Norway Is Changing Travel With The World's Longest Undersea Road Tunnel

Deep beneath Norway's coastal waters, construction crews are boring through bedrock with just under two inches of margin for error as they race to complete what will become the world's longest and deepest undersea road tunnel. The Rogfast project aims to stretch 17 miles and plunge 1,286 feet below sea level, connecting Bergen and Stavanger while eliminating a 40-minute ferry ride that's plagued travelers for generations.

The ambitious tunnel represents just one piece of Norway's plan to revolutionize its coastal highway system by 2050, replacing all seven ferry crossings along the 684-mile E39 route with bridges and tunnels. Construction teams working from opposite ends must meet precisely in the middle, guided by rotating laser scanners that create digital clones of their progress.

"The tunnel will significantly improve connectivity along the Norwegian west coast, by creating a faster and more reliable link between the Stavanger and Haugesund regions," says Anne Brit Moen from Skanska, the construction firm building the northern section.

The $2.4 billion project, scheduled for completion in 2033, has already weathered cost overruns and saltwater leaks, while engineers work to design ventilation systems powerful enough to keep the deep tunnel's air breathable.