Imagine driving toward Sweden but not by boat. This is possible with the magnificent \u00d8resund Bridge. This combined railway and motorway cable-stayed bridge stretches across the \u00d8resund strait. It connects Denmark and Sweden. The \u00d8resund Bridge is the second longest in Europe. It combines roadway and railway in one structure.
Let’s delve into some interesting facts about this impressive structure. The bridge runs nearly 8 kilometers from the Swedish coast. It extends to the artificial island Peberholm in the middle of the strait. From there, the crossing continues via the 4-kilometer Drogden Tunnel to the Danish island of Amager. This unique design connects Scandinavia’s road and rail networks. It links them to Central and Western Europe. A data cable within the \u00d8resund Bridge serves as a crucial link for Internet data transmission. It connects central Europe and Sweden.
The international European route E20 crosses via road. The \u00d8resund Line crosses via railway. The Great Belt Fixed Link connects Zealand to Funen and Jutland. Together with the \u00d8resund Bridge, these structures link Central and Western Europe to Sweden by road and rail.
J\u00f8rgen Nissen and Klaus Falbe Hansen designed the bridge. They worked with Niels Gimsing and Georg Rotne. The designers chose to include a tunnel section. This was to avoid interfering with air traffic from nearby Copenhagen Airport. It also provides a clear channel for ships. Additionally, the tunnel prevents ice floes from blocking the strait. Construction began in 1995. The \u00d8resund Bridge opened to traffic on 1 July 2000. In 2002, it received the IABSE Outstanding Structure Award.
Ideas for a fixed link across the \u00d8resund emerged in the early 20th century. In 1910, proposals suggested a railway tunnel. It would have linked two tunnel sections with a surface road across Saltholm. The concept of a bridge first appeared in 1936. A consortium proposed a national motorway network for Denmark.
The project was paused during World War II. However, it was revived afterward. Danish-Swedish government commissions studied it extensively. They worked through the 1950s and 1960s. Disagreements arose regarding the placement and form of the link. Some favored a link at Helsing\u00f8r-Helsingborg. Others preferred a direct link from Copenhagen to Malm\u00f6.
In 1973, Denmark and Sweden agreed to build a fixed link. It would have included a bridge between Malm\u00f6 and Saltholm. A tunnel would connect Saltholm to Copenhagen. A second rail tunnel between Helsing\u00f8r and Helsingborg was also planned. Economic factors and environmental concerns led to the project’s cancellation in 1978. Renewed interest in the 1980s led to a new agreement in 1991.
The OMEGA centre identified several motivations for building the \u00d8resund Bridge. These included improving transport links from Hamburg to Oslo. They also wanted to promote regional development around the \u00d8resund. This was in response to intensifying globalization and Sweden’s application to the European Community. Connecting Copenhagen and Malm\u00f6 and improving access to Kastrup Airport were also key factors.
Hochtief, Skanska, H\u00f8jgaard & Schultz, and Monberg & Thorsen began construction in 1995. They completed it on 14 August 1999. Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden met midway. They celebrated the completion on 14 August 1999. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden officially dedicated the bridge on 1 July 2000. Due to a tragedy at the Roskilde Festival, the ceremony began with a minute of silence. The \u00d8resund Bridge opened for public traffic later that day.
The bridge covers half the distance between Sweden and Amager. The border is 5.3 km from the Swedish end. The structure weighs 82,000 tonnes. It supports two railway tracks and four road lanes. Concrete piers support the girder every 140 meters. The cable-supporting towers are 204 meters high. They allow 57 meters of headroom for ships. Most captains prefer the Drogden Strait above the Drogden Tunnel. The cable-stayed main span is 491 meters long. This design provides the rigidity needed for heavy rail traffic. It also withstands ice accumulation.
Interestingly, the underwater parts of the \u00d8resund Bridge have become an artificial reef. Marine organisms now thrive there. Imagine the bridge’s pillars teeming with life. Up to 140,000 mussels can live per square meter. These mussels then become food for fish like cod.