Since the Øresund bridge’s opening in 2000, traffic on the Øresund motorway has risen far above expectations. This is, in part, due to traffic developments on the bridge itself and, in part, to the activities in and around Ørestad, Copenhagen's new urban district.
As a result, the time of critical congestion on the motorway is approaching. Initially, therefore, the section west of the Tårnby tunnel will be upgraded to include a third lane in both directions, a project that is expected to be executed between 2010-12. The layout of the existing motorway already allows for the proposed additional lane.