The Øresund Bridge: Connecting Sweden and Denmark

This video has everything. Like, everything. Including spiders.
Got a beard? Good. I've got something for you: beardblaze.com
Simon's Social Media:
Twitter: / simonwhistler
Instagram: / simonwhistler
Love content? Check out Simon's other KZbin Channels:
SideProjects: / @sideprojects
Biographics: / @biographics
Geographics: / @geographicstravel
Casual Criminalist: / @thecasualcriminalist
Today I Found Out: / todayifoundout
TopTenz: / toptenznet
Highlight History: / @highlighthistory
XPLRD: / @xplrd
Business Blaze: / @brainblaze6526

[@gcl2783]

When building bridges in Europe always include an "unexploded bomb" budget.

[@davidanalyst671]

Did yall learn your lesson from WW1 or do we have to do it agai.... okay. So did europe learn its lesson from WW2?

[@Jay-ln1co]

When doing anything Europe, always include an "unexploded bomb" budget. A lake near the center of my hometown had a bunch of WW2 era bombs in it (it was used as a decoy for enemy bombers to drop their ordnance there, rather than on the city center and the large hospital there) that required all the surrounding buildings to be evacuated few decades ago as they drenched the bombs up. There's no telling if they even got all of them. When I was in the army, a local lake near our garrison had a bunch of bomb disposal work done at it, because decades earlier the brass had decided to just dump a bunch of ordnance in there to dispose of it and now they had to get them back and dispose of them correctly.

[@tomdreesen1948]

Indeed, a few years ago, a small, new built residential area had to be evacuated because they found a WWII bomb while digging.

[@davidanalyst671]

@@tomdreesen1948 ?a few years ago? brah this happens every year.

[@tomdreesen1948]

@@davidanalyst671 sure, but not this close to my place. It could've litterally damaged my house if it went off.

[@henrikg1388]

From someone who was partially involved in the project and have passed over it hundreds of times, and sometimes under it, I will say that it was very much on point.

[@megaprojects9649]

Glad to hear it :)

[@robjohnson8861]

@@megaprojects9649 You are unbelievably obnoxious (not funny) and were you under a time limit to spew as many words as you could in 14 mins?

[@AvoidTheCadaver]

@@robjohnson8861 Who pissed in your cornflakes

[@dps140]

Fact boy is a good boy.

[@peteasmr2952]

I bet working on it was exciting. I hope to get to travel on it one day.

[@mikaellindberg685]

While in Sweden, you should do a video on the moving of the city of Kiruna to make room for a deeper iron mine.

[@dahlmasen3084]

That would be a great Mega Projects video!👌🏻

[@TheSkytherMod]

That's a great suggestion!

[@AmongRocks]

Yes!

[@sternis1]

Multiple times...

[@epzapp]

That's pretty Mega indeed...

[@dschledermann]

A bit of humour in the naming of the artificial island: The name "Peberholm" means "pebber (small)island" (a "holm" is a very small island in scandinavian). The very low and swampy island just north of Peberholm is Saltholm, which means, you guessed it, "salt (small)island", so the salt and pepper islands.

[@HallsteinI]

TLDR the two islands are named salt and pepper island.

[@Markle2k]

Plus, Øre means “ear”, and sund means “sound” (in the geographical sense), so Øresund Sound is “ear sound sound”. 🤔🤪

[@ulvschmidt7174]

@@Markle2k öre actualy is a old word for rocky gravel and does not mean ear in this case

"sound" does not mean sound, instead it's a small section of navigatable water between two isles or an island and the mainland. In this case the water between Sjælland (sealand) and Sweden. Logically you should never say "Øresund sund" it's just "Øresund"

[@Jakob_DK]

@ Well the explantion of sound as a waterway is here: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_(geography)

[@Doc_OLDGUY_Savage]

Kudos to the planners and schedulers. A NINE YEAR PROJECT that finished ON TIME. Hope someone or some organization did a study on that. The 'How To Plan and Schedule A Large Scale Project or So You Want This Finish On Time?'

[@laurendoe168]

Easy... calculate how long it should take and how much it should cost. Triple the time and increase the cost an order of magnitude.

[@alexsis1778]

I think a big part of it as well is in that part of the world the companies also provide a realistic timetable from the start. Plenty of other cultures have a tendency towards underestimating time and cost to win the contract in the first place with every intent of running over on both budget and time. So its not necessarily that the companies ignorantly gave too short a time frame and need to study how to accurately plan it out but that they intentionally promised something they knew they couldn't deliver just to get the job.

[@RaginMunchkin]

@@alexsis1778 you are right but don't underestimate the impact of the customer who hardly ever accept the realistic schedule and pricing, insisting for a cheaper bid and tighter schedule. Whenever the customer keeps in mind that things have a cost and take time, it gets much easier for everyone.

[@vrenak]

The danish road directorate usually finishes on time or ahead of time on its projects, it's rare they fall behind these days, contractors can also get a bonus if they finish early. Still have to be up to specs, finishing early and having it built wrong will just end up costing the contractor a lot more than if they finished a little late but ok.

