The company Johannes Sørlie launched an all-tunnel proposal in 1985, which would cost NOK 700 million and give of subsea tunnel connecting Bømlo to Stord and the mainland. The committee was positive to the proposals, while Josef Martinsen, director of Hordaland Public Roads Administration, stated that the project was unrealistic. Sveio Municipality was subsequently invited as a member of the planning committee. On 14 May 1985, the committee voted to encourage the municipal councils to pass planning which involved a bridge across Sørstokken, and aimed to get the plans into Norwegian Road Plan 1990–1993. The committee continued its work until it dissolved itself in October 1986 and was replaced by the limited company Ytre Sunnhordland Bru- og Tunnelselskap AS (SBT). The company was owned by the municipalities of Bømlo, Stord, Fitjar and Sveio, Hordaland County Municipality and the banks Bergen Bank, Sparebanken Vest, Vestlandsbanken, Haugesund Bank and Christiania Bank.