The toll in Hvalfjörður Tunnel will be discontinued at the end of summer this year, according to the director of Spölur, the company which constructed, and now owns and operates, the tunnel.
Hvalfjörður tunnel is located in West Iceland and is a part of the Ring Road. The tunnel opened in 1998, and by doing so shortened the ring road by 45 kilometres (28 miles). July 11 of this year will mark the 20th anniversary of the tunnel’s opening.
The tunnel was the first large-scale construction project in Iceland without direct funding by the state treasury and is the only tunnel where tolls are charged. They currently stand at ISK 1,000 (USD 10/EUR 8) for a passenger vehicle.
The tolls were instituted to pay for the tunnel’s construction. At their discontinuation, the tunnel will be handed over to the state, which will then be responsible for its maintenance and operation. Spölur representatives have, however, expressed interest in building a second tunnel under the fjord.
