When the Øresund Fixed Link was opened to traffic in 2000, the Øresund Sound then remained as the only barrier to a seamless and integrated European surface transportation network. To move the project forward, the Øresund Bridge was promoted by its government supporters as a "self-financing" facility, able to fund all costs from road and rail usage fees over a 30-year timeframe. On the basis of these assurances, construction was financed in the international capital markets through loans guaranteed by the two national governments which bore the full traffic and revenue risks of the project.
The self-financing of the bridge is now in doubt, due to both construction cost overruns and lower-than-expected traffic volumes. In particular, trucks predominately use competing sea ferry services to reach the Swedish peninsula. However, the Øresundsbro Konsortiet did take a leading role in utilizing public-private partnerships for design and construction, and the bridge was one of the first projects of this scale in Europe that was delivered through a series of Design-Build contracts. This approach produced a number of innovations in design, fabrication, and environmental mitigation for the bridge.
From the outset, the Øresund Bridge was conceived of not simply as an infrastructure project, but as a "statement" about environmental protection, economic development, and international relationships. In most respects, the project has promoted these goals as it seeks to attain financial self-sufficiency.