The Sandsfjord Bridge opened in November 2015 and replaced the ferry between Sand and Ropeid. It is 580 metres long with a main span of 290 metres. At 65 metres above the water, it is Norway's highest bridge over a shipping lane, as this is the only way in to the industrial town of Sauda.
Not everyone wanted this bridge. Before construction began, 130 people signed a petition demanding a local referendum. Many feared what would happen to the village of Sand when the ferry stopped running. The ferry terminal was in the centre of town, so everyone passing through had to drive right through the main street. Shopkeepers worried they would lose customers when the traffic no longer came past their doors.
They were not entirely wrong. After the bridge opened, the municipality spent 25 million kroner renovating the town square and waterfront to make Sand more attractive as a destination rather than just a place you passed through while waiting for the ferry.