The Westfjords Tunnel or Vestfjarðagöng, situated towards the north-western region of the country, which connects Westfjords to the mainland is the longest tunnel in Iceland. Inaugurated in September 1996, the 9.1-km (9,113 metres) tunnel on Road 60 connects Isafjordur, Onundarfjordur, and Sudureyri, which form part of the Isafjardarbaer municipality.
The Westfjords Tunnel or Vestfjarðagöng, situated towards the north-western region of the country, which connects Westfjords to the mainland is the longest tunnel in Iceland. Inaugurated in September 1996, the 9.1-km (9,113 metres) tunnel on Road 60 connects Isafjordur, Onundarfjordur, and Sudureyri, which form part of the Isafjardarbaer municipality.
The construction of the tunnel has been a boon to tourists and locals alike, as it provides an easier access to the region which otherwise needed motorists to use the Breiðadalsheiði road pass, which at 610 metres above sea level is the highest pass in the Westfjords. This route was often blocked by excessive snow in winter and was also prone to avalanches. The Westfjords Tunnel includes three entry points and the three arms have a common meeting point at junction in the tunnel. The three arms include Breiðadalur, Botnsdalur and Tungudalur.
Breiðadalur provides access to Flateyri and the south-western part of the Westfjords and is the longest arm with 4.1 km (4,150 metres), while Botnsdalur lets motorists pass to the village of Suðureyri to the west is 2.9 km (2,907 metres). The Tungudalur arm is the shortest with a distance of 2.1 km (2,103 metres) and gives access to the northern part of the Westfjords, including Isafjorður. However, of the three arms only Tungudalur arm provides two lanes in the tunnel, as most of the tunnel has only one lane with defined places for passing, with proper traffic light control to avoid accidents. The tunnel is a vital link for motorists especially during the winter when weather conditions are bad.
19/03/2021
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