Tunnels in the Faroe Islands

The project's objective 

The Árnarfjordur and Hvannasund tunnels are single lane tunnels at Borðoy in the Faroe Islands. The tunnels were built between 1964 and 1967 and are 1680 m and 2120 m long and with passing places at about 100 m intervals. Between the tunnels is a short roadway in Árnarfjordur.

The project involved designing, programming and launching a traffic control system for the tunnels. The system detects and controls larger vehicles that drive the tunnels without affecting the traffic of smaller cars.

At the end of the tunnels are sensors that measure the length of the vehicles. When a large vehicle drives in to one of the tunnels, a LED panel lights up at the other end of the tunnel, indicating that a big car is driving through. Large cars and cars with trailers must stop at the panel, while smaller cars can drive on as they can meet large vehicles in the passing places. Only two large vehicles are permitted at the same time in each tunnel.

The system allows for a future height measurements, that will, when installed, measure the height of vehicles and alert if a vehicle is too high.

If necessary, Landsverk and the local police can remotely close the tunnels for all traffic.

EFLA's role

• Project management
• Consultation
• Design
• Programming of traffic control systems
• Commissioning

The project's long term benefits

The project ensures safer traffic in the tunnels. The system also offers the possibility of closing the tunnels for all traffic, thus allowing the police to control the traffic.