Gevingåsen Tunnel

Infobox tunnel
name = Gevingåsen Tunnel


caption = Artist's impression of the tunnel entrance
line = Nordlandsbanen
location = Malvik and Stjørdal, Norway
coordinates = coord|63|25|3|N|10|49|42|E|type:mountain|display=inline,title
system = Norwegian railway
status =
start = Hommelvik
end = Hell
stations = Under construction
open = "2012"
close =
owner = Jernbaneverket
operator =
character = Mixed
linelength = convert|4.4|km|mi
tracklength =
notrack = Single
gauge = RailGauge|sg
el = No
speed =
hielevation =
lowelevation = |

Gevingåsen Tunnel is a convert|4.4|km|mi|adj=on railway tunnel under construction between Hommelvik and Hell, Norway on Nordlandsbanen. Blasting will start in 2009 with completion in 2012, costing NOK|630 million. Gevingsåsen is the first part of the plan to reduce rail travel time from Trondheim to Steinkjer to one hour.cite web |url=http://www.jernbaneverket.no/incoming/article.jhtml?articleID=1843369 |title=Planlegger for byggestart i Gevingåsen |author=Jernbaneverket |date=2008-01-24 |accessdate=2008-07-05 |language=Norwegian]

Construction

The tunnel will carry a single track, reducing the travel time by five minutes and creating the same distance between all passing loops between Trondheim and Stjørdal, allowing the capacity to increase from 5.4 to 8 trains per hour (both directions combined). The old right-of-way, located on a ledge over the sea and prone to landslides, can be closed; 92 houses will have reduced noise pollution after the closing. The motorway E6 runs parallel through Gevingåsen through the Hell Tunnel.

The builder is Jernbaneverket, and construction of the tunnel is being financed through state funding. [cite web |url=http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/sd/pressesenter/pressemeldinger/2007/Statsbudsjettet-2008-Jernbaneforemal-End.html?id=484650 |title=Jernbaneføremål: Enda sterkare satsing - over 7,5 milliardar kroner |author=Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications |date=2007-10-05 |accessdate=2008-07-05 |language=Norwegian] The construction will be undertaken at the same time as Avinor is expanding the nearby Trondheim Airport, Værnes, and the spoil from the tunnel will be used to build a new apron. Further plans include building a second track at Trondheim Airport Station; due to the capacity increase created by the tunnel this would allow dedicated airport trains to operate from Trondheim. [cite web |url=http://www.adressa.no/nyheter/nordtrondelag/article1057110.ece |title=Værnes skal bli lik Gardermoen |author=Adresseavisen |date=2008-04-01 |accessdate=2008-07-05 |language=Norwegian]

Controversy

The tunnel has raised criticism for not being in line with the goals to build a high-speed railway in Trøndelag. This plan required double track from Trondheim to Stjørdal, but a double track solution was disregarded. [cite web |url=http://www.ntfk.no/bibliotek/saker/2007/FT/FT07023.htm |title=Gevingåsen tunnel - Videre arbeid med ”Trondheim-Steinkjer på 1 time” |author=Nord-Trøndelag county municipality |date=2007-04-26 |accessdate=2008-07-05 |language=Norwegian] [cite web |url=http://www.t-a.no/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060526/NYHETER/105260076 |title=Dropper dobbeltspor |author=Trønder-Avisa |date=2006-05-26 |accessdate=2008-07-05 |language=Norwegian] Norsk Bane, which is working on plans for a high-speed rail from Oslo to Steinkjer, has criticized the tunnel route for having too round curves, at convert|320|m|ft radius, allowing only convert|80|km/h|mph at Hommelvik Station and Hell Station; because of this, Gevingåsen Tunnel would not be able to allow high through speeds and could not be part of a future high-speed line north of Trondheim. [cite web |url=http://sesam.no/boomerang/category=results;pos=11/http://www.norskbane.no/filer/ppt/dovre.pdf |title=Dovre |author=Norsk Bane |accessdate=2008-07-05 |language=Norwegian]

References

External links

* [http://www.jernbaneverket.no/incoming/article.jhtml?articleID=1843369 Jernbaneverket project page] no icon
** [http://www.jernbaneverket.no/english/ Jernbaneverket] - English site