(Liafjelltunnelen (Statens vegvesen))

The Liafjell Tunnel under construction in Nordland, is now be delayed until 2021's 3rd quarter.  Now a full 2 years behind finishing date. This is still an estimate and there are fears that it can lag even further.

Not only that, also the costs went up 60%. These are the estimates of the Norway's Statens vegvesen, the state company responsible for the roads. They are still only estimates but in all probability, it can only get worse, both cost-wise and schedule-wise.

It is being built by PNC Norway which was awarded the contract in 2016 as the lowest bidder of 9 participants at NOK 339.3 million with a total cost of NOK 525 million (Euro 46,6 million) and with the schedule that it would finish in the fall of 2019.

Currently the costs and schedule soared to NOK 830 (Euro 73,7 million) and to the fall of 2021 respectively.

Norwegian press (Rana Blad, Byggeindustrien) write that, the local government is committed to finishing the tunnel construction regardless of the costs and schedule. The contractor can be fined up to 10% of the contract sum.

"The contractor probably discovered that operating a tunnel in Norway was not the same as in Austria" say a county official reportedly to Rana Blad citing the difficulties the contractor encountered during the construction.