Bømla Bridge
| Bømla Bridge | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Coordinates | 59°44′13″N 5°22′37″E / 59.73694°N 5.37694°ECoordinates: 59°44′13″N 5°22′37″E / 59.73694°N 5.37694°E |
| Carries | Two lanes of County Road 542 One pedestrian/bicycle path |
| Crosses | Spissøysundet |
| Locale | Stord and Bømlo, Norway |
| Official name | Bømlabrua |
| Maintained by | Norwegian Public Roads Administration |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Suspension bridge |
| Total length | 998 m (3,274 ft) |
| Width | 13 m (43 ft) |
| Longest span | 577 m (1,893 ft) |
| Clearance below | 36 m (118 ft) |
| History | |
| Opened | 30 April 2001 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 3 581 AADT |
| Toll | Yes |
The Bømla Bridge (Norwegian: Bømlabrua) is a suspension bridge which crosses Spissøysundet between the islands of Nautøy in Stord and Spissøy in Bømlo, Norway. The bridge is 998 meters (3,274 ft) long, has a main span of 577 meters (1,893 ft) and a clearance below of 36 meters (118 ft). It carries two lanes of County Road 542 (former National Road 542) and a combined pedestrian and bicycle pathway. It is part of the Triangle Link, a fixed link which connects Stord to Bømlo, and both to the mainland at Sveio. Plans for a crossing arose in the 1960s, and was until the 1990s planned as a pontoon bridge further north. The Bømla Bridge entered the plans after the decision to combine the crossing with the Bømlafjord Tunnel. Construction started in 1999; the bridge cost 342 million Norwegian krone (NOK) and was opened for use on 30 April 2001. The bridge is a toll road.
The motivation for the Triangle Link was the desire to have a fixed link between the islands of Stord and Bømlo. The first documented proposals were made in the 1960s and involved building a pontoon bridge across Stokksundet, inspired by the plans to build what would become the Nordhordland Bridge north of Bergen. In 1973, the municipal councils of Bømlo, Stord and Fitjar decided to launch a planning process, which concluded that a pontoon bridge between Sørstokken and Foldrøyholmen would be optimal. The report also considered bridges across the Fitjar Archipelago and a crossing via Spissøy and Føyno. There were protests from the shipping industry, which wanted to continue to use the strait for ship traffic. The islands were connected with a network of five ferry services: Skjersholmane–Valevåg connected Stord and Sveio, Skjersholmane–Utbjoa connected Stord and Vindafjord, Sagvåg–Siggjarvåg connected Stord and Bølmo, and Bømlo was connected to the mainland both by the Mosterhamn–Valevåg Ferry and the Langevåg–Buavåg Ferry.
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