[@Shinzon23]

You should also mention something about staying relatively on budget as well

[@bigbirddk]

A few fun remarks that was forgotten in the video: The tunnel segments was numbered, and the number 13 was skipped due to fun superstition and relabeled as 12B, which sunk due to the temporary water tight seal failed 🙈 The fire services can use long pipes (normal on bridges) to fetch water from the sea. However the DK and SE fire services used different sized hoses, so each pipe has a red and a yellow connector 😊 The rails for the train actually cross each other on the bridge. This is due to the fact that a Danish train pass on the right, like cars so, whereas Swedish trains pass on the left side, like cars in the UK. The reason being that Sweden used to drive on the left side of the road, but switched to the right. Their trains kept the old style thou 🤪

[@andyandersson]

There is also the fact that the electricity used for trains are different in Denmark and Sweden. So any train passing over the bridge needs to support both voltages and needs to be able to switch over half way across the bridge on the fly. Swedish railroad has retrofitted some of their fastest train service with this functionality enabling travelers to travel from Swedens capital Stockholm to Denmarks capital Copenhagen without changing trains.

[@bssb7976]

The trains actually switch sides on the approach to malmö central station.

[@troelspeterroland6998]

Yes, and the electrification system changes at the Swedish coast. The signalling system changes at the beginning of the tunnel on Peberholm.

[@TKDDLJ09]

And its expensive as fuck to cross 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@joostprins3381]

Yep, my father warned for it and to bad he was right.

[@Hjiel]

As a bit of extra trivia, the bonds sold to finance the bridge are considered the safest bonds in the world as they're guaranteed by two countries both qualified for the AAA bond safety rating (AAA being the theoretical safest bonds). To my knowledge, there is no other bonds in the world with that same level of safety.

[@tomeng9520]

When Vikings work together astonishing thing happens 😁 🇸🇪 🪓🗡️ 🔨🔧🇩🇰 Skål pårej 🍺

[@Prahlis92]

Fun fact: Many people from the most southern part of Sweden frequently use the bridge to drive over to Denmark or continue to Germany to stock up on beer and liquor because of the insane tax on alcohol in Sweden. There's also commercial bus trips that simply drive from Sweden to a large liquor store in Denmark and back again the same day.

[@jsleeio]

I hear the Finns get the ferry across to Tallinn for the same reason

[@nicolaj9510]

The true motivator for international trade, ALCOHOL!

[@austinwagner3231]

Sounds like Northerners in America crossing into Canada, especially to avoid drinking age

[@ilarious5729]

@@jsleeio can confirm, there's multiple ferries and huge liquor store in the Estonian harbour for this reason, Estonians don't really use it.

[@Ca11mero]

Yeah there are buss trips from Skåne to Germany that takes like 12 hours and you can take like 100kg of alcohol back. It's pretty fun because you can just drink with a bunch of friends all the way home.

[@darraghmckenna9127]

Side note. On double-track lines in Denmark trains run on the right whereas in Sweden they run on the left. On the Öresund Line trains runs on the right hand track, resulting in trains in the Malmö area using the Danish standards

[@treinenliefde]

Always fun to see how railways handle that stuff! The same is with the trains in the border regions with Belgium and the Netherlands.

[@darraghmckenna9127]

@@treinenliefde DK & SE also use different signalling & electrical systems. Kinda fascinating actually

[@fredskronk]

Not really though. Trains only run on the right hand side Inside the City Tunnel, that was opened in 2010. There’s a crossover just outside Malmö central. Prior to that the trains were using the “continental line” and the switch between right and left was done just as the trains were passing in a tunnel near the tollbooths. I believe this one is still used for trains that doesn’t go into the tunnel (for example the night trains to Berlin) or that don’t call at Malmö at all, such as the danish trains to Ystad (for connection to Bornholm).

[@darraghmckenna9127]

@@fredskronk I probably should have worded it better. Öresundståg still run on the right from Hyllie / Malmo Central. Other trains in malmo area don’t (Pågatåg etc )

[@bigbirddk]

Ohh, I thought the crossing from left to right, was done on the bridge itself 🙈 Isn't that where the electric systems also changes ? I think I read an article about it a LONG time ago, where the train runs on battery for a while, while the train is switching the pentagraphs ?

[@andvil01]

Before the official opening there was a half marathon run over it. And a week when it was open for walking and cycling over. I was there by the Red Cross, as a first responder, if someone got sick or hurt. Many people didn't bring enough water to drink and got dehydrated in the sun and wind. "No, there are no shops on the bridge. Does it looks like Ponte Veccio?" We had to bring out canisters of water. Had a day off. Walked over the bridge before opening, had a day in Copenhagen and took the ferry from Copenhagen to Malmö. They closed soon after in 2002.

[@Petrobella]

My Dad and my Uncles ran it and I remember Dad telling us everyone was skinny dipping once they got over to the Malmö side and finished the race cause it was a really hot day, every one was sweating and no one had swimming suits lol 😂

[@FritzOFN]

Simon: as a sidenote, due to the heavy traffic, the bridge actually paid itself all the way some years ago...think it was 2015 or 2016......they plan next to use money they get from this bridge for maintenance and plans to build a tunnel under Helsingborg/Helsingør a bit further north, to releave a lot of the heavy transport that crosses the bridge.

[@brett4264]

Yes, let's just put all that extra money into the hands of bureaucrats. They wouldn't want to lower the price of crossing the bridge or anything.

[@SpeedRebirth]

@@brett4264 This is the way forward, a wealthy state means your country will keep developing and not stagnate. This is how Stockholms biggest road construction is being funded. Roadtax = big projects gets funded

[@mariepindstruplinde1671]

And the Øresundsbron is too small for the traffic going across, especially the amount of trains. Maybe not right now due to the Panini, but it was in 2019.

[@honda6353]

A tunnel between the two would be great, I still prefer the ferry services though.

[@FritzOFN]

@@honda6353 Agreed, and I'm not sure they can run ferries next to a tunnel.

