Oslo Package 1 (Norwegian:Oslopakke 1) was a political agreement and plan for introducing anurban toll ring aroundOslo,Norway and making 31 investments to road infrastructure in Oslo andAkershus. The package was approved in 1988 and toll charges were introduced in 1990. It was supplemented byOslo Package 2, which included a similar scheme for public transport. In 2008, they were both replaced byOslo Package 3.[1]
The entire plan involved investments of 11 billion NOK (equivalent to 21.1 billion NOK in 2017) to be funded by 4.8 billion NOK in state grants and 6.2 billion NOK in toll road revenue. 3.9 billion NOK was invested in Akershus, while 7.1 billion NOK was invested in Oslo. The companyFjellinjen was created to manage the toll collection.[1]
During the 1970s, car traffic in Oslo increased greatly and there was political will to increase investment in motorways and tunnels in the city. The goal was to increase capacity and reduce congestion in city streets. In particular, Rådhusgata, theCity Hall Square, and the areas around them were congested, hindering people from accessing the fjord. However, during the 1980s, the political climate shifted towards reduced public spending. In 1982, theMinister of Transport,Inger Koppernæs from theConservative Party, promised increased government grants to local authorities that introduced toll roads.[2]
The first project planned was theFestning Tunnel that would, along with the intersection at Vestbanen, allow the City Hall Square to become car free. In 1986, the city council in Oslo andAkershus County Council jointly set demands for a new toll ring scheme, requiring that the state grant extra funding equal to the toll charges: the "krone for krone" principle. This was similar to a prior agreement inBergen. A report made by thesecond Willoch cabinet provided that initial project,Fjellinjen, was to receive an annual grant of 230 million NOK. While there was local resistance, the plan was popular in theStorting.[2]
By 1987, Oslo and Akershus were in agreement on the placement of the eighteen toll plazas. Since the ring would be located within Oslo, there was more local resistance in Oslo than in Akershus. To increase support in Oslo, 20% of the funds were allocated for public transport and 70% of the investments would be used in Oslo. A committee with representatives from Oslo, Akershus, the state, and theNorwegian Public Roads Administration was created, while the planning became the responsibility of the Public Roads Administration. There were three plan periods from 1990 to 2001 and additional plans for the period until 2005 were also made. Estimates showed NOK 8.1 billion in investments were required from 1990 to 2001. The project was finally approved by the Storting on 10 June 1988. The goals of the project were to increase capacity by 30–50% and to avoid increased congestion by building from the city center outwards. Without the package, the investments would have taken about 30 years.[3]
The company Fjellinjen was founded on 13 February 1986 by the Municipality of Oslo to secure financing for the Festning Tunnel. With the 1988 decision, the company was given the responsibility of financing the rest of the toll ring. As a result, Akershus bought 40% of the company in 1990.[4]
In 1996, the work started on the creation of a similar package for public transport – in particular, theAsker Line andFollo Line railways, theRing Line and some extensions to theOslo T-bane, and improvements to the infrastructure for buses andtrams. The goal was to raise sufficient funding for the project, to reduce the project time from 25 years to 10 years. The package was passed by the Storting in 2000 and provided NOK 15.6 billion in funding. In addition to public grants, each public transport ticket would contribute NOK 0.75 and the tolls of the ring road would increase by 2 NOK.[5]
Following the termination of Oslo Package 1 in 2008, a new political compromise was created for another twenty years of investments: Oslo Package 3. It includes investment in road, rail, and bus infrastructure as well as public transport operation. The total budget is NOK 58 billion. It was passed by parliament on 13 March 2008.[6]
The main objective of the package was to move road traffic to the ring roads, reducing the amount of traffic in the city center and freeing up capacity in the main arteries. In the 1990s, a number of tunnels were built and the ring roads improved. During the 2000s, the focus was moved towards the arteries.[7]
European Route E18, running through the city centre, received much of the initial investments, with theFestning Tunnel opening in 1990 and the Vestbane Intersection in 1994. The City Hall Square was subsequently closed to cars. Also in the city centre were upgrades toNational Road 162 in 1990–91, including theVaterland Tunnel. A new intersection forNational Road 4 was also built at Hausmannsgate.[8]
Ring 3 received funding for theGranfoss Tunnel (1992), upgrades fromSinsen toStoro (1994), intersections atBlindern (1993) and theNorwegian Radium Hospital (1997), and upgrades to the section fromTåsen toUllevål (including theTåsen Tunnel, 1999).National Road 190, connecting the E6 to the E18, was also expanded, including theTeisen Intersection (with the E6 in 1990) and theEkeberg Tunnel (1995). The E6 received grants for theRyen Intersection (1997), theSkullerud Intersection (1998), theSvartdal Tunnel (2000), and the Galgeberg Connection (2001).[8]
In 1993, the E6 was upgraded betweenVinterbro andVassum while the E18 received a new intersection atLysaker and a connection to theEuropean Route E16 atSandvika, including theKjørbo Tunnel. The following year, theBekkestua Tunnel opened onNational Road 160.[9] Norwegian National Road 4 was extended from Skøyen toSlattum in 1993 and fromGjelleråsen to Slattum in 2003.National Road 159 was upgraded between Knatten and Lørdagsrud in 1997, and from Lørdagsrud toNational Road 22 the following year. A bypass was also added pastStrømmen in 2003.