The bridge is to be built south of Skellefteå and was supposed to start this fall, but the start has been postponed until fall 2027. According to the terms of the environmental permit, construction must be paused every year during the woodpecker's nesting period, which falls between March and June.
"We had planned a construction time of 1.5–2 years for the bridge, but due to the conditions in the ruling, the construction time will be extended to approximately three years," says Helena Westberg, production manager at Norrbothniabanan, in a press release from the Swedish Transport Administration.
The ruling is expected to increase the cost of building the bridge, but how much is not yet clear. The timetable for the Norrbothnia Line itself between Umeå and Skellefteå is not expected to be affected.
