European route E134

European highway E134 goes through Norway, westwards from Haugesund, over the Hardangervidda mountain plateau. With the highest point at 1085 meters above sea level, the road is sensitive to snow conditions and foul weather during the winter season, during which the mountainous sections may be closed in short periods. The part of the mountain is called Haukelifjell, to not confuse drivers with Rv. (state road) 7 which is further north. The road ends at Drammen near Oslo.

Route

All places are in Norway.
*Haugesund
*Tysvær
**Aksdal, connects to European route E39
*Vindafjord
**Knapphus
**Ølsvågen
*Etne
**Håland
**Bergaheiatunnelen / Åkrafjorden
*Odda
**Austmannlitunnelen
**Dyrskartunnelen
*Vinje
**Haukeligrend
**Åmot
*Tokke
*Kviteseid
*Seljord
*Hjartdal
*Notodden
*Kongsberg
*Øvre Eiker
*Nedre Eiker
**Mjøndalen
*Drammen, connects to European route E18

History

A road over the mountain along this route was opened first time 1889. In the year 1968 a tunnel (Haukeli tunnel 5.6 km) was opened allowing reliable winter time traffic.

The road was European route E76 before 1992, when the numbering system of European routes in the Nordic countries was revised. To begin with, there was not room for it in the system, and road became state route Rv. 11. Due to local wishes and steadily increasing of the road standard, from the end of the 1990s, it again received European route status, with the number E134.

The route has many tunnels, especially in the mountainous sections, and also in the western part, along the fjord Åkrafjorden, where is passes the Langfossen water fall. In sum their length is 27 km, the longest being 7.4 km. Before the tunnels, some of the fjord sections of the road was quite steep and very narrow; around 5 meters. This was far from the 8.5 metre minimum requirement of European routes, and below the minimum requirement to allow two trucks to meet.

External links

* [http://www.vegvesen.no/trafikk/vegmeldinger/rapport/index.jsp?report_id=7&vegtype=Ev&vegnr=134 Road conditions for all of E134] (Norwegian)
* [http://www.vegvesen.no/trafikk/vegmeldinger/rapport/index.jsp?report_id=10 Road conditions for mountain passes] (Norwegian)

Useful words for the road condition reports

*Haukelifjell = The main mountain pass on E134
* "Midlertidig stengt" = Temporarily closed
* "Kolonnekjøring" = Driving in line after a snow plough truck only.
* "Nattestengt" = Closed by night
* "Vegarbeid" = Road work
* "Kjøreforhold" = Driving conditions
* "Snø / snødekke" = Snowy road
* "Is / isdekke" = Icy road
* "Glatt" = Slippery
* "Bart" = Bare road
* "Vått" = Wet road
* "Fare for elg" = Watch out for moose