A rare look inside Copenhagen’s next road tunnel
On Sunday 27 September, the public once again had the chance to step inside one of Copenhagen’s biggest infrastructure projects. The Danish Road Directorate, Vejdirektoratet, and the contractor BESIX-MTH JV opened the construction site of the Nordhavn Tunnel (Nordhavnstunnelen) to visitors for an “open construction site” day.
For Mette Stender, the Road Directorate’s project manager for the tunnel, the sheer size is only part of the story. She described the structure as imposing enough to give an almost cathedral-like feeling, but said the most striking thing is how many people it takes to make a project like this succeed.
1.4 kilometres from Østerbro to Nordhavn
The tunnel will be 1.4 kilometres long. It starts at Nordhavnsvej, on the eastern side of Strandvænget, runs beneath Svanemøllehavnen and the Kalkbrænderiløbet channel, and ends at Kattegatvej in Nordhavn. It extends the existing Nordhavnsvej, whose 620-metre cut-and-cover tunnel already carries traffic under Østerbro, and will become a municipal road once finished.
The goal is to give the fast-growing districts of inner and outer Nordhavn a direct link to the national road network, while improving access to the port. Just as important for residents, a large share of heavy traffic will be moved off the streets of Østerbro. The Road Directorate expects around 8,200 vehicles a day in the opening year, and the project is prepared for a possible future Eastern Ring Road (Østlig Ringvej).
Built in place, under the harbour
Instead of floating in prefabricated sections, the Nordhavn Tunnel is being built as a cut-and-cover tunnel cast in situ, section by section, inside a dry construction pit. That requires moving enormous quantities of material: according to MT Højgaard, more than 337,000 tonnes of sand have been pumped into Svanemøllehavnen as part of the works.
The joint venture pairs Danish contractor MT Højgaard with Belgian group BESIX, which brings experience from similar projects abroad. Specialists from many countries work on site, so the official working language in the site offices is English. Bravida Denmark handles the technical installations, including ventilation, lighting and traffic signals.
Delays and a higher bill
The project has not been without problems. The tunnel was originally due to open in summer 2027, but early in 2025 the contractor warned of a delay of almost a year, citing technical difficulties on site. In June 2026, the Road Directorate reached a settlement with BESIX-MTH JV, which had demanded extra payment because of unforeseen ground conditions. Following the agreement, the total cost is put at DKK 4.5 billion.
The work has since become far more routine. Once the casting method was proven, the contractor stepped up the pace, and the outline of the tunnel is now clearly visible in the construction pit in Nordhavn.
When will the Nordhavn Tunnel open?
The new tunnel is expected to open to traffic in 2028, with recent reports pointing to October 2028. For drivers heading to Nordhavn’s new neighbourhoods, cruise terminals and port areas, it will mean a faster route that bypasses Østerbro’s residential streets altogether.
