The first floating roadway in the world is being built by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. By eliminating seven distinct ferry crossings, the Coastal Highway Route E39 will reduce the 21-hour journey time between the Norwegian cities of Kristiansand in the south and Trondheim in the north by at least half.

These crossings will be swapped out for new bridges, tunnels, and the ground-breaking Submerged Floating Tube Bridges that give the Coastal Road its moniker. The historic road project would cost more than $47 billion to try, so Norway has its work cut out for it. Nowhere else in the world has a project of this magnitude and scope with the usage of floating tunnels been accomplished.

The project is receiving assistance from universities, researchers, and engineers across the nation because there are numerous fjords to safely cross. The Rogaland Fixed Link, or Rogfast, their first floating tunnel, is already being built even though the project isn't supposed to be finished until 2050. They have been able to iron out some bugs thanks to the construction, but it has cost $2 billion so far, and the budget is expanding. With these undiscovered thoroughfares, Norway hopes to preserve its unspoiled natural beauty, but first, they must figure out how to keep travelers safe 150 feet under the surface.

For more information on this cutting-edge new roadway and how the rest of the globe might soon emulate Norway, see our video: Norway's $47 Billion Floating Highway at a glance

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