[@UberGrunk]

A papermill near my home town in northern Sweden once received an unexpected (and unwanted) surprise with a load of timber from Russia. It wasn't until the logs were going through the debarking machine that it was discovered that there was a bomb mixed in with the logs. A debarking machine is basically an enormous tumble dryer so it's a bloody miracle that the bomb didn't go off!

[@Dinstyvmorsa8539]

Holy shit! Is there any more info on this? I would like to read up on it more

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:50 - Chapter 1 - Plans emerge 4:25 - Chapter 2 - Designing 6:05 - Chapter 3 - The bridge 7:55 - Chapter 4 - Peberholm 9:15 - Chapter 5 - Drogden tunnel 12:05 - Chapter 6 - Opening

[@AndersGetherSoerensen]

The reason for making the tunnel with "lowering boxes" was the experience a few years earlier with building the Great Belt Bridge. At that bridge, the tunnels to the railway were drilled. But it went very wrong and one day there was a hole directly up to the sea water and the tunnels were filled with water. Luckily there were no dead, but that was right before you gave up and do it that way. Therefore, it was decided to make the tunnel under "Øresund" with "lowering boxes". It became a success with a fast and accurate method. This technique is then used in the upcoming major project between Denmark and Germany from Rødby to Travemünde. There will be several immersed tunnels next to each other for trains and for cars / trucks. The process is to first dig into the seabed and plan it. Then lower each section. This can be done with great precision. Under a 1 cm between each section. And when you have done that, you cover the tunnel to the level the seabed was before. The experience is that nature quickly finds its way back to its starting point.

[@steventhomas5865]

They used this technique to build the Sydney Harbour tunnel. It was opened in 1992 but is on a much smaller scale.

[@Yora21]

They are also using it on the new Belt crossing. Denmark and Northern Germany are pretty much entirely sand pushed there by the last ice age, and the floor of the Baltic Sea is the same. Connected concrete pipes are simply the way to go in this part of the world.

[@blameyourself4489]

... and they are going to use this method for the Femarn Belt tunnel between Germany and Denmark, too. I can't wait until it's finish!

[@redspain4732]

So, the boxes go into the water and once they are covered the water is pumped out?

[@AndersGetherSoerensen]

@@redspain4732 The individual tunnel elements are sealed and sailed out to where they are lowered by slowly filling them with water. I have added a link to a video showing the process. It is in Danish. But I think you can see the process. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qp2tq6R-lJqcobM&ab_channel=FemernAS

[@Frolkinator]

Love listening to non-nordics trying to say ÆØÅ letters

[@TheCimbrianBull]

As a Dane I concur!

[@christopherx7428]

It can be rather painful too: "Claes Adelsköld"...

[@OmmerSyssel]

Rødgrød med fløde.. 😁

[@annicaesplund6613]

Or ÅÄÖ

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

Øllebrød med flødeskum 😉

[@FPJDK]

Great episode with a project close to my home (Denmark) but I think you forgot to mention that the reason why the artificial island was called Peberholm (Pepperholm) is because the wetland area just north was already named Saltholm 😏

[@budgiefriend]

Cool fact, did not know that, and I'm from DK too.

[@SaturnusDK]

It's also worth mentioning that the reason they couldn't just have used Saltholm was two fold. Firstly, Saltholm was and is a national nature reserve and bird sanctuary. Secondly because the concrete supports for the bridge itself increases the predominently outgoing south to north current flow, Pepperholm was built on the southside of Saltholm to protect it from erosion.

[@OLLE3770]

Driving this bridge from Sweden (as a Swede) in my own car with my family for vacation is always the beginning of a great adventure... Traveling into Europe where we'll be treated as grown ups. Can't explain the feeling - It's amazing every time I do it. I'm so happy this bridge exists. Travelling back... well. Maybe I'll take the ferry back next time as an acclimation process.

[@MatsGarage]

Definatly always a special moment passing the towers headed south. And always a nice feeling going back since you are "home" again even if its another 3-4 hours in the car.

[@TheGhostOfFredZeppelin]

I love how this video is titled "The Øresund Bridge: Connecting Sweden and Denmark" and at the top of the recommended videos on the side there is one titled "Oresund Bridge: *More* than just a connection between Sweden and Denmark". Step up your game Simon, there's more!

[@megaprojects9649]

Dammit, I should have put more mystery in the title for clicks :D

[@Real28]

I'm glad he doesn't. I hate the exploitation of the algorthim. I'll actively avoid videos that do this.

[@TheGhostOfFredZeppelin]

@@megaprojects9649 Just stop writing titles altogether, the ultimate mystery!

[@SvensktTroll]

Önska Sverige använde Danska Ö! Så det ska jag börja göra! 👍🙏🇸🇪

[@DramaMustRemainOnTheStage]

@@megaprojects9649 you are awesome

[@thoso1973]

The next 'biggie' is a 18 km lowered tunnel from Lolland (to the South of Zealand, Denmark) to Germany (the island of Fehmarn), called the Femern/Fehmarn Belt Link. They started constructing the tunnel segments this year, with an estimated completion of the tunnel in 2029.

[@youareawesome5236]

When I started watching TopTenz a few years ago, I didn't think or even imagine Simon was so funny lol

[@zachaliles]

That was pre coke Simon. Before he finally trapped Danny in the basement.

[@megaprojects9649]

@@zachaliles I extracted Danny humour and used it for myself. Like a humour vampire.

