But one thing the Swedes and the Danes have never been is connected by land. From the city of Malmo in southern Sweden, it will span the water to the Danish capital, Copenhagen. A tunnel, slightly longer than the bridge, is also part of the connection. About 11,000 vehicles daily are expected to use the toll bridge and tunnel.
Fees have yet to be set, but the aim is to give substantial rebates to regular commuters.
Swedes and Danes already travel between Malmo and Copenhagen on hydrofoils that take about forty-five minutes. Much of the traffic is toward Copenhagen, for work, shopping and relaxation. Swedes from the Malmo area also often use Copenhagen International Airport, rather than the airport in Malmo, because it is much easier to make continental and transatlantic connections. However, the bridge will dramatically alter the region's dynamics and, some worry, not only for the better. Between 1996 and 2005, some 100,000 new jobs are expected to be created in the region, and unemployment is expected to be cut in half.