Bømla Bridge

About

The Bømla Bridge (Norwegian: Bømlabrua) is a suspension bridge which crosses Spissøysundet between the islands of Nautøya in Stord Municipality and Spissøya in Bømlo Municipality, Norway. The bridge is 998 meters (3,274 ft) long, has a main span of 577 meters (1,893 ft) and a clearance below of 36 meters (118 ft). It carries two lanes of County Road 542 (former National Road 542) and a combined pedestrian and bicycle pathway. It is part of the Triangle Link, a fixed link which connects Stord to Bømlo, and both to the mainland in Sveio Municipality. Plans for a crossing arose in the 1960s, and was until the 1990s planned as a pontoon bridge further north. The Bømla Bridge entered the plans after the decision to combine the crossing with the Bømlafjord Tunnel. Construction started in 1999; the bridge cost 342 million Norwegian krone (NOK) and was opened for use on 30 April 2001. The bridge is a toll road.

The motivation for the Triangle Link was the desire to have a fixed link between the islands of Stord and Bømlo. The first documented proposals were made in the 1960s and involved building a pontoon bridge across Stokksund, inspired by the plans to build what would become the Nordhordland Bridge north of Bergen. In 1973, the municipal councils of Bømlo, Stord and Fitjar decided to launch a planning process, which concluded that a pontoon bridge between Sørstokken and Foldrøyholmen would be optimal. The report also considered bridges across the Fitjar Archipelago and a crossing via Spissøy and Føyno. There were protests from the shipping industry, which wanted to continue to use the strait for ship traffic. The islands were connected with a network of five ferry services: Skjersholmane–Valevåg connected Stord and Sveio, Skjersholmane–Utbjoa connected Stord and Vindafjord, Sagvåg–Siggjarvåg connected Stord and Bølmo, and Bømlo was connected to the mainland both by the Mosterhamn–Valevåg Ferry and the Langevåg–Buavåg Ferry. Plans for Stord Airport, Sørstokken were launched in the early 1980s. Thus the plans for a bridge crossing Stokksundet were again raised in 1982, this time by the industry on Bømlo, who would have to travel by ferry to reach the new airport. A committee was established in May 1983, which gave Engineer Harald Møyner the assignment of producing a new report. He launched three proposals: a pontoon or suspension bridge between Foldrøyholmen and Litlaneset; a suspension bridge between Setraneset and Sokkbleikjo, which would terminate just south of the new airport; and a combined fixed link between Spissøy and Digernes, without passing via the Fitjar Archipelago. The latter proposal was the first time a fixed link to the mainland was proposed. The Civil Aviation Administration protested against a possible suspension bridge near the airport, but stated that one further away would be fine.

Surveys of traffic patterns on Bømlo were undertaken by Vestland Public Roads Administration in 1984. Based on the result of the surveys and other feedback, the agency stated that it preferred a pontoon bridge between Foldrøyholmen and Sørstokken, north of the ferry between Bømlo and Stord. It was estimated to cost NOK 190 million, in addition to auxiliary roads for NOK 40 million. In 1982, plans were launched for a fixed link to the mainland further south, which would include a bridge over Digernessundet, a causeway and low bridge across Spissøysundet and a low bridge over Gassasundet. In addition, a tunnel would have to be built from Føyno to Sveio. This proposal was similar to the finalized Triangle Link. In 1985, an all-tunnel proposal, following the same route, was proposed. Hordaland Public Roads Administration stated that the proposals were unrealistic. The limited company Ytre Sunnhordland Bru- og Tunnelselskap AS (SBT) was founded in October 1986 by the municipalities of Bømlo, Stord, Fitjar and Sveio, Hordaland County Municipality and five banks. The Public Road Administration recommended a bridge solution in December 1986. SBT changed its name to Sunnhordland Bru- og Tunnelselskap, and a majority of the board shifted towards being in favor of a fixed link. The Norwegian Coastal Administration stated that they would not allow a pontoon bridge. On 26 June 1987, SBT decided to work towards permission to collect advanced tolls on the ferry services. The board unanimously supported the triangular proposal on 16 September, which was estimated to cost NOK 660 million. This was criticized by Hordaland Public Roads Administration, who stated that it would take longer time to plan, and thus complete, the Triangle Link.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.