Vaðlaheiðargöng

Vaðlaheiðargöng Tunnel
Overview
Location Eyjafjörður, Iceland
Status Under construction
Route 1
Operation
Work begun July 2013
Opened Fall 2018
Traffic Automotive
Technical
Length 7.4km
No. of lanes 2
Operating speed 90km/h
Highest elevation 500m
Lowest elevation 60m
Width 9.5m
Grade 1.5%

Vaðlaheiðargöng is a tunnel under construction in Iceland, located in Northeastern Region along Route 1, just east of Akureyri. It will have a length of 7.4 km (4.6 mi),[1][2][3] and replace a 21 km section of route 1 including the Víkurskarð pass. The tunnel will shorten the travel between Akureyri and Húsavík by 16 km.[4]

Costs and schedule

The estimated cost of the tunnel was ISK 11.5 billion (2013 prices, about US$ 96 million) but by April 2017, it was reported that the costs had surpassed the estimates by 44%.[5][6] The Icelandic government loaned 4.7 billion ISK to the construction of the project in April 2017.[5][6]

The tunnel was planned to open at the end of 2016.[7] However, a large leak was found in early 2015 and large supports needed to be put in place. Adding to the problems, a large volume of hot water was also found and needed to be pumped out of the tunnel. The tunnel was, as of April 2017, scheduled to open in the fall of 2018.[8] As of April 2017, the tunnel had been drilled, but finishing up and building the road remained.[9]

Reception

The construction of the tunnel and the Icelandic government's role in it has been harshly criticized. Opponents of the project have said that the project will not be profitable within a reasonable span of time (or at all), that construction costs would exceed original estimates and that the motivation behind the construction is to benefit the voting demographic in a marginal constituency.[10][11][12]

References

  1. ↑ Merzagora, Eugenio (June 2006). "Road Tunnels in Iceland". The World's Longest Tunnel Page. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  2. ↑ "Félag um Vaðlaheiðargöng". RUV. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  3. ↑ "New North Iceland Tunnel in the Pipelines". Iceland Review. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  4. ↑ "43° heitt vatn í Vaðlaheiðargöngum". RÚV. 2014-02-17. Retrieved 2017-04-09.
  5. 1 2 "Vaðlaheiðargöng fá 4,7 milljarða - Viðskiptablaðið". Retrieved 2017-04-08.
  6. 1 2 "Ríkið lánar 4,7 milljarða í Vaðlaheiðargöng". RÚV. 2017-04-07. Retrieved 2017-04-08.
  7. ↑ "Skýrsla: Vaðlaheiðargöng geta ekki talist einkaframkvæmd". Kjarninn (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2017-08-19.
  8. ↑ "Vaðlaheiðargöng opnuð haustið 2018 - Vísir". visir.is. Retrieved 2017-04-08.
  9. ↑ "Mountain road between Akureyri and Mývatn soon a thing of the past". Retrieved 2017-05-07.
  10. ↑ "Þverklofin vegna Vaðlaheiðarganga". RÚV. 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2017-04-09.
  11. ↑ "Vaðlaheiðargöng: Klúður, fals, kjördæmapot og pólitískar brellur". Kvennablaðið. Retrieved 2017-04-09.
  12. ↑ "Vísir - Í bítið - Ólafur Guðmundsson rífur í sig Vaðlaheiðargöng: "Kjördæmapot"". visir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2017-04-09.

Coordinates: 65°41′35″N 18°03′16″W / 65.6931°N 18.0544°W / 65.6931; -18.0544

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