11 billion used to reduce driving time by 40 minutes – NRK Nordland

Håloglandsveien connects the regions of Ofoten, Lofoten, Vesterålen and Sør-Troms.

It will be the largest road project ever in northern Norway.

A total of 82 kilometers of new road will be constructed. It includes seven brand new mines.

This will reduce the driving time between Harstad and Chordland by around 40 minutes.

– 40 minutes reduced travel time is a huge environmental saving. This is a good climate project, said Svein Ian Egesvik (SP), deputy chairman of the county council in Nordland, in a press release.

Only one company submitted a tender

There are many bumps in the road for the new Hålogalandsveien. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration has been criticized for not dividing the large contract into smaller parts.

Despite the large contract, three companies initially wanted to build the road.

Two of the three dropped out early in the process. This left the Norwegian Public Roads Administration with Skanska as the sole developer.

The Mechanical Contractors Association feared that this would increase the costs and delay the road work.

It is now clear that Skanska is responsible for the massive road project.

says Reidar Johansen, project manager for Hålogalandsveien Batch no Negotiations with Skanska took about two years.

Skanska confirms that construction will begin in the summer of 2023.

The road should be maintained for 15 years

Hålogalandsveien is a public private partnership (OPS). It costs about NOK 20 billion.

The contract with Skanska is worth NOK 11.3 billion.

Skanska will also be responsible for operating and maintaining the road for 15 years.

– This massive project means many activities for local subcontractors, who will provide services to Skanska, which has been awarded as the main contract, Eggesvik underlines.

Construction time is estimated at over five years, and completion is scheduled for 2028.