Landsverk studies tunnel route from Gøtudal to Skipanes

Landsverk is developing a proposed route to the Gøtudal tunnel via the Skipanes junction and along the eastern side of Skálafjørður, KVF reports.

The proposal was outlined in parliament this week when Minister Jacob Vestergaard answered a question. The current northern route, via Gøturnar and Gøtueiði to the roundabout at the Eysturoy tunnel, is 15 kilometres long. A route through the village of Skálafjørður to the tunnel roundabout is 19 kilometres.

Although the longer route on the western side passes through fewer built-up areas, figures show it takes longer to drive, even though the speed limit is 80 km/h on part of the route.

Fríðrik Heinesen, an engineer at Landsverk, said a new route would need to be both better and shorter. A cost-benefit analysis suggested drivers would otherwise choose the existing route through Runavík, meaning the investment would not be justified by the time saved.

A tunnel from Gøtudal to Skálafjørður or the Skipanes junction is estimated to cost about 500 million kroner, excluding a contingency allowance. With the allowance, the estimate rises to about 650 million kroner. A road above the village of Søldarfjørður is estimated at about 100 million kroner, roughly the same as a road north of the village of Skálafjørður.