NOK 19.5 million in penalties for overrunning the contract date. However, the court's decision was not unanimous. The plaintiff appealed to case to the Supreme Court, who unanimously confirmed the ruling of Gulating Court of Appeal. In addition, the plaintiff was sentenced to pay the defendants legal costs of NOK 910,000. The bridge was officially opened by King Harald V on 22 September 1994. It was the second pontoon bridge in Norway, after the Bergsøysund Bridge which opened in 1992. The last tolls were collected on 31 December 2005. In 2008, there were 19,700 travelers on the bridge each day, 14 percent of which used public transport. In 2009, the bridge had an average daily traffic (ADT) of 14,698 vehicles, up from 7975 in 2000. Following the removal of the tolls, the ADT increased from 9912 in 2005 to 12,249 in 2006. In 2010, the bridge was one of twelve finalists in Teknisk Ukeblads competition for the most beautiful bridge in Norway. In December 2010, Bergen City Council approved the Nordhordland Package, which would result in NOK 3.8 billion being used on road investments in Åsane and Nordhordland. Two-thirds of the financing is to come from tolls, which will involve reinstalling a toll plaza on the bridge. The tolls will first be set to NOK 20 for five years, and then after the completion of the first stage, the toll will be NOK 40 for fifteen years. The toll plaza is scheduled to reopen in 2013. Among the projects is a new four-lane Nyborg Tunnel which will shorten the distance of E39 from the bridge with the motorway at Nyborg in Bergen. References Bibliography External links 1994 establishments in Norway Bridges completed in 1994 Cable-stayed bridges in Norway European route E39 in Norway Former toll bridges in Norway Alver (municipality) Pontoon bridges Road bridges in Bergen Road bridges in Vestland