[@casperleeberg]

You should do the Storebælt Bridge as a prequel. The eastern part of that split into a rail tunnel and road bridge (for a reason)!

[@marcushansen9309]

and if not so here on mega projects do it on side projects, even tho it is bigger and third the biggest suspension brigde in world if i remember correctly

[@henrikjensen3278]

The tunnel had a accident during construction, that delayed the project a couple of years.

[@kildevang98]

@@henrikjensen3278 The rail connection (using the tunnel) still opened a year prior to the road connection though.

[@casperleeberg]

@@henrikjensen3278 yeah. The tunnel got a bit wet 😉

[@henrikjensen3278]

After the tunnel was finished, there also was a bit of learning: 1) Do not run passenger trains into the tunnel at full speed. 2) Do not send a fully loaded freight train into the tunnel with only one engine.

[@Hultoo]

One suggestion for another topic; Hallandsåstunneln, the tunnel through Hallandsåsen. The project became more mega than intended, and also created problems beyond what you could possibly imagine. Haven't checked the validity of these claims, but the project is said to be one of the world's most expensive compared to its original budget.

[@ulrikschackmeyer848]

I remember the scandal. You mean they actually got it finished and operating? When?

[@Hultoo]

@@ulrikschackmeyer848 Initially, it was planned to be opened in 1997. It actually opened in 2015. Just checked the numbers on Wikipedia, the cost of the project landed at eleven times the original budget.

[@OmmerSyssel]

@@ulrikschackmeyer848 there is a splendid Swedish documentary available on jutube.. The locals went beserk and authorities stepped in because of the dangers from illegal use of extreme toxic Dupont chemicals.

[@terryenby2304]

Saga is one of my favourite characters ever. She is so like me sometimes. It was so interesting to see those relationships from the other side. The Bridge (original version) is really great. It’s interesting to learn more about the structure that inspired part of the show and more about Denmark and Sweden. Both countries I want to visit one day if I am ever well enough.

[@midsue]

Please Simon do a video about the moving of the city of Kiruna in northern Sweden. Greetings from Sweden 🇸🇪

[@Josh-b3c]

There's one of these type of things near Norfolk Virginia also The Chesapeake Bay bridge tunnel

[@youareawesome5236]

Yep, that's it couldn't remember it's name. I've heard stories of it n sounds insane. Would love to drive it, apparently of the night from what I've heard.

[@crazyeyez1502]

This right here.

[@thomaswilloughby9901]

When your in the middle you can not see either shore.

[@fastertove]

Similar but without the train.

[@Headgamerz]

CBBT is almost x2 as long, with 2 tunnels & 4 man made islands… made 60 years earlier. No trains though, so there is that.

[@YbotPoweredGaming]

This project reminds me of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in the states.

[@purplemoonshoes]

According to Wikipedia the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel is 17.6 miles/28.3 km, so it's much longer than the Oresund Bridge/Drogden Tunnel and was initially opened 35 years earlier. Either this or the Chesapeake Bay Bridge would make good Megaprojects subjects. Edit -Since at least some of the Megaprojects team are European, I should clarify that the Bay Bridge and the Bay Bridge-Tunnel are completely separate entities. The Bridge is in Maryland and is the world's longest continuous over-water steel structure. The Bridge-Tunnel is in Virginia.

[@joewood9151]

Was gonna say the same thing there is literally 3 bridge tunnels in Virginia in the Chesapeake bay. So I dont really see why this is so special

[@lyfandeth]

@@joewood9151 The name may change at the state line, but the combined structure is still one project, no other ways on or off. They are also famous for having a free driver program. So many people simply panicked and froze on the bridges (from realizing the are in the ocean) that the operators quickly figured out, if you are afraid to drive it, they will have a courtesy driver take you and your car across at no extra charge. (Much cheaper than a traffic jam and tow truck, and excellent public relationd.)

[@fastertove]

Train and car tunnel-bridge. That is the main difference.

[@magnemoe1]

Never driven it but was on the bar on the highest level on an huge ship passing below. Felt an need to dodge :)

[@ulrikschackmeyer848]

And THAT is why they made not ONLY a bridge but ALSO the tunnel bit! For bigger ships! Dont understand how you missed that tit bit, Simon?

[@palantir135]

Beautiful bridge. I rode over it twice while riding from the Netherlands to Norway. And I’ve seen it from the underside while I was on a ferry to Norway the next year.

[@franklast7955]

Need to do the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel

[@morssocio8324]

the chesapeake bay bridge tunnel in virginia isnt as aesthetic but has two tunnels incorporated into it and has been around much longer then oresund bridge.

[@mols89]

Thought the same thing. Driven and ridden across it quite a few times, pretty cool! (Unless you're in heavy fog, then it's a little less than pretty cool.)

[@bonzogamer6966]

Was hoping this would get mentioned! I encountered the USS George Washington (CVN-73) in transit last time I was on it.

[@purplemoonshoes]

It's about seven miles longer and opened 35 years earlier. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland would also make a good Megaprojects video.

[@ronniefnd]

I came here looking for this comment. Good looking out.

[@caseyjeanchapman]

I also came here looking for this comment! I've been across the Chesapeake bay bridge-tunnel and the bay bridge and they are both very memorable.

[@oldsledpurgatory3595]

Hobo Spider: "Yup, this island now belongs to me. Don't wanna get bit? Don't get out of your car."

[@christopherx7428]

Would serve them right, too: Ordinary travelers are not allowed to stop on the island. Only bridge maintenance workers and researchers may leave the highway.

