A system of tunnels and roundabouts under the North Atlantic Ocean to link the main islands of the Faroe Islands (Denmark) is expected to open to traffic on December 19.
This 11km-long tunnel system will cut the travel time from the capital Torshavn to Runavik from 1 hour 14 minutes to just 16 minutes.
This roundabout is part of a system of undersea tunnels connecting Streymoy Island and Eysturoy Island. (Photo: Estunlar).
According to television network CGTN, the network of tunnels under the Faroe Islands was designed by engineer Tróndur Patursson to resemble the shape of a “jellyfish”. After more than three years of construction, the new tunnel network will open to traffic on December 19.
Teitur Samuelsen, CEO of Estunlar – the company that built the tunnel, said he raised the idea with engineer Patursson about the design of the roundabout. “I told Tróndur Patursson about it. The tunnel system represents the traditional collective dance in the Faroes, where people hold hands and dance songs passed down from generation to generation.”
The network of tunnels is located 187m above sea level. Director Samuelsen admits this was a technically difficult project.
“It is very complicated, but we have experience building other tunnels in the Faroe Islands. Eysturoyartunnilin is the third undersea tunnel in the Faroes. Before construction began, we had a large amount of previously collected and analyzed seismic data available. All the advisors have long-term experience in building tunnels under the sea,” said Mr. Samuelsen.
The Faroe Islands , located between Iceland and Norway, an autonomous region of Denmark, are a chain of 18 large and small islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. The first tunnel under the archipelago was built in the 1960s and today there are a total of 19 tunnels. The latest tunnel is believed to be the Faroe Islands’ largest ever infrastructure expansion project. This means that 90% of the population can easily move between islands through this system of undersea tunnels.