A total of 2,500,000 cubic metres (3,300,000 cu yd) of rock was removed from the tunnel during its construction from 1995 to 2000. The tunnel begins just east of Aurlandsvangen in Aurland and goes through a mountain range and ends 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) south of Lærdalsøyri in Lærdal. The design of the tunnel takes into consideration the mental strain on drivers, so the tunnel is divided into four sections, separated by three large mountain caves at 6-kilometre (3.7 mi) intervals. While the main tunnel has white lights, the caves have blue lighting with yellow lights at the fringes to give an impression of sunrise. The caves are meant to break the routine, providing a refreshing view and allowing drivers to take a short rest. The caverns are also used as turn around points and for break areas to help lift claustrophobia during a 20-minute drive through the tunnel.[1] To keep drivers from being inattentive or falling asleep, each lane is supplied with a loud rumble strip toward the center.[3]