Hardanger Bridge

Historie

The Hardanger Bridge is a suspension bridge across the Eidfjorden branch of Hardangerfjorden in Hordaland county, Norway. The bridge connects the municipalities of Ullensvang and Ulvik. It replaced a ferry connection between Bruravik and Brimnes, and thereby shortens the driving time between Oslo and Bergen. It is the longest suspension bridge in Norway.ConstructionThe bridge was approved for building by the Norwegian Parliament on February 28, 2006, and construction began on February 26, 2009. While the bridge was engineered by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, the construction was done by MT Højgaard. The project had a budget of and more than half of this will be paid by toll and saved ferry subsidies. The Administration is considering a different route over a future bridge as the main connection between East and West.The bridge is 1400m long, with a main span of 1310m. The maximum deck height is 55m and the towers reach 200m above sea level. There are two driving lanes for cars with an speed limit, and a separate lane for pedestrians and cyclists. The deck height means that the largest cruise ships cannot reach the inner Hardangerfjord any more.The traffic predicted for the bridge was estimated to be 2000 vehicles per day. The opening of the bridge took place on 17 August 2013.