[@LarsaXL]

*flexes in Scandinavian* Completed a megaproject ahead of schedule, beatch.

[@disposabull]

Not bad for a bunch of Vikings.

[@TigruArdavi]

*weeps in German* 😭

[@jensolsson9666]

And below budget.

[@Luredreier]

0:13 You might find it easier to hear the Swedish Ö or Norwegian Ø then the danish Ø since they make all of *their* sounds so "soft"... Practicing the Swedish or Norwegian version of the letter a few times makes it easier to get the Danish one right as you might not quite *hear* the Danish one otherwise.

[@plunder1956]

Being Danish with relatives in Sweden I have crossd it by train a few times. It's rather beautiful.

[@villageidiotdan]

Id be curious to see a video on the US version of this that includes two bridges two man made islands and a tunnel connecting them all. The hampton roads bridge tunnel

[@henrikerdland578]

Great video 👍 As a Dane I has always been more proud of the Big Belt Bridge (Storebælt Bridge) It was actually the wold longest suspension Bridge when it’s was built. But after I have been watching this video on how Peberholm was created I can see this Engineering masterpiece is not lacking behind

[@Jakob_DK]

The storebælts bro may have been the longest while it was under construction but when it opened one in Japan was longer. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akashi_Kaikyo_Bridge

[@whssy]

I met my wife round the time they started building this near this and would often walk along the coast of Amager watching what was going on with the project. Our kids were 7 and 8 when it was finished just before we moved away.

[@PantsuMann]

Bruh. I was 10 years old when it opened and people could walk over it as a ceremony. Not sure how far we walked as I was there with my grand parents, but it was pretty cool. By far the longest bridge(and tunnel) I have ever seen.

[@Jakob_DK]

One time and on budget. The “Öresundsbron” is one of few Mega Projects to be completed on time and on budget.

[@ulrikcaspersen9145]

I'd like to add a few points: At a previous point in history when a precursor to this project was considered, the plan was to use the natural island of Saltholm located approx. 1,5 kilometers to the north. But for a number of reasons, it was decided a new (artificial) island which became Peberholm. For maintenance of the bridge section, a special work platform is used which can travel the entirely length beneath the bridge and a lift capable of reach the height of the roadway and another lift capable being lowered to where the bottom is almost touching the water.

[@quasarsavage]

My routine: wake up, watch Simon's 10 channels for abt an hour and a half to catch up :)

[@sandybarnes887]

Gee. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but... he's up to 11 channels now.

[@Kellen6795]

@@sandybarnes887 Bad??!! No no no thats good!

[@quasarsavage]

@@sandybarnes887 haha yeah he is a legend OGBB

[@MageThief]

Living in Sweden in the city of Malmo, where the bridge is connected on the Swedish side, it is quite the sight from the beach, and going out to the bridge bracket you can get that massive feel of just the size of it.

[@Trendkilla]

Yay Simon visiting our corner of the world.

[@dianapennepacker6854]

I always confuse where each country is. Norway, Sweden, and Finland is! If you pointed at a map with no names I would be like uhhhhh. I know the names but not which one is what. By all means though the three look amazing to visit.

[@d.c.8828]

Is that your real name

[@ashleyhathaway8548]

@@dianapennepacker6854 You must be an American.

[@dianapennepacker6854]

@@ashleyhathaway8548 Yup. I confuse the position of Sweden and Denmark. I get Finland right due to the allied WW2 ruse making Hitler think we were landing there. It is like people forgetting what state is what in the US.

[@ashleyhathaway8548]

@@dianapennepacker6854 That's me whenever I'm tasked with labeling the flyover states.

[@gordol66]

The Boston Big Dig's Ted Williams Tunnel connecting South Boston to East Boston was built the same way as this tunnel, a decade earlier. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in Virginia is longer (17.6-mile (28.3 km)) and build almost 50 years earlier than this one, with construction starting in October 1960 on what is now the Northbound span opening to traffic in April, 1964. When I drove across it in the mid-1990s, they were about to start construction of the second parallel span, which was completed in 1999. And they are now currently digging a second parallel tunnel to go with the parallel span.

[@nannalange6696]

I don't know why, but it's so funny to hear someone continually talk about the "øre-sound sound" 😂

[@fastertove]

Yes, it does sound a little weird :) I guess he is technically allowed since he is mixing languages. "Øresund sound" makes sense and is said multiple times. He might say it wrongly later in the video. I won't bother rewatching it just for that :). --- Edit: Nevermind, here is a (likely incomplete) list: 1:23 2:21 2:48 9:46 12:48 He might be saying "Oreson sound" instead of "Øresund sound". But definitely not "sound" twice in a row.

[@davidanalyst671]

I propose we continue to search for unexploded ordinance and "DISPOSING" them until all the creepy spiders are gone.

[@Iae86]

Adelsköld=Noble shield. And the "sk" in sköld makes almost the same "sh" sound as in shield. Fun fact: We have about 20 different "sje" sounds in the swedish language. So I don't blame you for messing it up.

[@ShadowFalcon]

And you blame us for sounding like we talk with a potato in our mouthes 😅 You've literally turned some of your consonants into smoothies 🤣🤣

[@austinwagner3231]

In Virginia, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT), Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (M&M), and two sets of tunnels under the Elizabeth River are all within a few dozen miles of each other. They were designed to facilitate the heavy shipping and Naval traffic in Norfolk, VA. With 3 bridge-tunnels, 2 tunnels, and a few other high rise bridges, the whole region of roads and train lines is probably worth a Mega/Side Project video.

