Gudvanga Tunnel

{{short description|Road tunnel in western Norway}}

{{Infobox tunnel

|name = Gudvanga Tunnel

|image =

|caption =

|location = Aurland, Norway

|coordinates = {{coord|60|53|07|N|06|56|59|E|region:NO|display=title,inline}}

|route = {{europavei|16}}

|start =

|end =

|startwork =

|opened = 1991

|close =

|owner =

|operator =

|traffic =

|character = Passenger

|vpd =

|length = {{convert|11428|m|mi|1|abbr=on}}

|lanes =

|speed =

|hielevation = {{convert|70|m|abbr=on}}

|lowelevation =

|height =

|width =

|grade =

}}

The Gudvanga Tunnel ({{langx|no|Gudvangatunnelen}} or {{lang|no|Gudvangentunnelen}}) is located in the municipality of Aurland in Vestland county, Norway. The tunnel connects the village of Gudvangen, at the head of the Nærøyfjord, with the Undredalen valley and is part of European Route E16. At {{convert|11428|m|mi|1}} in length, it is Norway's third longest road tunnel. It was opened on 17 December 1991.{{cite web|url=http://www.snl.no/Gudvangentunnelen|title=Gudvangentunnelen|author=Store norske leksikon|authorlink=Store norske leksikon|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2010-09-05}}{{cite web|url=http://www.lotsberg.net/data/tun10.html|title=The World's Longest Tunnel Page|access-date=2010-09-06|archive-date=2012-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106010852/http://www.lotsberg.net/data/tun10.html|url-status=dead}}

Nearby tunnels

After passing through the Gudvanga Tunnel, drivers pass through a number of other tunnels. About {{convert|500|m}} east of the eastern exit from the Gudvanga Tunnel a new tunnel begins: the {{convert|5053|m|adj=on}} long Flenja Tunnel which ends at Flåm. Approximately {{convert|1|km}} after that tunnel is the {{convert|1363|m|adj=on}} Fretheim Tunnel. About {{convert|7|km}} further to the east (near Aurlandsvangen) is the entrance to the {{convert|24.5|km|adj=on}} long Lærdal Tunnel, which is the world's longest road tunnel. This means that in a {{convert|51.5|km}} section of the E16, {{convert|43|km}} of that distance consists of tunnels.

Fires

In August 2013, a truck caught fire in the tunnel, resulting in 55 people being hospitalised.{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/dozens-injured-in-norway-road-tunnel-fire-1.1485322|title=Dozens injured in Norway road tunnel fire|publisher=The Irish Times|date=5 August 2013|accessdate=6 August 2013}} In August 2015, a tourist bus caught fire {{convert|500|m}} from the exit.[http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/bussbrann-i-gudvangatunnelen-1.12494866 Bussbrann i Gudvangatunnelen. NRK (August 12, 2015).] In March 2019, a truck burned down about {{convert|1.5|km}} from the tunnel entry.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tv2.no/a/10515110/|title=Store skader i Gudvangatunnelen: - Vil være stengt i flere dager|last=AS|first=TV 2|website=TV 2|language=nb|access-date=2019-03-31}}

References

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