Hitra Tunnel

{{Short description|Road tunnel in Trøndelag, Norway}}

{{Infobox tunnel

|name = Hitra Tunnel
Hitratunnelen

|image = Hitratunnelenhitra.jpg

|caption = View of the north entrance to the tunnel

|location = Trøndelag, Norway

|coordinates = {{coord|63.5010|9.0974|region:NO_type:landmark|display=title,inline}}

|route = {{fylkesvei|714}}

|status = In use

|start = Hemnskjela

|end = Jøsnøya

|startwork =

|opened = 8 December 1994

|close =

|owner =

|operator = Statens vegvesen

|traffic = Automotive

|character =

|toll =

|construction =

|length = {{convert|5645|m}}

|lanes = 3

|speed =

|hielevation =

|lowelevation = {{convert|-264|m}}

|height =

|width =

|grade = 10%

}}

The Hitra Tunnel ({{langx|no|Hitratunnelen}}) is an undersea tunnel in Hitra Municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. The tunnel connects the island of Hitra to the mainland. The tunnel is {{convert|5645|m}} long and reaches a depth of {{convert|264|m}} below sea level, making it the deepest tunnel in the world when it was built, overtaking Byfjord Tunnel.{{cite book|url=http://www.lotsberg.net/data/norway/list.html|chapter=Road Tunnels in Norway > 3 000 m|editor1-last=Merzagora|editor1-first=Eugenio A.|editor2-last=Lotsberg|editor2-first=Gunnar|title=Road Tunnels in Norway|accessdate=2010-12-28}}{{cite web|url=http://www.snl.no/Hitratunnelen|title=Hitratunnelen|author=Store norske leksikon|authorlink=Store norske leksikon|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2010-12-28}}

The tunnel begins on the island of Jøsnøya, just south of the village of Sandstad. The tunnel then runs under the Trondheimsleia to the island of Hemnskjela. There is a small bridge connecting Hemnskjela to the mainland. The tunnel was built as part of a large project called "Fastlandsforbindelsen Hitra–Frøya". The project also included the construction of the Frøya Tunnel and the construction of a road and bridge network connecting the islands of Fjellværøy and Frøya.

The tunnel has three lanes. Nearly 2,500 cars pass through it every day. Electronics and pumps handle over {{convert|38000|L}} of water per hour.{{cite news|work=Hitra·Frøya|issue=46|date=2011-06-21|title=Hitratunnelen|volume=36 }}