Sweden and Denmark have both agreed to consider building the long-proposed tunnel linking Helsingborg, Sweden and Helsingor, Denmark. If built, it would give the Copenhagen/Malmo area new links and relieve some of the load on the Oresund Bridge between the two.
The bridge, opened in 2000, carries car and rail commuters between the two cities and has helped create a unified metropolitan area. The proposed tunnel, a bit north of the two cities, would extend the area, and pull some level of traffic from the bridge, which is carrying far more traffic than originally predicted.
Sweden has pushed for the tunnel in the past, but Denmark was reluctant. They now believe there’s a good business case for a road-only tunnel financed by tolls, as the bridge was. However, Sweden is pushing for the tunnel to include rail service as well. That’s one of the issues the study commission will have to resolve, in a process that could take 2 or 3 years.
