The engineering marvel of the Oresund Bridge has made it easier than ever before to travel between two countries that are separated by water. The Danish engineering company COWI created the design for the Oresund bridge. The bridge’s main architect was George K.S. Rotne. This exclusive passageway connects the cities of Copenhagen, Denmark with Malmö, Sweden, doing so in two ways: a splendid cable-stayed bridge runs 5 miles to an artificial island, where it then transitions into a tunnel that encompasses an extra two and a half miles.
A beautiful motorway occupies the upper level, while the railway line runs below. The majestically beautiful man-made island that attaches the bridge and tunnel is called “Peberholm,” and it’s had an unexpectedly positive impact on the local flora and fauna. Species have been allowable to freely develop, and it’s since become a haven for biologists as a prevalent breeding ground for birds in addition to habitat for the rare green toad.
The responsibility of operating the bridge falls on both countries, and its neighboring states help keep the structure running. Drivers must pay a toll to cross the Oresund, but the cost seems worth it. By having such a bridge, a region of more than 3.7 million people is meeting the expense of the freedom to live in one country but work in another. About 2/3 of the people traveling across the Oresund go by train, with the journey between Copenhagen and Malmö taking nearly 35 minutes.
