Norsenga Bridge, one of 14 wooden bridges in Norway that were closed after the Tretten Bridge collapsed in August, has reopened, albeit only one lane.
The Norwegian Public Roads Administration – Statens Vegvesen – said there will initially be manual routing for the bridge, eventually to be replaced by automated light regulation.
Statens Vegvesen announced last month that it would install temporary bridges after it closed 14 timber structures following the collapse of the Tretten Bridge near Lillehammer.
According to Norwegian media reports at the time, the 150m-long, 10m-wide Tretten Bridge – only a decade old – broke in two, collapsing into the river stranding two vehicles and their occupants. There were no casualties or injuries in the early morning accident on August 15, but one driver was airlifted to safety.
The Tretten Bridge – two lanes with a pedestrian walkway – connects the E6 and county road 254 in Øyer municipality, just north of Lillehammer. The E6 is Norway’s main north-south highway while the county road is a local road that follows a similar route and is used as a bypass when the E6 is congested or closed.
