Fljótagöng is now at the top of the government’s new transportation plan for tunnel projects. The Fjarðarheiði Tunnel does not appear on the priority list but remains under consideration, along with several other areas such as Reynisfjall, Hellisheiði, and Öxnadalsheiði, to name a few.
This is stated in an announcement from the Minister of Infrastructure.
The announcement also states that preparation for the next tunnel project will begin next year, with contractors scheduled to start drilling in 2027. Funding for road maintenance will increase by half, reaching 20 billion ISK annually starting in 2027.
Fjarðagöng in 2nd–3rd place
Fljótagöng— which will connect Siglufjörður and Fljótin and replace Strákagöng— tops the list due to the particularly dangerous natural hazards associated with the current route, according to the announcement.
Fjarðagöng and Súðavíkurgöng jointly hold second and third place on the priority list.
Fjarðagöng consists of two tunnels: one between Seyðisfjörður and Mjóifjörður, and another between Mjóifjörður and Norðfjörður. Súðavíkurgöng would connect Súðavík and Ísafjörður and replace the existing route, which is prone to rockfalls and avalanches. Several design options are under review.
In fourth place on the list are the Miklidalur and Hálfdán tunnels, which would link Patreksfjörður, Tálknafjörður, and Bíldudalur. Several possible alignments are also being considered.
A difficult decision
According to the announcement, a new comparative analysis of tunnel options in East Iceland shows that the societal benefit of the Fjarðagöng tunnels is significantly greater than that of the Fjarðarheiði Tunnel.
“This is primarily due to shorter travel times between the settlements in the region. Even so, Fjarðagöng would break the winter isolation of Seyðisfjörður while also opening access to Mjóifjörður. For these reasons, the proposed transportation plan recommends accelerating research and preparation for Fjarðagöng as much as possible while postponing construction of the Fjarðarheiði Tunnel.”
The Minister of Infrastructure, Eyjólfur Ármannsson, is quoted in the announcement saying that the decision was a difficult one.
“[B]ut there are also substantial national economic interests at stake. We must acknowledge that the overall societal benefit of Fjarðagöng is considered significantly greater for the East Iceland region. For this reason, it was not considered financially justifiable to begin with the Fjarðarheiði Tunnel. It remains, however, on the list for further review.”
Other areas under review
The announcement adds that beyond the six priority tunnel projects, eleven other tunnel options or areas remain under consideration:
Fjarðarheiði Tunnel, Hvalfjörður Tunnel II, a tunnel between Ólafsfjörður and Dalvík, widening of Breiðadalsleggur, Klettsháls, Gemlufallsheiði, Öxnadalsheiði, Reynisfjall, Lónsheiði, Hellisheiði, Berufjörður Tunnel, and Breiðdalsheiði Tunnel.
Source: Mbl.is
