One of three caves within the 24.5 km long tunnel

Lærdalstunnelen, the Lærdal Tunnel is a 24.5 km long road tunnel connecting Lærdal and Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county in western Norway. Construction started in 1995 and was completed in 2000. The tunnel is a part of the E16 main route between Oslo and Bergen. County Sogn og Fjordane Landscape Sogn Municipality NO-1422 Administrative centre Lærdal Mayor (2003) Knut O. Aarethun (Ap) Official language form Nynorsk Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 66 1,342 km² 1,278 km² 0. ... The municipality Aurland in the county of Norway, has 1,807 inhabitants as of January 1, 2002. ... Sogn og Fjordane is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud and Hordaland. ... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... E16 is the designation of a main west-east road through Northern Ireland, Scotland and Norway, from Londonderry to Oslo, via Glasgow, Edinburgh, by ferry to Bergen, Voss, Lærdal, through the Lærdal Tunnel, Fagernes, Hønefoss and ends in Sandvika, just outside Oslo. ... County Oslo NO-03 Landscape Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... County Hordaland Landscape Midhordland Municipality NO-1201 Administrative centre Bergen Mayor (2004) Herman Friele (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 215 465 km² 445 km² 0. ...

The design of the tunnel takes into consideration the mental strain on drivers, and the tunnel is thus divided into four sections, separated by three large mountain caves. One of the caves is pictured to the right. The caves break the routine, gives a refreshing view and allows the drivers to take a rest.

External links

• Laerdal - World's longest Road Tunnel (http://home.no.net/lotsberg/data/norway/laerdal/tunnel.html)
• Info about the tunnel from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (http://www.vegvesen.no/region_vest/prosjekter/lardalstunnelen/index.stm) (in Norwegian)