Ryfast

{{Short description|Sub-sea tunnel system in Rogaland county, Norway}}thumb|The Ryfylke tunnel '''Ryfast''' is a subsea tunnel system in Rogaland county, Norway.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Andersen |first=Atle |date=2013-03-01 |title=Her forberedes Ryfast-byggingen |language=no |work=Stavanger Aftenblad |url=http://www.aftenbladet.no/nyheter/lokalt/ryfylke/Her-forberedes-Ryfast-byggingen-3132485.html}}</ref> The tunnel system is part of the Norwegian National Road 13, and it runs between the city of Stavanger in Stavanger Municipality, under a large fjord, and ends at Solbakk in Strand Municipality.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ryfast |url=http://www.vegvesen.no/Vegprosjekter/ryfast |publisher=Statens vegvesen |language=no}}</ref>

When the last section was drilled on 26 October 2017, Ryfast became the longest undersea road tunnel in the world, with its {{convert|14.3|km|mi|adj=on}} length greater than the Eysturoyartunnilin and Sandoyartunnilin in the Faroe Islands at {{convert|11.2|km|mi}} and {{convert|10.8|km|mi}} respectively, the Tokyo Bay Tunnel in Japan at {{convert|9.6|km|mi}}, and the Shanghai Yangtze River Tunnel at {{convert|9|km|mi|spell=in}} in China.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Andersen|first=Ina|date=2017-10-26|title=Nå er siste fjellrest sprengt vekk i verdens lengste undersjøiske veitunnel|url=https://www.tu.no/artikler/i-dag-sprenges-siste-fjellrest-vekk-i-verdens-lengste-undersjoiske-veitunnel/410538|access-date=2022-02-09|website=Tu.no|language=no}}</ref> It is also currently the world's deepest subsea tunnel, reaching a maximum depth of {{convert|292|m|ft}} below sea level.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-01-06|title=World’s deepest subsea tunnel opens in Norway|url=https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/worlds-deepest-subsea-tunnel-opens-in-norway-06-01-2020/|access-date=2022-02-09|website=New Civil Engineer|language=en}}</ref><ref name=AprilOpening>{{Cite web |date=22 April 2020 |title=Fakta om Ryfast-prosjektet |url=https://www.vegvesen.no/om+statens+vegvesen/presse/nyheter/nasjonalt/norges-storste-veiprosjekt-apnes-i-stavanger-onsdag |publisher=Statens vegvesen |language=no}}</ref>

The project was approved by the Norwegian Parliament on 12 June 2012, and construction began in the spring of 2013. The cost of Ryfast is estimated to {{NOK|5.22 billion|link=yes}} (Norwegian krone).<ref name=pdf /> The tunnel system replaced the ferry route between Stavanger and Tau. A large part of the cost is paid by road tolls. There are as of 2022 separate tolls for the Ryfylke Tunnel and for Hundvåg Tunnel, costing 179 NOK (17,45 euros) for a car without special agreement to pass both as of 2022.

The tunnel system consists of two subsea tunnels: *Ryfylke Tunnel, {{convert|14400|m|ft}}, running from the island of Hundvåg to just south of the village of Tau in Strand municipality on the other side of the fjord. This tunnel reduced travel time between the Northern Jæren and Ryfylke districts in Rogaland county. **Ryfylke officially opened to traffic at noon on 30 December 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Verdens lengste undersjøiske tunnel har åpnet |lang=no |trans-title=The World's Longest Underwater Tunnel has Opened |first1=Rolv Christian |last1=Topdahl |first2=Ruth |last2=Einervoll Nilsen |first3=Morten |last3=Nesvik |first4=Johan Mihle |last4=Laugaland |work=NRK |date=30 December 2019 |url=https://www.nrk.no/rogaland/verdens-lengste-undersjoiske-tunnel-apner-1.14840546 }}</ref> *Hundvåg Tunnel, {{convert|5500|m|ft}}, running from the city of Stavanger to the island of Hundvåg, with a connection to the smaller island of Buøy. This tunnel relieved congestion on the Stavanger City Bridge. **While the first section of Hundvåg was opened for a celebration in December 2019, the official opening for vehicles was delayed to 22 April 2020 due to extra technical testing, which was slowed due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway.<ref name=AprilOpening/><ref name=HunEigOpening>{{cite news |title=Hundvåg- og Eiganestunnelen: Datoen klar for når sperringene fjernes og trafikken slippes fram |lang=no |trans-title=Hundvåg and Eiganes tunnel: The date ready for when the barriers are removed and traffic is released |date=16 April 2020 |newspaper=Stavanger Aftenblad |url=https://www.aftenbladet.no/lokalt/i/4qeAja/ny-aapningsdato-klar-for-hundvaag-og-eiganestunnelen |url-access=registration |access-date=27 December 2020}}</ref>

The Ryfast tunnel system was built at the same time as the {{convert|3700|m|ft|adj=on}} Eiganes Tunnel, which was constructed from a similar starting point as the Hundvåg, under the city of Stavanger, but stays in (under) the city rather than continuing undersea.<ref name="pdf">{{Cite report |title=Nå bygger vi Ryfast og Eiganestunnelen |lang=no |trans-title=We are Now Building Ryfast and the Eiganes tunnel |date=January 2013 |work=Norwegian Public Roads Administration |url=http://www.vegvesen.no/_attachment/421394/binary/717873?fast_title=Ryfastbrosjyre+januar+2013.pdf }}</ref> The Eiganes tunnel, like the Hundvåg tunnel, opened on 22 April 2020.<ref name=AprilOpening/><ref name=HunEigOpening/>

== References == {{reflist}}

{{Subsea tunnels in Norway}} {{authority control}} {{coord|59|01|53|N|5|48|54|E|source:kolossus-nowiki|display=title}}

Category:Subsea tunnels in Norway Category:Road tunnels in Rogaland Category:Norwegian National Road 13 Category:Strand Municipality Category:Transport in Stavanger