We have gotten used to asphalt being black. But it doesn’t have to be that way. And in fact, asphalt in bright colours can both save energy and provide a better and safer experience when passing through an asphalted tunnel.
In Bergen, Norway, the contractor NCC has just laid 800 tonnes of asphalt in a cycle and pedestrian tunnel through the mountain Løvstakken.
Can achieve exciting things
– In the summer of 2021, we laid light asphalt in a carriage hall for the Bybanen. The result was very good, and we are therefore very happy that we could now also take light asphalt into the Fyllingsdal tunnel. Here we have shown that with solid expertise and interest in the subject, it is possible to achieve a lot of exciting things, says project manager Kristian Frantzen at NCC Industry in Norway in a press release.
One of the world’s longest
The tunnel through the Løvstakken mountain will be one of the world’s longest tunnels for pedestrians and cyclists, and with light asphalt, everything is ready for a good experience.
It is not just the asphalt in the tunnel that is kept in bright shades. The tunnel will also be decorated with bright wall panels and other colour choices, which together will create a safe experience through the tunnel for both pedestrians and cyclists.
Demanding task
– It is a relatively demanding task to produce the bright asphalt, and dyes and glossy bitumen are used, among other things. The factory must also be cleaned before we start a special production. But we expect that coloured asphalt will become more common in the coming years, and the production methods will probably be simplified considerably. So I expect that we can produce asphalt in a wide range of colours, says project manager Frantzen at NCC Industry in the press release.