[@fastertove]

Would be interesting to hear about.

[@jonatan0909]

Simon: Say RØD GRØD MED FLØDE! Greetings from Denmark.

[@77gravity]

Porridge and cream? Yes please.

[@td1559]

Only if you say squirrel

[@PMA65537]

ØL ØST

[@rolandbogush2594]

Great video, Simon! I used to have to travel from the UK to Malmo regularly for work, and before the bridge was built, there used to be a helicopter service to get across from Copenhagen Airport, which was a lot more exciting. I have since been across the Bridge many times and it never fails to impress as a piece of engineering. There is a friendly rivalry between the Swedes and Danes, exemplified by the great Danish comedian Victor Borge who said, 'The only thing better in Sweden is that they have nicer neighbours!'

[@fastertove]

I love how the Danish neighbours can refer to both Germany and Sweden :-)

[@OmmerSyssel]

@@fastertove some goals are easily achieved 😏😁

[@IndefiniteWander]

🤯 How is each horizontal section "5.5 million tones each" but the bridge is only 82,000 Tones in total? 🤯 7:31

[@grumpycup4762]

Came here wondering the same lmao

[@walttrotter535]

I always enjoy bridge documentaries. Such fascinating engineering.

[@busybraintinkering465]

You should research the moving of the town kiruna (yes, the whole town is supposed to be moved, house by house) in north sweden. It's not done yet, so you'll even have the opportunity to follow it as it progresses!

[@larsolivius]

One of the more striking features of the Öresundbron, in my view, is that it's bent meaning that, unlike many or most other bridges, you can actually see it while driving over it instead of just the tarmac.

[@russellfitzpatrick503]

Actually the idea of digging trenches to 'insert' tunnels under water has been used quite extensibly in the Netherlands, most notably when the north-south main railway line through Rotterdam was rebuilt and upgraded in the 80s (which could also be a Megaproject in its own right)

[@ChristopherNFP]

Also used construct the tunnel under Sydney Harbour

[@drdewott9154]

Yeah. Heck its the exact same method used on the Femern tunnel which recently started construction and will be Denmark's 3rd massive sea crossing project. 18km of Submerged tunnel between the Danish island of Lolland and the German island of Femern/Fehmarn, housing a motorway and a high speed railway with trains going 200km/h between Copenhagen and Hamburg.

[@mariepindstruplinde1671]

The idea goes further back than the 19th century. Back when southern parts of (now) Sweden was ruled by the Danish kings they where already toying with the idea of some sort of connection

[@jasondeb2678]

Watching this while being in amager beach from where you can clearly see the Oresund bridge 😃

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

And, now - Denmark is building and financing a new and very long tunnel for cars and trains below the Fehmarn Belt from Denmark to Germany (The Germans will be paid for new roads and a new bridge on the Fehmarn island), from the same principles as this tunnel, to be built on land in a huge factory and then sailed out to be sunk, one after the other. Maybe also an Idea for a new film? It will be one of the longest underwater tunnels built, and unlike the "Chunnel", the cars will be able to drive for themselves!

[@todayonthebench]

Time to do a video on the scale model of the solar system that is located in Sweden. It is fairly big, though questionable if it is a "megaproject" from a budget standpoint to be fair. But the sun is represented by what is currently the world's largest spherical building.

[@peterhoz]

There's also a scale model around the northern foreshore of Port Philip Bay in Melbourne, Australia

[@mikkelnyhuus9173]

Thanks. My father once said that he worked hard treating divers of lead poisoning during the project as a chief physician in the navy. There is more to that highway than just the bridge. The whole area around the airport and all the way across the island was terraformed on a rather large scale. Amager has transformed a lot over the last couple of decades.

[@Vikotnick]

Every year I make the pilgrimage from Kastrup to Älmhult. I rent a car at the airport and then take a drive. I really feel like coming home and I am wide eyed when I cross the bridge.

[@TheCimbrianBull]

Are you visiting the original IKEA store there?

[@Vikotnick]

@@TheCimbrianBull Well, yes and no. There is an event in the old store that is now a museum. Most of the old store is now a showroom for new things, beleive it or not.

[@markhaus]

A sister bridge connecting the same two countries in roughly the same place (north of both nodes) is starting construction soon specifically to for travelers not going to either Copenhagen nor Malmo to make room for more traffic and to make the trip past either city faster, say if you’re a trucker taking goods from Gothenburg to Hamburg

[@carllarsson5021]

As a Skåning I can say that im happy.

[@darraghmckenna9127]

Ditto for people in Blekinge. prepandemic I was crossing that bridge monthly

[@TheCimbrianBull]

*a strong Scania dialect intensifies*

[@ulrikschackmeyer848]

En Skråning som Ni vet är altid glad😀

[@billigmad3720]

More ways for you to escape the hellhole when needed. :)

[@OmmerSyssel]

Luckily we still have the possibility regulating which sort of Swedish migration we'll accept 😉

[@richardmeyeroff7397]

Their is another connection that is both a bridge and tunnel connection. It is in the USA. it connects the Delmar Peninsula with mainland Virginia. It was built this way so that large naval vessels from Norfolk Naval Base couldn't be blocked in by destroying the bridge.

[@Bruisedmelon]

I hereby recommend that all weights be compared to the equivalent number of simon’s

[@mettejakobsen7017]

You could also look at the Storebælt bridge that is connecting Fyn and Sjælland. Also in Denmark.

[@ManosS40]

I crossed the bridge with my car in 2010 going from Germany to Sweden and back. Magnificent!

