A proposed £1.74 billion bridge could connect two European countries and cut hours from journeys. Kvarken Bridge is a proposed bridge between Sweden and Finland across the strait of Kvarken as a part of the European route E12.
The bridge would cross the narrowest part of the Gulf of Bothnia between Vaasa in Finland and Umeå in Sweden. There are islands in the strait, and the sum of the lengths of the bridge parts would be about 25 miles, cutting journey times from three-and-a-half hours to just one hour. A part of the area examined for a future bridge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
If a future bridge were to avoid this area completely, the cost of a future bridge would rise considerably. With Finland and Sweden’s new NATO status, the strategic importance of the Kvarken Bridge has grown. Should Russia blockade the Baltic Sea, Finland would rely on road transport from Haparanda in Sweden to Tornio in Finland. The Kvarken Bridge would significantly ease this dependency, providing a crucial alternative route.
A new report by the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) recommended building a bridge or tunnel between the country and Sweden.
Tiina Haapasalo, the chief policy adviser in transport and infrastructure at the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK), said: “While securing maritime transport in the Baltic Sea, Finland has to establish new logistical routes and secure connections to Europe.”
She added to Euronews Next: “Beyond old times, should there be any escalation in the Baltic Sea, we need alternative routes.”
This comes as the EU looks to connect Europe better and geopolitical tensions with Finland’s neighbour, Russia. A bridge would speed up evacuations if Russia should invade.
The lobby group wants the Government to investigate two other possible connections between Finland and Europe across the Baltic Sea.
These include a tunnel or a bridge between Helsinki and Stockholm via Turku and the Åland archipelago, and a tunnel between Helsinki and Tallinn in the Gulf of Finland.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
