The Lærdal Tunnel in Norway is the longest tunnel in the world with a length of 24.5km. Now the Norwegian Ministry of Transport has approved the rehabilitation.
The rehabilitation of the tunnel was controversial because it is an important link on the E16 motorway between Bergen and Oslo and therefore cannot be completely closed. The Norwegian Road Administration was trying to find alternatives. The tunnel will now only be closed in the evenings and at night. This will extend the rehabilitation time considerably: it is expected that the work will take four to five years.
On average, about 2000 vehicles pass through the Lærdal Tunnel every day. It is not only important for the transport industry, but also for tourism.
Work is scheduled to begin in 2025, when the tunnel will be closed from 18:00 - 06:00. Security forces are critical of the renovation plan, because alternative routes are limited and it will not be possible for emergency vehicles to pass through the tunnel due to the blasting work in the tunnel.
More on the Lærdal-Tunnel.
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