Varodd Bridge

Old Varodd Bridge Gamle Varoddbrua
The Old Varodd Bridge, and the New Varodd Bridge in the background
Characteristics
Design	Suspension bridge
Total length	618 metres (2,028 ft)
Height	70 metres (230 ft)
Longest span	337 metres (1,106 ft)
No. of spans	8
Clearance below	30 metres (98 ft)
History
Opened	1956

Coordinates: 58°9′40″N 8°3′20″E / 58.16111°N 8.05556°E / 58.16111; 8.05556

The Varodd Bridges are two parallel bridges in Kristiansand municipality, in Vest-Agder county, Norway, and they cross the Topdalsfjorden. They are named after the peninsula on the western shore. It goes from Vige and ends in Søm in Kristiansand. The bridges carry the European route E18 highway over the fjord.

The Old Varodd Bridge is the oldest of the two bridges, which opened in 1956. It is a 618 metres (2,028 ft) long suspension bridge, with a main span of 337 metres (1,106 ft). The two towers reaches 70 metres (230 ft) above sea level. Before the completion of the second bridge, this was the only bridge crossing Topdalsfjorden, making it a two-lane bridge carrying traffic in both directions. Now, the Old Varodd Bridge only carries eastbound traffic. This bridge is scheduled for replacement in 2020. The replacement bridge is going to be built in between the two current bridges and construction will begin in early 2017.

The New Varodd Bridge is parallel to the older bridge, and was completed in 1993 at a cost of US$13 million. It is a cantilever bridge with four spans. The main span is 260 metres (850 ft) and a total length of 663 metres (2,175 ft). The bridge has a 32-metre (105 ft) clearance below it. The bridge was built solely to relieve the traffic on the older bridge, and the two lanes only handles westbound traffic.

Varodd Bridges

View of the bridges from beneath

View of the bridges (Old on left, new on right)

View from the south