The Øresund Bridge is one of the most mesmerizing structures ever built, thanks to the fact that it transforms into an underwater tunnel.
The Øresund Bridge is a marvel of modern engineering. It consists of a combined road and rail line that runs for 8 kilometers, at which point it then transitions into an underwater tunnel. In total, the bridge/tunnel stretches 12 kilometers, connecting Denmark and Sweden.
The bridge first opened in July of 2000 as a primary means of transit for the entire region. The structure carries a data cable through its infrastructure that serves as a connection hub for much of the internet access across Europe.
In terms of notable feats of achievement for the bridge, the Øresund Bridge is the longest combined road-rail bridge in the entire European continent.
Why the Øresund Bridge was Built
Deciding to build a bridge that goes over a large waterway that then transitions into a submerged tunnel seems like a rather peculiar choice. It's not often that we see tunnels transiting waterways, and it is even more uncommon that we see tunnels beginning in the middle of a waterway. However, the design constraints of the project justify the final construction.
The engineers behind the bridge had to design a transit structure that was tall and wide enough to let shipping traffic transit the channel – thus the bridge portion. However, the bridge also couldn't be so tall that it obstructed the nearby Copenhagen Airport.
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