The first submarine roundabout will be inaugurated …

In a construction that lasted more than three years, two regions of the Faroe Islands, a small archipelago in the North Atlantic that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, will be united for some people underwater tunnels 11 kilometers long which will be connected by a roundabout located 180 meters under the atlantic ocean.

The Faroe Islands parliament approved plans to build the tunnels in 2014, with the intention of connect the capital, Tórshavn, with two points on the island of Eysturoy: Runavik and Strendur, dramatically reducing driving time from over an hour to just 16 minutes. A second tunnel under construction will link Streymoy to another island, Sandoy.

Although the work was due to be completed in early 2021, construction was completed early, so its opening date was brought forward to December 19, as long as the technical team passes the security tests.

The tunnels were decorated by Faroese artist Tróndur Patursson, who chose a combination of sculptures and blue light effects for it.

Estunlar, the company behind the project, described the work as “the the largest infrastructure expansion ever in the Faroe Islands“with an estimated cost of DKK 400 million (over $ 65 million) between 2014 and 2024.

These tunnels, said Per Jonsson, head of the civil engineering division of NCC contractors, represent “an important milestone in our contract in the Faroe Islands and showcase NCC’s extensive experience in complex infrastructure and tunnel projects. . “

According to the authorities, those who use the tunnels will have to pay a Toll ranging from DKK 60 ($ 9.77) to DKK 150 ($ 24.43), depending on type of transport.