The traffic light systems at five junctions along Höfðabakki will be renewed this summer. At the same time, the speed limit on Höfðabakki will be reduced to 50 km/h.
Reykjavík City Council has authorised the Environment and Planning Division to put traffic light renewal works out to tender. This is a joint project with the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration (Vegagerðin).
The junctions concerned are:
- • Höfðabakki – Stórhöfði
- • Höfðabakki – Dvergshöfði
- • Höfðabakki – Bíldshöfði
- • Höfðabakki – Vesturlandsvegur
- • Höfðabakki – Bæjarháls
The current traffic lights on Höfðabakki are quite old, say the council. The new equipment will allow for real-time traffic light control, using a new type of radar sensor capable of adjusting signals based on actual traffic flow.
The council say the aim is to improve safety for vulnerable road users, including by shortening the distance they must cross the road. Another goal is to improve the efficiency of the junctions for all users through upgraded signal control, thereby improving overall traffic flow.
Alongside the equipment renewal, signal programming will be reviewed and physical improvements made to the immediate environment, particularly to enhance access and safety for pedestrians and cyclists. These physical improvements are generally minor—for example, kerb adjustment, widening of central islands, raised crossings, and tactile guide strips and warning zones.
Street lighting will be improved, and audible signal boxes for visually impaired pedestrians will be installed at all crossings.
At Bíldshöfði, a traffic light will be installed on the southbound right-turn from Bíldshöfði onto Höfðabakki. This area has seen a concentration of accidents, attributed to traffic from Bíldshöfði merging into fast and dense flow on Höfðabakki—where drivers may not focus properly on the vehicle ahead or on pedestrians and cyclists, according to the council.
At Vesturlandsvegur, poles with traffic signals will be removed due to poor accessibility and risk to maintenance personnel. Instead, new lights will be installed in the central island.
At Bæjarháls, two right-turn lanes will be removed, which the council say will improve pedestrian and cyclist access and safety at the junction.
Currently, there is considerable pedestrian and cyclist traffic in the area. In addition, a main cycle path is planned along the eastern side of Höfðabakki in the future.
There have been frequent rear-end collisions at the Bæjarháls bypass, where drivers focus on fast-moving traffic on Höfðabakki instead of the vehicle ahead or crossing pedestrians and cyclists.
After the changes, there will be a dedicated lane for right-turning traffic with a separate right-turn signal. Despite these changes, the overall capacity and service level of the junctions is expected to remain comparable to current conditions, say the council.
Work on renewing the traffic light systems is expected to begin this spring and finish in the autumn. The estimated total cost is ISK 250 million. The City of Reykjavík will contribute one-third of this amount, while Vegagerðin will cover two-thirds.
Source: Ruv.is
