The story of Nordøyvegen: Norway's most spectacular road construction
Some projects are primarily about meters of asphalt, tons of stone, and technical solutions. Others are just as much about people, everyday life, and opportunities. Nordøyvegen is both.
End of ferry queues and weather-dependent schedules
Since the Nordøyvegen opened in late summer 2022, five islands off Ålesund have been connected to the mainland in a completely new way. For the population on the Nordøyane, it meant the end of ferry queues and weather-dependent schedules. For us at Skanska, it marked the conclusion of one of the most complex and educational transportation projects we have carried out in Norway. But the story of Nordøyvegen begins long before the last tunnel was opened.
A road that was needed for a long time
For generations, people on the Nordøyane have lived close to the sea, with ferries and express boats as their lifeline. At the same time, the distances have been short in kilometers, but long in time. When ferries are canceled, or the routes are insufficient, it affects both workdays, healthcare services, and business.
The ambition behind Nordøyvegen was therefore greater than building a new road. The goal was to make everyday life more predictable and to facilitate development, settlement, and value creation in an island community with strong roots and a forward-looking perspective.
When Skanska received the assignment in 2018 from Møre og Romsdal County Municipality, we knew that the project would place high demands. Not only on technical execution but also on collaboration, planning, and local understanding.
Building together
An important prerequisite for the implementation was continuity. Large parts of the project organization followed Nordøyvegen from start to completion. This provided stability in decisions and room to learn along the way both from what worked well and what required adjustment.
The collaboration with the client, subcontractors, and local communities was crucial. Nordøyvegen did not only pass through mountains and fjords but through living local communities. Good dialogue, openness, and willingness to listen were therefore just as important as technical solutions.
– “I am proud of how the people in the project took responsibility – for safety, for each other, and for our surroundings. When many disciplines and interests meet, it is the interaction that determines whether you succeed,” says Eliassen.
Pictures and video
When the road has opened
In August 2022, Nordøyvegen was opened in its entirety. What had been a construction site for several years suddenly became a part of everyday life. A road you can drive on without thinking much about what lies beneath the wheels, and precisely for that reason, a sign that the project has succeeded.
That Nordøyvegen was later voted Construction of the Year 2022 in Norway and internally at Skanska was experienced as recognition of more than just the final result. It was also recognition of the way the project was carried out.
– "For me, this road is not just about tunnels and bridges, but about what it means for the people who live here. If we have managed to make everyday life a little easier for many, then we have done our job", says Are Eliassen.
Experiences we take with us going forward
Nordøyvegen is finished, but the experiences live on. In the way we plan new projects. In how we organize cooperation. And in the understanding of the role transportation plays in the development of local communities.
For Skanska, this is the core of what we do: shaping communities, together with others. With knowledge, responsibility, and a forward-looking perspective.