World's longest road tunnel

A tunnel is an underground passageway and if you'd like to take a drive through the longest road tunnel in the world get yourself and your car over to Norway where you will find the Laerdal Tunnel its world's longest road tunnel. It is 24,5 km (15,2 mi)-long road tunnel connecting Laerdal and Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county in western Norway. The Laerdal Tunnel was built during a five-year period from 1995-2000 at a cost of approximately 125 million U.S. dollars. The mountains above the tunnel reach elevations up to 1809 meters (5935 feet), and the breathtaking high-mountain road between Aurland and Laerdal, the so-called Snow Road, is open only for a few months during the summer.

This tunnel is not only the world's longest, 24.5 km ( 15.2 miles), but also the world's most uniquely constructed tunnel with exceptional security features. The Laerdal Tunnel is the first in the world to be equipped with an air treatment plant, located in a 100-meter (328 feet) cavern 9.5 km (5.9 miles) from Aurland, that removes both dust and nitrogen dioxide from the tunnel air. The design of the tunnel takes into consideration the mental strain on drivers, so the tunnel is divided into four sections, separated by three large mountain caves. The caves break the routine, providing a refreshing view and allowing drivers to take a short rest.



Thousands of tourists drive through the tunnel for the unique experience. A romantic ambiance has even been suggested when a couple decided to get married in one of the mountain halls ! A group of women from Laerdal and Aurland, calling themselves jenteslepp "gals' night out", have had an organizational meeting in the tunnel. From an environmental perspective, the tunnel was seen as a justifiable investment to avoid destroying sections of the unspoiled natural landscape.

Source: Wikipedia
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