Norway is a land of contrasts, from snow-capped mountains to lush green valleys and alpine tundras to breathtaking fjords. It has a natural beauty that the Norwegians strive to preserve.
However, like every other country, Norway must progress and the natural beauty they treasure is also an obstacle that has hindered them, until now.

Norway is a long and thin country that is mainly coastline, this means that to travel the 700 miles from Kristiansand in the south to Trondheim in the north takes 21 hours, that’s an average speed of around 30mph! It also uses 7 different ferries and over $200 in fuel, making the transport of materials and goods a long and costly process.

They are working to change this, How?....by building the” e39 coastal highway”.
This $47 billion project is designed to cut travel costs and time in half.
The idea is to build a coastal highway that consists of bridges and tunnels to create a more direct route and allow higher average speed to be maintained.
Due to the extreme weather experienced in Norway, bridges and tunnels aren’t always the best option, high winds can be dangerous to bridges and the sheer width they have to span in some cases make them impractical. Tunnels can be drilled when the fjord isn’t too deep but the wider the fjord is, the deeper it is, which makes them impractical too.
The solution? Floating Tunnels!.... Yes, FLOATING TUNNELS.

These S.F.T.Bs or submerged floating tube bridges are designed to balance the weight of the tunnel with its buoyancy so the tunnel can literally float below the surface. Cables attached to the sea bed or to floating pontoons will secure them and the tunnels will be sunk to a sufficient depth so as not to be in danger of collision from boats or ships.

These tunnels will have emergency exits, lights, and phones at various intervals as well as their own dedicated emergency services in case of a breakdown or accident.

The project is estimated to cost $47 billion although some estimate it to be closer to $90 billion to finish the project. Once finished, tolls will be charged for the first 20 years to cover the costs.
While this project may seem extravagant and expensive the estimated benefits to commerce and tourism are far superior!
I mean who doesn’t want to drive through a floating tunnel?

Floating tunnels, clever or crazy? What do you think?
Comment below!

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