Hardanger Bridge

The Hardanger Bridge is a suspension bridge across the Eidfjorden branch of Hardangerfjorden in Hordaland County, Norway. The bridge connects the municipalities of Ullensvang and Ulvik. It replaced a ferry connection between Bruravik and Brimnes, and thereby shortens the driving time between Oslo and Bergen. It is the longest suspension bridge in Norway. The bridge was approved for building by the Norwegian Parliament on February 28, 2006, and construction began on February 26, 2009. While the bridge was engineered by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, the construction was done by MT Hojgaard. The project had a budget of 2.3 billion kr and more than half of this will be paid by toll and saved ferry subsidies.

The Administration is considering a different route over a future bridge as the main connection between East and West. The bridge is 1,380 metres 4,530 ft long, with a main span of 1,310 metres 4,300 ft. The maximum deck height is 55 metres 180 ft and the towers reach 200 metres 660 ft above sea level. There are two driving lanes for cars with 80 kilometers per hour 50 mph speed limit, and a separate lane for pedestrians and cyclists. The deck height means that the largest cruise ships cannot reach the inner Hardangerfjord anymore. The traffic predicted for the bridge was estimated to be 2000 vehicles per day.