106
H.Karup
The link extends 430 m from the Danish coast at the airport of Copenhagen where an
artificial peninsula has been establised. From there the link will continue under the
Drogden navigation channel in an immersed tunnel with a length of 3510 m between
the embankments. The immersed tunnel will emerge on a 4055-m-long artificial island
south of the existing island of Saltholm. From the artificial island the link continues on
a 7845-m-long two-level bridge across the Flinte and Trindel fairways and joins the
Swedish mainland at Lernacken south of Malm0. The fixed link comprises a twin-track
electrified railway and a four-lane motorway. Denmark and Sweden each on their part
undertake to construct the necessary access facilities for railway and road traffic from
the fixed link to the existing railway and road networks. The construction work is expected to be finalized in the year 2000.
On the basis of experience gained from the Great Belt Link, a heavy discussion of
environmental questions took place during the decision-making process for the 0resund
Link. Notably, the spill from the dredging activities in the Great Belt had had some
impacts on the local environment. The main environmental questions in connection
with the 0resund Link were therefore to balance the impact on the Baltic Sea caused by
the blocking effect of the construction, and the impact of compensation dredging activities on the local environment including the shallow waters around the island of
Saltholm which is an EU bird protection area. A zero solution for the Baltic Sea would
necessitate an increase in dredging in the proximity of the link with a disturbance of
the local environment as a consequence.
In order to obtain a balance between the Baltic Sea and the local environment, it is
stipulated that the completed structure and the construction works must satisfy a
number of environmental objectives and criteria imposed by the Danish and Swedish
environmental authorities, and for all the dredging operations, spillage limits in time
and space have been set up. In order to ensure that the spillage limits are not exceeded
and the quality objectives not violated the authorities, 0resundskonsortiet and the contractors, have developed comprehensive control and monitoring programmes. The aim
of the monitoring programme and the results will be described in further details below
(see Sect. 10.5).
10.4
The Fehmarn Belt Link
As a part of the Danish-Swedish agreement on the 0resund Link, the Danish government accepted working for a fixed link across the Fehmarn Belt between Denmark and
Germany. The experience from the Great Belt Link and the 0resund Link shows an
increasing political and public concern for the environmental impact of fixed links on
the coastal and marine environment. Seven different technical solution models have
therefore been identified for the Fehmarn Belt Link, and comprehensive environmental investigation programmes have been started. The first phase of the investigations
was finalized in August 1996 and it has been decided to continue the next phase of the
investigations with five solutions models. The second phase of the investigations is
expected to be finalized by the end of 1998. The Danish and German governments then
have to decide whether they want to proceed with the project. If the two governments
agree to do so, an Environmental Impact Assessment procedure will be initiated.
H.Karup
The link extends 430 m from the Danish coast at the airport of Copenhagen where an
artificial peninsula has been establised. From there the link will continue under the
Drogden navigation channel in an immersed tunnel with a length of 3510 m between
the embankments. The immersed tunnel will emerge on a 4055-m-long artificial island
south of the existing island of Saltholm. From the artificial island the link continues on
a 7845-m-long two-level bridge across the Flinte and Trindel fairways and joins the
Swedish mainland at Lernacken south of Malm0. The fixed link comprises a twin-track
electrified railway and a four-lane motorway. Denmark and Sweden each on their part
undertake to construct the necessary access facilities for railway and road traffic from
the fixed link to the existing railway and road networks. The construction work is expected to be finalized in the year 2000.
On the basis of experience gained from the Great Belt Link, a heavy discussion of
environmental questions took place during the decision-making process for the 0resund
Link. Notably, the spill from the dredging activities in the Great Belt had had some
impacts on the local environment. The main environmental questions in connection
with the 0resund Link were therefore to balance the impact on the Baltic Sea caused by
the blocking effect of the construction, and the impact of compensation dredging activities on the local environment including the shallow waters around the island of
Saltholm which is an EU bird protection area. A zero solution for the Baltic Sea would
necessitate an increase in dredging in the proximity of the link with a disturbance of
the local environment as a consequence.
In order to obtain a balance between the Baltic Sea and the local environment, it is
stipulated that the completed structure and the construction works must satisfy a
number of environmental objectives and criteria imposed by the Danish and Swedish
environmental authorities, and for all the dredging operations, spillage limits in time
and space have been set up. In order to ensure that the spillage limits are not exceeded
and the quality objectives not violated the authorities, 0resundskonsortiet and the contractors, have developed comprehensive control and monitoring programmes. The aim
of the monitoring programme and the results will be described in further details below
(see Sect. 10.5).
10.4
The Fehmarn Belt Link
As a part of the Danish-Swedish agreement on the 0resund Link, the Danish government accepted working for a fixed link across the Fehmarn Belt between Denmark and
Germany. The experience from the Great Belt Link and the 0resund Link shows an
increasing political and public concern for the environmental impact of fixed links on
the coastal and marine environment. Seven different technical solution models have
therefore been identified for the Fehmarn Belt Link, and comprehensive environmental investigation programmes have been started. The first phase of the investigations
was finalized in August 1996 and it has been decided to continue the next phase of the
investigations with five solutions models. The second phase of the investigations is
expected to be finalized by the end of 1998. The Danish and German governments then
have to decide whether they want to proceed with the project. If the two governments
agree to do so, an Environmental Impact Assessment procedure will be initiated.