Updated calculations for the combined road-rail link across the Kattegat sea estimate the total cost as being more than US$20 billion, requiring some US$7 billion of government funding.
The country’s roads directorate has now been asked to look more closely at whether a road-only link could be paid for by user tolls as initial assessments indicate that the costs could be covered in 32 years. Further examination of the potential costs and revenue will be carried out in the coming months, with the new study due for completion by December.
Transport, building and housing minister Ole Birk Olesen said that it has been a long-held dream to tie East and West Denmark closer together with a fixed link over the Kattegat, but so far it has been economically unrealistic.