World's longest underwater road will take 15 years to build and cost $2,400,000,000
A European country is building the world's longest and deepest underwater tunnel for an eye-watering $2.4 billion.
The project, called Rogfast, will measure up at 27 kilometers (17 miles) long and be located 392 meters (1,286 foot) below sea level.
It will drastically cut travel times for commuters along Norway's west coast.
The country is already home to the world's longest road tunnel, the Lærdal Tunnel, which stretches 24.5 kilometers (15.2 miles).
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And by 2033, Norway will hold another major record to its name with the Rogfast tunnel.
Rogfast is part of Norway's wider plan to create a ferry-free coastal highway called E39.
The shiny new tunnel itself will create a 'faster and more reliable link' between Bergen, dubbed the 'gateway of the fjords,' and fourth-largest city Stavanger by around 40 minutes.
It will be made up of two separate tubes with two lanes each and includes a unique double roundabout located 260 meters deep, linking to Kvitsøy island.
Construction began in 2018, but was halted in 2019 due to cost issues.
Work re-started in 2021, with construction to continue for the next 12 years. The expected completion date is 2033.
The area is currently serviced by ferries, and while the new tunnel will wipe out those jobs in the area, construction project manager Anne Brit Moen of Skanska says Rogfast will strengthen access to other jobs, education and public services for local communities, as per CNN.
She also promised positive effects on the local economy and the seafood industry.
“The project also creates substantial employment during construction and lays the groundwork for more sustainable and integrated regional development along Norway’s fractured western coastline,” she added.
Rogfast - short for Rogaland fastforbindelse, meaning fixed link in Norwegian - is part of a 1,100 kilometer (684 mile) coastal highway renovation.
The entire new E39 highway will run from Trondheim in the north of the country to Kristiansand in the south.
The current trek from end-to-end would take 21 hours in a car, including seven ferries. Yes, seven!
The E39 highway will cut travel time in half, removing the need for ferries and replacing them with tunnels and bridges instead.
The entire E39 project will not be complete before 2050.
Elsewhere in the world, Japan holds the record for longest underwater rail tunnel, the Seikan Tunnel, which is 53.85 kilometers (33.46 miles) long.
It crosses the Tsugaro Strait between Honshu and Hokkaido, reaching a depth of 240 meters (786 feet) below sea level.
Ellie Kemp