Mobility in cities can become an extremely complex field. At present, taking bicycles, pedestrians, and electric scooters into account while trying to achieve smoother traffic is a difficult task, but Norway could have the ideal solution to this problem.
Far from the typical bike lanes painted on the road, the European country has decided to go a step further in terms of road traffic, creating a tunnel in Bergen (Norwegian city) of almost 3 km for cyclists and pedestrians. Next, we will tell you the details about this urban novelty.
Despite being an expensive measure, Norway has decided to bet on infrastructures for road traffic. The government's goal? Provide greater security to citizens. Thus, bicycles and cars will not have to share the same road space.
The tunnel, located in the city of Bergen, is called Fyllingsdalstunnelen and will be dug into one of the seven mountains that surround the city. Thanks to its length, it will be able to connect the residential area of Fyllingsdalen with the center of the city, located in the southwest of the country. As they have pointed out, citizens will be able to test the tunnel on April 15, 2023, holding races and cycling tests.
The tunnel that will completely change life in Norway will be most useful for its citizens, who will be able to go through it in ten minutes by bicycle and between 30 and 45 minutes on foot. As Euronews has pointed out, the journey time would be reduced from 40 to 25 minutes, without a doubt, an improvement to take into account.
Despite being a tunnel intended mainly for cyclists and pedestrians, it is not exclusive. As in the Croix-Rousse tunnel in Lyon (France), this is a novelty in which cyclists have a certain privilege. In the French, a parallel tunnel was created that would act as a bus lane, allowing more fluid traffic. In the Norwegian case, it will act as an escape route in case of emergency for passengers on the new light rail line.
The director of the project, Arild Tveit, has explained that "Basically, it is an escape tunnel for the tram. But then there were wise minds who said that this tunnel can also be used by bicycle (...) by creating a walkway here , it is also possible to exercise... So it is public health in every meter of this tunnel."