[@forthexp8649]

I live a few hours from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, the 18 mile (28 km) monster that crosses said titular bay, so i have a sense of appreciation for how incredible this is. CBB is literally so long, so high above the water, then so low below the water, and coupled with the fact its 30-45 minutes from leaving land to returning, that they actually provide service if you call and ask to come meet you and drive you across due to people having panic attacks.

[@EAcapuccino]

I remember this, it was briefly seen on a very old Top Gear episode - race to Oslo Now it has come back to me after nearly 2 decades! Very nice! Good Choice! 👏👏 Now do the Milau bridge in southern France! Or 1 of many China builds that's even more impressive than either of these!

[@matsv201]

Its was just 13 years a go.

[@EAcapuccino]

@@matsv201 still feels like time long time ago to me haha 13 years ago I was but a mid teenager finishing high school!

[@matsv201]

@@EAcapuccino It was the first epic race i watched with my then GF now wife back in the day. So i kind of know it was not 20 yeras ago... that would have been quite illegal.

[@10p6]

Reminds me of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which is awesome as the tunnels on it are the only place you get cell phone reception.

[@chadthebassist]

An episode on the Atlantic Ocean Road in Norway would be really neat.

[@nicolek4076]

2:15 Although I hate to say, the US has the Chesapeake Bay bridge, which was built when I was a child (ie. a very long time ago) and is a combined bridge and tunnel.

[@fastertove]

Main difference is the train.

[@nicolek4076]

@@fastertove You're right. And there's also a difference in size. Simon was making the point that the Øresund bridge was the world's first combined bridge and tunnel, which it isn't.

[@fastertove]

Not the best video he has made. He didn´t get much into why the bridge/tunnel was made. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3W1p4SHacuelZY The fact it also handles trains is what makes it somewhat special.

[@madsotzenandreasen7145]

great video. you should do a video about the"storebelt brigde, tho it has no tunnel

[@triggertits]

What are you talking about, storebælt has a train tunnel under the suspension bridge part??

[@madsotzenandreasen7145]

@@triggertits well yes, but was talking about, there not being a combiination as in there is on the øresund

[@martinjrgensen8234]

I am fortunate enough to be old enough to have experienced this project as well as the Storebælts bridge and tunnel project.

[@fastertove]

I remember taking the ferry and seeing the naked pillars sticking out of the water while they were building it. Connecting Denmark with one of the largest bridges in the world was a cool project! The tunnel was also a new thing, being a uncommon thing in Denmark. My parents miss the relaxation of the ferries, but I guess you can still take "Molslinjen" :).

[@davidvoinier6008]

How about doing a show about the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel?

[@patrick6110]

The justification for the additional expenditure and complexity related to digging a tunnel for part of the way and creating an artificial island, rather than raising that section of the bridge, was to avoid interfering with air traffic from the nearby Copenhagen Airport, to provide a clear channel for ships in good weather or bad, and to prevent ice floes from blocking the strait. The existing island of Saltholm was not used for ecological reasons.

[@cpt_overlord_]

you should do a episode on the femern tunnel that they are making right now to connect denmark and germany. it's going to be the world longest imersed tunnel

[@andreaslundberg2978]

I like how your Ö (or Ø if you prefer) was more swedish than danish. As a swede who commuted across it for a while, I appreciate it.

[@1x2x3xdk]

Just do metric and put the stone age measurement stuff on the screen.

[@6yjjk]

My family crossed between Malmo and Copenhagen in the 80s, when it was still a ferry. We were pretty much the last car onto the boat, there was an entire lane free, and the deckhands still insisted that we get as close to the wall as possible. This made sense when a whacking great TRAIN drove onto the boat beside us. While I loved gliding across the bridge on a train some 30 years later, it just wasn't the same. Still gutted that we didn't try the Malmo-Copenhagen hovercraft when we had the chance. :(

[@jefflanam]

I might have been on that train. I took a night train from Stockholm to Copenhagen around 1985. In the middle of the night, I got up to watch the train cars being loaded onto the ferry.

[@stevegrover8220]

This is amazing. I can't wait to ride my motorcycle across it to Sweden

[@OmmerSyssel]

Highly recommend visiting Rosengården in Malmö! Every decent leftists wet dream of cultural enrichment of a decent western city 😇🥳💝 😱☠️💥

[@nielsen145]

i grew up, while watching they build the bridge, its kinda my neighbor, yes i live 10mins from cph airport on foot. man time flies quick. only good thing also, when they built the bridge, we finally got connected to copenhagen main station, which for several years was not possible, because of our owm failed train line, which after bankruptcy DSB took over for a short time and mainly used the rails for cargo, until they stopped around the 70s, so the only way was the bus to copenhagen. Amagerbanen kings letter, stated they had the rights to run railroad until 2000, were talking 50+ years exclusive rights here.

[@VoidRavenDC17]

Of course it was build ahead of schedule, we Scandinavians can be very efficient :P

[@calvinroyals6463]

You should check out the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Four islands and two tunnels. Connecting Norfolk VA with the Eastern Shore. It's being widened from two to four lanes.

[@pev_]

Good, but I would have liked to see more details about how the car lanes and train rails were consolidated into the tunnel part! Is the tunnel also in two levels like the bridge?

[@Kingdemonpigfromhell]

Looks like they're side by side once they reach the artificial island and the tunnel.

[@mariepindstruplinde1671]

@@Kingdemonpigfromhell you are right. They are side by side.

