Finnfast crossing opensOn the 30.10.2009 the 8,372 m-long Finnfast crossing project on national road Rv 519 in south western Norway was opened to traffic. It consists primarily of a 5,685 m-long single tube two-lane bi-directional tunnel under the North Sea between Hanasand on the island of Rennes and Ladstein on the island of Finn. A 1,467 m connecting single tube single-lane tunnel has also been built to the island of Telgje (Fv606), along with 1,220 m of connecting roads. Finn and Talgje islands now have a permanent road connection with Stavanger on the mainland, making the Finnøy-Rennesøy ferry redundant. The tunnel is equipped every 125 m with emergency phones and fire extinguisher points. Ventilation is by six jet fans in the main tunnel and six fans in the connection to Talgje. Thirteen pumps are installed in four different locations to stage pump seepage water. NCC Construction AS was main contractor with sub-contractors including RISA AS, Finnøy Betong, and Giertsen. The cost of EUR 63.36 million was financed mainly by road pricing, investment funds and state funds saved from supporting ferry links. For more details on the project click here or visit tunnelbuilder archive no/81. tunnelbuilder thanks Engg. Gunnar Lotsberg, Anne-Merete Gilje and Undi Agnethe Torstensen at Statens vegvesen www.vegvesen.no for these inputs. 46/09