Over 1km blasted in the Bolungarvík tunnel
The excavation of the Bolungarvík tunnel is proceeding apace. Last week, 54 metres were blasted on the Hnífsdalur end, including emergency recesses, bringing the length to nearly 400 metres. On the Bolungarvík end, some 67 metres were blasted, bringing the total length at that end to over 600 metres. In all, 121 metres were blasted during the week, and the tunnel is now over one kilometre long, or one-fifth of its total length.
Last week’s progress lengthened the tunnel by about 2.5%. If the Ósafl crew can blast 2.5% of the tunnel’s length each week, and if excavation proceeds normally and no unforeseen difficulties arise, the tunnel should be open from end to end by mid-July 2009. The Ósafl crew estimate that they will be finished blasting the tunnel by late July or early August 2009.
