List of tunnels of the Faroe Islands
The list of tunnels in the Faroe Islands is called the tunnel chronologically by year of commissioning. A total of 17 road tunnels are in operation.
Were the first tunnel still single lane, unventilated and unlit mountain tunnel so today ambitious -the-art undersea tunnel can be realized. The objective of this 40-year constant activity, it is not only the urban centers to connect with each other but also to preserve small villages from depopulation. In the latter case, there are still mostly unlit lane tunnel with bys.
The approximately 48,800 Faroese live deposited in the North Atlantic. The road network of the islands includes about 500 km rural roads to 1,400 square kilometers. 2003, about 24,000 motor vehicles were registered, including 17,000 passenger cars at about the same number of households. A biltúrur (car tour ) is a popular pastime for many islanders.
Regional development 1960s to today
Suðuroy
The first was in 1963, the tunnel on the South Island Suðuroy for the road from the main village Tvøroyri after Hvalba in the north. This road was completed in 1969 with a second tunnel to Sandvík while led coastal roads and mountain passes to the south of the island. In 1997, this changed, as the tunnel to Sumba, the southernmost city of the country, was opened. Here, there were significant delays due to water penetration in porous rock. Norwegian experts had to be fetched. Only after ten years the tunnel was completed.
On 23 January 2006 the first blast for the fourth tunnel on the South Island has been triggered, which shortens the travel time between the two cities Tvøroyri and Vágur about Øravík and Hov and provides more safety. The tunnel was opened on 20 October 2007. He is lit and the first Faroese tunnel everywhere provides radio reception.
Northern Islands
In the six extremely mountainous northern islands of the first tunnel was opened in 1965, is part of the road from Klaksvík on Borðoy after Viðareiði on Viðoy. The first section leads to Árnafjørður where the road comes just short of the daylight. There, this leads to another tunnel their way to Hvannasund allowed in 1967 and was completed by a causeway between the two islands.
To preserve the little inhabited islands Kalsoy and Kunoy from the threat of depopulation, all cities were connected to each other in the 1980s. While of Kunoy ( where only Haraldssund and Kunoy village had to be connected by a tunnel ) a road embankment to Borðoy exists Kalsoy is still connected by a ferry with Klaksvík. Five tunnel gave the elongated island since popularly nicknamed recorder. Connect Husar, Mikladalur and Trøllanes.
On April 29, 2006 ( three months earlier than originally thought ) the Norðoyatunnilin was opened, which is the longest and second undersea tunnel Faroese with over six kilometers. The ferry to Leirvík was unnecessary.
Eysturoy
In 1976, the first two-lane tunnel in the Faroe Islands. He is part of the road 10 of Tórshavn in the north Streymoys, over the bridge on the East Island Sundini Eysturoy and on to metropolitan center on Skálafjørður. The tunnel itself begins just after the bridge at Norðskáli. The tunnel is now modernized and now has light and radio reception.
In 1985 he was the tunnel of Gøta after Leirvík, which shortens the existing coastal road to this important ferry port.
The Norðoyatunnilin connects Leirvík since 2006 with the fishing metropolis Klaksvík.
Streymoy
In 1977 the first tunnel on the main island Streymoy was inaugurated that bypasses the narrow coastal road on Leynavatn. To make the trip from Tórshavn Kollafjørður and after Leynar and on to Vestmanna has become more convenient. In the meantime (2006) is reflected on a tunnel of Leynar after Vestmanna, which aims at replacing the intricate coastal road.
The road from the capital to the north continued to lead on the road 10, which is a mountain road in this section - often shrouded by mist and correspondingly dangerous. Since 1992, this problem no longer exists, because the entire trip traffic is routed along the east coast, where a tunnel was drilled from Kaldbaksbotnur through the mountain.
As early as 1989 should be started with the fixed link after Vágar. Financial difficulties caused the Vágartunnel only in 2002 become a reality. For the Faroes relations he is a tunnel of superlatives: the first tunnel under the sea between two islands, at the same time the longest and most expensive tunnel and the first tunnel, which is funded by tolls. However, the toll is not higher than the previous ferry fare. The journey to the airport Vágar shortened by one hour. At the same time Vágar pleased since an increase in visitor numbers.
2005, a feasibility study for the Sandoytunnel was presented, which Streymoy to connect with the southern region of Sandoy future. This would be the longest road tunnel under the sea.
Vágar
During the British occupation of the Faroe Islands in World War II the Vágar airport was built, and a road that connects all major cities with each other and leads to Oyrargjógv in the east, where it was ferried by Streymoy. With the Vágartunnel 2002 this ferry history belongs to.
A village was not connected: Gásadalur far west of the island. This isolated location was 1,700 meters for a Danish documentary title of the future. Meanwhile, the place was supplied by helicopter. Perhaps he would have been completely abandoned. It was only about twelve inhabitants, yet the Faroese government gave these compatriots connection to the outside world by a tunnel, which was completed in 2004. Until December 21, 2006, he was to be opened only with a key, which was mainly the prerogative of the villagers. The official opening to traffic took place on 21 December 2006.
For all places of the Faroe Islands are connected by roads.
Sandoy
In 1916 was built on the relatively flat sand island Sandoy the first highway. It combines Skopun in the north with the main town Sandur in the south. All other roads to the places Sandoys did not require any tunnel. This has long been a steady decline in population in this smallest region of the Faroe Islands is observed. Perhaps the long been discussed Sandoytunnel could halt the population decline. The fixed link in the capital region would allow commuters to work in Tórshavn and live on Sandoy.
Visions of the Future
During this tunnel is unlikely to be completed before 2012, the thoughts of many Faroese go even further: the connection after Suðuroy. Due to the distance to Sandoy (about 30 km ) is far away from any concrete idea. Should it become reality one day, there would be a direct drive option by car from the northernmost to the southernmost place Viðareiði place Sumba - by at least twelve tunnel on a straight line of about 120 kilometers.
Realistically, a tunnel between Hvítanes appear on Streymoy and Nes on Eysturoy. The two largest metropolitan areas - Tórshavn and the Skálafjørður - would then only about seven kilometers drive away from each other.
Eight of the 17 inhabited islands of the Faroe Islands are probably a very long time to wait for a subsea tunnel port, or never get it:
- Mykines in the northwest
- Fugloy and Svinoy in the Northeast
- Nólsoy before Tórshavn
- Hestur and Koltur on the southwest coast Streymoys
- Skúvoy and Stóra Dímun in the south