the Hobart Bridge in Australia. Another alternative was launched in 1963, involving a submerged floating tunnel through the fjord. It was estimated to cost between NOK 19.5 and 26 million. Norwegian expatriate Leif J. Sverdrup, co-founder of Sverdrup & Parcel of the United States, inspected the fjord in 1965 and was later hired to plan the bridge in cooperation with Oslo-based civil engineering consultants Prosjektering. Municipal engineers started measuring currents in 1966. Prosjektering and Sverdrup & Parcel recommended a pontoon bridge with a movable section to allow passage of ship traffic. In 1967, a new proposal was launched, in which a seaway tunnel would be blasted out in the rock on the Bergen side. The Alversund Bridge was a toll bridge which was paying for the debt accumulated in its construction. By 1968, the debt would be paid off, but the Norwegian Public Roads Administration launched a plan whereby the tolls would continue to be collected and used to finance a bridge across Salhusfjorden. This was opposed by a group of locals, who brought the issue to the courts, claiming it to be illegal, as a bridge would never be built. Both Oslo District Court and Eidsivating Court of Appeal concluded that the tolls were legal, and the issue was rejected by the Supreme Court. Protests were also raised against the use of a pontoon bridge, as it would limit the vessel size and thus the commercial development in the inner parts of the fjord. In the 1970s, National Road 1 (today part of E39) was established through Knarvik towards Sognefjorden, resulting in upgrades to the roads in Nordhordland, and making the crossing one of the main routes from the north. At the same time, it was decided to establish a refinery at Mongstad in Lindås. In 1971, details about the suspension bridge were again discussed, with three different proposals with the main span of between with tall pylons. There were protests from the Salhus area, as the suspension bridge would have resulted in the demolishing of part of the residential area. In 1972, discussion started with the plans to connect Meland, Flatøy and Lindøy with bridges. This was passed by the Parliament of Norway in May 1975, and consisted of the Krossnessundet Bridge between Flatøy and Meland, which opened in November 1978. The Hagelsund Bridge opened on 1 April 1982 and connected Flatøy to Lindås and Knarvik, thus also