård Speakers Musical performances from Bjørnafjorden and Bergen municipality Coffee, soft drinks and buns for everyone PROUD PROJECT LEADER: Kelly Nesheim Iversen from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration has worked with Nyevegen for several years, and makes no secret of the fact that she is proud of the work that has been done and the result that is now ready for use. Photo: Leif Rune Løland / news
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Today, the new motorway opens on the E39 between Bergen and Os – news Vestland
