conquering the depths of the ocean; Construction of the deepest tunnel under the sea

Norway is building a structure that will change the rules of road travel. This structure, which is a tunnel, takes drivers to a depth of 392 meters below the sea level and holds the record of the world’s deepest road tunnel. The “Rogfast” project is supposed to be the longest and deepest underwater road tunnel in the world after its completion in 2033, with a length of 27 kilometers and a depth of 392 meters. (CNN)

The main goal of this 2.4 billion dollar project is to end the traffic nightmare on the western coast of Norway. Currently, driving the coastal highway that connects the north and south of the country takes about 21 hours, and drivers have to board cruise ships seven times to cross the fjords.

Photographer: Unknown / www.newcivilengineer.com

The Norwegian government intends to cut the travel time in half by implementing this plan and create a completely “ferry-free” route. Project engineers say that this tunnel will reduce the travel time between two important economic hubs, Stavanger and Bergen, by about 40 minutes. This change will not only ease the daily commute, but also link the labor and service markets in this hard-to-reach area.

Building such a structure in the deep sea has daunting technical challenges. Tunnel digging has started simultaneously from both sides and the engineering teams must meet exactly in the middle of the path. The margin of error allowed for this sensitive connection is only five centimeters.

Photographer: Unknown / Skanska

While famous rail tunnels such as the Channel Tunnel are longer, the Rogfast will be unrivaled in the automotive world, breaking records for depth and length.

Photographer: Unknown / www.newsweek.com

Imagine you are 392 meters deep in the ocean and millions of tons of water are above your head. Can you drive this route or would you prefer to still travel by ferry? Share your comments with us and other audiences.

Cover photo source: www.unilad.com Photographer: Unknown