The Skarnsundet bridge

Skarnsundsbrua connects Mosvik on Fosenhalvøya to Utøy and the rest of Inderøy.

It is one of the world's longest inclined cable bridges, with the characteristic red cable stretching into the sky like a giant harp.

It crosses Skarnsundet in Trondheimsfjorden as part of Fylkesvei 755, Skarnsundet linking Trondheimsfjorden with Beitstadfjorden.

About the bridge

Construction started in 1989 and King Harald V opened it in 1991. The King's stone with the King's signature stands on the rest area on Mosvik side.

When the bridge was opened, it was voted the longest-headed cable-stayed bridge in the world. The bridge lost this designation after the Pont de Normandie in France was completed in 1995. Brua, however, is Norway's longest cable-stayed bridge, and also has Norway's longest bridge span if suspension bridges are not used.

Skarnsund Bridge has a total width of 13 metres and is 1010 metres long. The bridge superstructure is shaped like a box section. The towers are A-shaped, and have a height of 152 m, making Skarnsundbrua the second highest cable-stayed bridge in Norway after Grenlandsbrua.

Skarnsundbrua consists of 208 cables totalling 33 km and weighing 1030 tonnes. The cables, which have a diameter of between 52 mm and 85 mm, can be replaced individually if necessary.

Skarnsundbrua is designed to withstand wind gusts of up to 48.5 m/s (equivalent to a 100-year storm) and is earthquake resistant.

Protected cultural monument

The bridge was proposed for protection in the National Heritage Plan for Roads, Bridges and Road-Related Cultural Monuments in 2002 and was protected by the National Heritage Board in April 2008.

Award-winning

Skarnsundbrua has received several awards, including the "Vakre vegers pris" (1994), "Vegdirektørens pris", "Betongtavlen -92" and "FIP Award" (international concrete award). In 2010, Skarnsundbrua was nominated for one of Norway's most beautiful bridges.

Skarnsundet under the bridge is a popular diving and fishing area.