Norway’s Bergen is preparing to open the world’s longest tunnel designed for pedestrians and cyclists. The 2.9 km Fyllingsdal Tunnel will open on April 15, 2023, with running and cycling events. It will take approximately 10 minutes to bike through the tunnel and 30 to 45 minutes to walk. The tunnel, which passes through the Lovstakken mountain in southwestern Norway, connects the Fyllingsdalen and Mindemyren settlements. The width of the tunnel is designed to be 2.5 meters for pedestrians and 3.5 meters for cyclists. It will have well-lit rest areas and security cameras and will be open daily from 05:30 to 23:30. The tunnel also features dynamic lighting that creates a wave of light when a cyclist or pedestrian enters, warning them of oncoming traffic. There are emergency telephones every 250 meters throughout the tunnel. The tunnel’s temperature will be set at 7 degrees, making it an attractive training ground for runners on cold days.
The Fyllingsdal Tunnel and the rest of the cycle path to Bergen city center are funded by the municipality’s Miljoloftet (Environmental Promise) state project. The project aims to reduce traffic in the city and cut emissions that contribute to global warming and unhealthy pollution. It makes it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to travel, encouraging people to choose these methods of transportation. The route from Fyllingsdalen to Festplassen in the city center covers a total distance of 7.8 kilometers and takes about 25 minutes to bike. The project aims to cut this time in half since it currently takes around 40 minutes to cycle between these areas.
Although Bergen’s bike tunnel is marketed as the longest pedestrian and cycling tunnel in the world, it has raised some concerns. The Snoqualmie Tunnel near Seattle, which is 3.6 km long, is still the longest tunnel open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Norwegian officials acknowledge that the Fyllingsdal bike tunnel is the second-longest cycling tunnel but assert that it is specifically designed for pedestrians and cyclists, making it the longest in that category. The Snoqualmie Tunnel was constructed for a different purpose as a railway tunnel.
