Vigra Fixed Link

The Vigra Fixed Link (Norwegian: Vigrasambandet), also known as the Ålesund Tunnels (Ålesundtunnelene), is a fixed link connecting the archipelago and municipality of Giske and the island of Ellingsøya to the mainland and the island city of Ålesund. It consists of the 3,520-meter (11,550 ft) long Ellingsøy Tunnel between Ålesund and Ellingsøya, the 4,222-meter (13,852 ft) long Valderøy Tunnel connecting the islands of Ellingsøya and Valderøya, the 3,844-meter (12,612 ft) long Godøy Tunnel between the islands of Valderøya and Godøy, and the Giske Bridge from Valderøya to Giske island. Valderøya was already connected by bridge to the island of Vigra, which meant that the fixed link also connected the city of Ålesund to Ålesund Airport, Vigra. The fixed link opened between 1987 and 1989, and was financed as a toll road. The link is part of Norwegian National Road 658 and Norwegian County Road 658.

The two first tunnels, Ellingsøy and Valderøy, and the Giske Bridge were opened by King Olav V on 20 October 1987. The Godøy Tunnel opened two years later. The project was among the first subsea tunnels in Norway.

The project cost 780 million kr, all of which was financed by debt taken up by the partially publicly owned company Ålesund og Giske Tunnel- og Brusamband AS. The fixed link received a concession to collect tolls for 22 years. The project was built in a period with much optimism, and the banks were more than willing to lend large sums for the project. However, by the time the project was finished, the interest rate had increased to 16.5%, and the toll company could not pay the interest, let alone the principal sum. By 1990, the company was nearly bankrupt, but was saved by an agreement with the banks. Other factors contributing to the financial problems was the choice late in the project to include the Giske Bridge and Godøy Tunnel, as well as lower traffic than estimated.

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