Maintaining a safe connection - Nordland project drives progress in structural assessment

A bridge in trouble

The Herøysund bridge, opened in 1966, is an essential part of Nordland’s county road 828, connecting the islands of Sør-Herøy and Nord-Herøy. However, the presence of cracks in the concrete gives warning signs, indicating that that the bridge is facing substantial challenges. While plans are well underway to construct a new bridge, this process will take several years. In the meantime, the local population heavily depends on the bridge as it serves as a vital transportation link. With boat travel being the only alternative, any decision to close the bridge would undoubtedly face significant opposition and disapproval from the local community. Therefore, given the circumstances, immediate measures were necessary to guarantee the safety and functionality of the bridge.

Nordland County Municipality, in collaboration with partners Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens Vegvesen), the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), SINTEF Narvik and The Arctic University of Norway (UiT) initiated a project aimed at strengthening and extending the operational life of the bridge. Per Ove Ravatsås, Master of Science and advisor at Nordland County Municipality, was given the crucial role of overseeing the entire project including arranging and supervising the monitoring of the cracks that had appeared in the concrete structure of the bridge.