Lærdal Tunnel nightly closures on E16 Norway, Digi Mart USA News (Norway): Drivers traveling between eastern and western Norway over the next two years will need to prepare for a significantly changed travel routine. A major upgrade is underway at the 24.5-kilometer Lærdal Tunnel on the E16 highway, which is central to nearly all traffic between Bergen and Oslo.
The 26-year-old tunnel must be upgraded to meet current safety standards. A large-scale blasting operation is required, making extended closures during evenings and nights necessary to keep work progressing quickly.
Starting Monday, November 16, the tunnel will be closed every evening and night from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., except for the night leading into Sunday.
“Going forward, it will be important for people to calculate enough time to reach the tunnel before 6:00 p.m.,” said project manager Stig Berg-Thomassen of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens vegvesen).
The agency recommends that drivers plan their trips carefully and check the Vegvesen Traffic app or vegvesen.no/trafikk before departing. Travel during daytime is preferred.
For vehicles that must travel in the evening or at night, Route 7 over Hardangervidda is the main alternative between east and west.
Vikafjellet is an alternative for traffic between Indre Sogn and Bergen. The Vangsnes–Hella ferry route will add two extra night departures between 2:00 a.m.
and 6:00 a.m., allowing drivers to use Vikafjellet at night, provided the mountain pass is open.
Until Christmas, Route 52 over Hemsedalsfjellet will also be closed for up to 13.5 hours a day. The mountain pass will be closed from 9:00 a.m.
to 11:00 a.m., 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m.
to 6:00 a.m.
Drivers who arrive too late at the barrier risk several hours of detour. “If you arrive too late, your next opportunity to drive through is at 6:00 a.m.
the following morning,” Berg-Thomassen said.
In addition to the nightly tunnel closure, drivers should expect other obstacles that will reduce traffic flow on the E16 between Bergen and Lærdal. Residents of Aurland and Lærdal will be served by a dedicated bus service with three evening departures from each side of the tunnel.
Emergency vehicles will be allowed through the tunnel as quickly as possible during acute incidents involving life and health. During daytime, the tunnel will remain open to regular traffic, although the contractor will carry out work that does not require closure.
On short sections, the road will be narrowed to a single lane with traffic lights. Motorists should therefore expect up to 15 minutes of additional travel time through the tunnel during daytime.
Once the upgrade is complete, safety is expected to reach a new level, with 28 new technical buildings to be added. Route 7 over Hardangervidda will serve as an important alternative east-west route, and Vikafjellet will be an option for traffic between Indre Sogn and Bergen.
The Norwegian Public Roads Administration has established a contingency arrangement for poor winter conditions. If Hardangervidda must close due to bad weather, a “red button” will be activated so that the Lærdal Tunnel can still be opened to traffic.
The full upgrade of what is described as the world’s longest road tunnel is scheduled to be completed in autumn 2029.