[@paoloviti6156]

@@Kingdemonpigfromhell correct, they are side by side with a service and escape tunnel on top each other in the middle...

[@pev_]

Thanks, people. I still think it is a bit lazy of the channel to skip over much of the details. It is also evident in many other videos of the channel. It almost seems like he (they) just wants to pump out as many videos in a time as possible and therefore ignoring many details. Oh I'm sure it still takes much effort to research the things that are presented, but well, perhaps a little less videos per week and a little more effort on details would not hurt?

[@monicaliu3714]

It’s quite the experience crossing the Öresund. When you’re half way across you almost only see water, which is both scary and magnificent. Fun fact; there are markings on the bridge that tell you when you’re entering Swedish or Danish territory. Before most cellphone carriers joined up in sweden and danmark, you would get a notice on your phone that you’ve entered another country. Remember trying to get the most use outta my phone before it died on me. Sometimes the cell service in sweden jumped to the danish, even if you were in sweden, at least for us living in Malmö close to the water.

[@nicklager1666]

As a swede i think you did fine with your pronounciation, Simon.

[@OmmerSyssel]

Kumbaya Swede enters the scene... 😂🥳

[@zachaliles]

The title makes me think of the Chesapeake bay bridge/tunnel system in the states. It's such a cool experience to drive through!

[@TheSevenUpMan]

That moment when watching a video about the Skandinavian bridge you see it cut to an Russian train (5:03).

[@Martin2153]

Simon, Another bridge for you to talk about is the Millau Viaduct in France. It is not as long as the Oresund, but much taller and a spectacularly impressive design. I haven't been on the Millau, but it's on my bucket list. The internal structure is air conditioned to prevent condensation and corrosion! I did travel both ways by train on the Oresund in 2004 and it was an amazing journey.

[@TheEvilCommenter]

Good video 👍

[@oyuyuy]

Single trips across the bridge are expensive, but for frequent users it's cheap. Roughly $14 per crossing for cars and 7$ per trip by train. A ton of people live in one country and work in the other, commuting over the bridge every day.

[@fastertove]

Actual price is likely even lower - commuters can get tax deduction if they travel long to work.

[@PHDiaz-vv7yo]

$6.9 billion in today’s money??!!! Done the journey by train. What a bargain considering what trade it brings in. Amazing

[@seanj3667]

“Sixty nine dudes” - Bill and Ted

[@joostprins3381]

My father was one of the major engineers working on the tunnel part, one Christmas he took us with him to the (unfinished) tunnel, it’s made by sinking parts in to a ditch, connecting them and stabilize them with little rocks in the v shaped spaces. The last part was used as a safety with in total 3 dam wall between the water and the working people. He took us to the last dam wall, one side water, other side we. Later he took us above to the hopper which was dumping the rocks, an hour before we were walking beneath the hopper.. so cool… Btw, Dutch companies played a major role in this tunnel part.

[@w0t3rdog]

As a swede, I am offended you used ø instead of ö.

[@fastertove]

As a Dane, I aprove of his wisdom to use the proper letter ø.

[@w0t3rdog]

@@fastertove As a dane, you have no say in whats proper when it comes to languages.

[@fastertove]

@@w0t3rdog As a Swede, you talk slower than your neighboring Scandinavian friends - but at least you make great songs! :-)

[@w0t3rdog]

@@fastertove Aww, thank you! I knew sending our songwriters to help Britney out was a good idea.

[@ulrikschackmeyer848]

Yes you would be wouldn't you? What a surprice😀😇

[@zappababe8577]

It does look stunning! Very impressive and an elegant design

[@bigbaddms]

7:32 Horizontal girders added weighing 5.5 million tons each? I don’t think so. That’s 11 Billion pounds. Maybe it was supposed to be 5.5 million pounds each?

[@owenshebbeare2999]

Your work with units is faulty too. "Pounds" are cave-man units!

[@bigbaddms]

@@owenshebbeare2999 hahaha! Alas he didn’t say metric tons! So our esteemed Author is a caveman too 🧐

[@77gravity]

@@bigbaddms Yes, I hate it when massive things are measured in pounds. It's an American disease. TONS, FFS (and I mean Metric tons, of course)

[@janwitkowsky8787]

Funny thing... Live in Copenhagen. I go across the bridge every 4 weeks, to buy cigarettes, because in Denmark they've increased the taxes on tobacco products. And the Swedish currency is a bit weaker than the Danish, so I am saving quite a bit of money. My mate, who lives in Malmö (Malmø), goes to Copenhagen twice a month, to buy alcohol, or even just to party, because in Sweden, the tax on alcohol products and the restrictions in regards to purchasing and availability, makes Denmark (and even Germany) a viable solution.

[@mangalores-x_x]

I am still confused why Norway, Sweden and Finland allowed for this to happen. Being closer to Denmark and all... ;)

[@fastertove]

Mainland Denmark was also against it. Mind you that being closer to Sweden is not something to wish upon your worst enemy... But Copenhagen, where most politicians dwells (probably sleeping upside down in chalk-caves) smelled cheap labour and easy boost of the economy... Most Danes would probably have prefered a bridge-tunnel to Norway no matter its (much) higher cost :).

[@OmmerSyssel]

@@fastertove maybe the politicians in Copenhagen gains some revenue from the Swedish clan criminals busy importing drugs and arms supplies by the bridge..? The goood© Christiania hippies certainly creams their part..

[@C-Swede]

The chap who project led the building of the bridge went on to project lead the construction of a tunnel under the city of Malmö. Both projects came in before schedule and under budget.