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Inside the world’s first underseas roundabout part of $700,000,000 travelling system

Inside the world’s first underseas roundabout part of $700,000,000 travelling system

It resembles a jellyfish.

Underwater roads are becoming an increasingly popular way to travel.

In 2022, China opened its longest underwater highway which stretched the length of 6.65 miles under Lake Taihu in eastern China’s Jiangsu Province.

And just when you think that’s impressive, the Faroe Islands have gone and done one better.

The Faroe Islands have over 31 miles of road tunnels (Francesco Riccardo Iacomino/Getty)
The Faroe Islands have over 31 miles of road tunnels (Francesco Riccardo Iacomino/Getty)

The small set of islands sit between Iceland and Norway, and are a self-governing nation that is technically part of Denmark.

The remote region has a population of just 50,000 people who are outnumbered by the 70,000 sheep that live there.

Moving between the 17 habitable islands can prove to be quite tricky, especially with a climate where you can experience all four seasons in just one day.

Until recently, the only way to get around was by boat but even that can be difficult with choppy water, and the journey can take up to half a day.

In the 1970s, a bridge was built connecting two islands together and since then, work began on creating tunnels to cut down travel time.

The jellyfish tunnel is part of a new $700 million travelling system (Ólavur Fredericksen/Visit Faroe Islands)
The jellyfish tunnel is part of a new $700 million travelling system (Ólavur Fredericksen/Visit Faroe Islands)

Since then, over 31 miles of road tunnels have been constructed, building through fjords, mountains, hills and even the ocean.

Now, the tiny nation has gone one step further, by creating the world’s first underwater roundabout.

Known as a ‘jellyfish roundabout’, the infrastructure will cut an hour long journey down to just 15 minutes and comes with a pretty hefty price tag - the project will cost a whopping $700 million to turn into a reality.

The roundabout gets its nickname from the giant pillar of colorful rock that sits in the middle of the intersection, resembling a jellyfish.

The exciting new construction sits around 72 meters below the water surface, with the deepest part of the tunnel reaching a depth of 187 meters.

The islands are situated between Iceland and Norway (Haitong Yu/Getty)
The islands are situated between Iceland and Norway (Haitong Yu/Getty)

Teitur Samuelsen, the CEO of tunnelling company P/F Eystur- og Sandoyartunlar behind the project, said: “We are a small country, a small society where decisions can be taken quite quickly.

“That's one reason why we can do projects like this. And also that we have good experience doing tunnels we are using or building tunnels based on Norwegian standards and Norwegian technology.”

Despite being a very small nation, the Faroese are investing a lot of money into connecting their islands together, which is making life easier for its residents.

Whether it’s commuting to work, visiting with family and friends or even driving to the hospital, this new travelling system will be life changing.

Featured Image Credit: Haitong Yu/Getty/Ólavur Fredericksen/Visit Faroe Islands